432 Park will soon be challenged by the proposed 1-550-foot Nordstrom Tower at 217 W. 57 St.
Manhattan
Top dog
The battle for Tallest Residential Building in the Western Hemisphere has been raging between Manhattan developers over the past few years, with New York by Gehry at 8 Spruce St. holding the title since its opening in 2011. This 76-story rental tower, developed by Forest City Ratner, and designed by, you guessed it, architect Frank Gehry, rises and twists 870 feet into the sky above the Financial District.
Not for long
Since construction topped out in June 2012, buyers have anxiously awaited the opening of One57, Extell Development’s 1,004-foot tower overlooking Central Park at 157 W. 57th St. The Christian de Portzamparc-designed structure has caught international attention as a new iconic element of the NYC skyline.
The victory parade for One57 may not last forever though, as construction is full steam ahead at 432 Park Ave., yet another 57th street megatower developed by CIM Group and Harry Macklowe. The Rafael Vinoly-designed condo will rise 1,398 feet, making it the tallest building in New York (though the spire of One World Trade Center “officially” makes it taller).
388 Bridge won’t be the tallest in Brooklyn for long.
Brooklyn
Top dog
Those looking for the best views from the top of New York’s most populous borough head to The Brooklyner at 111 Lawrence St. With a mix of 490 studios, one- and two-bedroom units and full service amenities, such as a sun deck and billiards room, the building and its neighboring towers have changed the makeup of Downtown Brooklyn into a concentrated hub for high-rise rental projects.
Developed by the Clarett group and purchased by Equity Residential for $76 million two years ago, the 515-foot-tall tower recently garnered media attention for establishing a smoking ban for residents inside and within 25 feet of the building.
Not for long
Just down the street from the Brooklyner lies the newest cloudbuster, 388 Bridge. At 590 feet tall, this Stahl Organization project will bring 234 rental units and 144 condos to the market on March 15. Rental listings, already live on StreetEasy, range from $2,238 for a studio to $4,800 for a two-bedroom, though condo pricing has not been published yet (both aspects will be handled by Halstead Property Development Marketing).
Anyone keeping an eye on the neighborhood won’t be able to blink an eye before a new record is set though. Avalon Willoughby West at 88 Willoughby St., is expected to take the title at 596 feet when it is completed later this year.
CityLights has reigned in Queens since 1996.
Queens
Top dog
Since its completion in 1996, CityLights at 4-74 48th Ave. in Long Island City has held the title of Queens’ tallest residential building. With 42 stories and 522 units, this Hunters Point co-op has watched rental buildings and condos sprout up around it en masse over the past decade as the Queens waterfront has undergone a real estate renaissance. Still, it remains the tallest of its peers and continues to garner sales activity. Currently on the market you can find a studio for $339,000 and two-bedrooms ranging from $650,000 to $1.1 million.
Not for long
CityLights’ reign should be coming to a close in the next two years, as Rockrose Development has begun construction on a new tower in Court Square at 43-25 Hunter St. Expected to have 50 stories, this 500-foot-tall project will sit alongside the Citigroup tower. Designed by SLCE Architects, SPaN Architecture and Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, the building is expected to open in 2016 and will feature 30,000 square feet in amenities. While Rockrose has developed other megaprojects recently in the area, such as the 709 unit Linc LIC, the 975 units will make this building not only the tallest residential building, but also the largest — and 20 percent of it will be made up of affordable units.
