Viewing NYC Articles Categorized Under Buildings

[VIDEO] A closer look at 270 Park Avenue

2026-07-01T12:00:00-04:00

The video offers an in-depth look at the design and construction of 270 Park Avenue, JPMorgan Chase's new global headquarters in New York City. Featuring insights from the integrated design team at Foster + Partners, including Lord Norman Foster, Mike Jelliffe, Kirsten Scott, Jeremy Dworken, Nigel Dancey, Roger Ridsdill Smith, and Stefan Bench, the film highlights the building's innovative and sustainable features. These include the recycling of 97% of the original building materials, a zero-carbon footprint powered by hydroelectricity, and triple-glazed windows. A key design challenge involved constructing the tower above Grand Central Terminal's complex network of train tracks, which was resolved using unique fan-columns that distribute weight to bedrock. The interior boasts a grand public lobby connecting Park and Madison Avenues, meticulously crafted with Italian travertine and featuring an American flag sculpture by Lord Norman Foster and digital art installations by Refik Anadol and Maya Lin. The building's "city within a city" concept is realized through multi-story "Exchange" areas offering diverse dining and social spaces, emphasizing interaction and well-being for staff and visitors.

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[WATCH] Inside New York City FC’s New $780m Etihad Park

2026-06-30T12:00:00-04:00

After over a decade of playing at borrowed baseball stadiums like Yankee Stadium and Citi Field, New York City FC is finally getting its own dedicated home in Queens. The new stadium, called Etihad Park, is part of a larger $780 million privately financed redevelopment project in Willets Point that includes affordable housing, a public school, and other amenities. Designed by HOK, the firm behind St. Louis City SC's Energizer Park, the 25,000-seat stadium features a compact, rectangular bowl designed for an intense atmosphere, a seven-story LED entrance cube, and sustainable elements making it one of the first fully electric professional sports stadiums in the U.S. Construction is progressing rapidly, with the club expecting to open Etihad Park for the start of the 2027-28 MLS season, aligning with a major league calendar shift. This marks a significant milestone for NYCFC and the local community, promising a new era for soccer in New York City.

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[WATCH] Inside the Infamous Hotel Where Rock Stars Lived & Died

2026-06-22T12:00:00-04:00

Architectural Digest takes a tour inside the iconic and recently restored Hotel Chelsea, an infamous landmark in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood. Owner Sean MacPherson and historian William Benton share insights into the hotel's storied past as a creative haven for generations of artists, writers, and musicians, including legendary figures like Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, Leonard Cohen, Andy Warhol, and Sid Vicious. The video showcases the meticulous renovation process, highlighting how historical elements were preserved while integrating modern amenities. Viewers get a glimpse of the lobby, various hotel rooms, the diverse art collection, and the hotel's distinct restaurants and bars, including El Quijote, Café Chelsea, and Teruko. The renovation aimed to elevate the hotel's design while maintaining its unique, eclectic, and rebellious spirit, creating a timeless space that feels like a parallel universe.

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[VIDEO] Inside the NFL's New Sub-Zero Stadium

2026-06-17T12:00:00-04:00

The new Highmark Stadium, future home of the Buffalo Bills, is designed specifically for football purists, embracing Buffalo's intense winter weather rather than seeking to avoid it. Despite a $2.1 billion price tag, much of it from taxpayer money, the stadium will not have a roof, meaning it cannot host major events like the Super Bowl. Instead, the design by Populous incorporates innovative engineering solutions, such as wind-manipulating facades to slow gusts, a hydronic snowmelt system for the canopy and stands, and heating beneath the pitch, all to ensure a comfortable yet authentic cold-weather game-day experience. Seating capacity has been reduced to 60,000, with additional standing-only sections, to create a more intimate and intimidating atmosphere. While it deviates from the trend of multi-purpose, climate-controlled stadiums, the new Highmark Stadium prioritizes the unique culture and history of the Buffalo Bills and its passionate fanbase.

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[WATCH] Remaking NYC's Grand Central Terminal

2026-06-14T12:00:00-04:00

The video offers a comprehensive tour and historical overview of Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, chronicling its evolution from its early beginnings in the 19th century to its modern-day status as a bustling transportation hub. Led by Nathaniel Rogers of Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners, the tour explains how the terminal, initially conceived by Cornelius Vanderbilt, underwent three major constructions. The most significant iteration, the current Grand Central Terminal, was built after a tragic train wreck in 1902 necessitated electrification and underground tracks, enabling the development of "Terminal City" above. The video details the terminal's decline post-WWII due to the rise of cars and planes, and its near-demolition in the 1960s, which sparked a landmark preservation battle led by figures like Jackie Kennedy Onassis, culminating in a 1978 Supreme Court decision that upheld its landmark status. Beyer Blinder Belle spearheaded a 12-year restoration from 1988 to 2000, bringing the terminal back to its former glory. The video also highlights various architectural features, including the Tennessee Pink and Botticino marble, the famous celestial ceiling with its "backwards" constellations, the Guastavino vaults, and the recently completed East Side Access project. Testimonials from long-time employees like Rita Seaton and Melvin Johnson recall the terminal's dilapidated state before its renovation, emphasizing the transformative impact of the preservation efforts.

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[WATCH] The $850 Million Gamble That Reshaped Lower Manhattan

2026-06-10T12:00:00-04:00

This video chronicles the ambitious construction of 8 Spruce Street, also known as New York by Gehry, a residential skyscraper in Lower Manhattan. Designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, the building represented an $850 million gamble to revitalize the area after 9/11. The summary highlights Gehry's unconventional design, which avoids straight lines and features a unique undulating stainless steel facade, while maintaining a rational interior. The project faced significant challenges, including neighbor lawsuits over its height and shadows, and the 2008 financial crisis which halted construction. However, led by MaryAnne Gilmartin and her team at Forest City Ratner Companies, and influenced by the success of Gehry's Guggenheim Bilbao museum, the developers navigated these obstacles through strategic compromises, including adding a public school and securing Liberty Bonds. The comeback of the tower not only reshaped the Financial District's skyline but also became a symbol of resilience and bold ideas for New York City, blending high-end living with community amenities like a school and medical floor within the building's base.

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[WATCH] Inside New York City's Unfixable Skyscraper

2026-05-29T12:00:00-04:00

The video delves into the saga of One Seaport, a 670-foot condominium tower at 161 Maiden Lane in Manhattan's Financial District that has remained abandoned for seven years due to a significant engineering flaw. The building, intended for 80 luxury condominiums, developed a three-inch tilt to the north because its foundation, which opted for a soil improvement technique over deep pilings to cut costs, settled unevenly. This decision resulted in widespread issues such as misaligned facade panels, non-functional elevators, and property line encroachments, rendering the structure commercially and legally unfixable. Despite the existence of engineering solutions, the estimated $80-150 million repair cost is deemed economically unviable given the building's unmarketable status and lack of revenue, leading to its financial collapse and ongoing legal battles. The Millennium Tower in San Francisco is cited as a similar case of foundation failure, underscoring the long-term impact on property value and investor trust.

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[VIDEO] The $7BN Skyscraper That Might Save NYC’s Skyline

2026-05-26T12:00:00-04:00

New York City has been experiencing a rapid skyscraper boom, with many new towers prioritizing efficiency and height. This video contrasts these modern structures with iconic Art Deco buildings like the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building, which combined engineering prowess with artistic expression. The central focus is on the proposed 175 Park Avenue (also known as Project Commodore), a nearly $7 billion skyscraper designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrill. This ambitious project aims to return beauty to the skyline with its elegant setbacks and metallic lattice facade, echoing the city's "Golden Age of Building." However, its construction poses immense engineering challenges, as it's planned to rise directly above Grand Central Terminal and its intricate network of subway lines and train tunnels. The developers face hurdles in securing an anchor tenant for 2.5 million square feet of office space, obtaining federal loans typically reserved for infrastructure projects, and raising significant private equity in a struggling post-pandemic office market. Despite approval from the City Planning Commission, the project also faces criticism from groups like the Municipal Art Society of New York (MASNYC), who fear its bulk and height could overwhelm Grand Central Terminal and obscure classic city views, like the iconic vista of the Chrysler Building from the New York Public Library steps. The project's fate hinges on resolving these financial and aesthetic debates, determining whether New York will continue to build for profit or rediscover its ambition for timeless beauty.

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[WATCH] We spent 5 YEARS building NEW YORK CITY in Minecraft

2026-05-25T12:00:00-04:00

This video showcases BuildTheEarth NYC, a monumental five-year project to recreate New York City in Minecraft at a 1:1 scale. Over 50,000 buildings have been meticulously crafted across Lower Manhattan by a dedicated team of builders. The video takes viewers on a tour through various districts, highlighting the evolution of areas like the World Trade Center, Tribeca, Two Bridges, Little Italy, Chinatown, and Civic Center. It emphasizes the intricate detail put into each building and street, even adjusting for real-world elevation. The project also extends to residential areas in boroughs like Queens. The BuildTheEarth initiative encourages anyone to join and contribute, offering a unique opportunity to explore a massively scaled-down version of New York City.

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[WATCH] Inside the Most Magical Brownstone in NYC

2026-05-21T12:00:00-04:00

Step inside the extraordinary brownstone studio of photographer Clara Aich, a space she describes as a "dream world" filled with an eclectic collection of sculptures and art. Originally an abandoned ruin when Clara discovered it, the building at 218 E 25th St, New York, NY 10010 was once the workshop of renowned sculptors Rochette and Parzini, who crafted architectural molds and carvings there since 1906. Clara, born in Budapest and trained in Vienna, arrived in New York City with just $100 and a determination to pursue commercial photography, even working for the acclaimed architect photographer Hans Namuth. Despite initial warnings about the dilapidated state of the building, Clara fell in love with its unique spirit and embarked on a 40-year journey to restore it, preserving its rich history while turning it into a vibrant hub for artists, musicians, and the local community, often hosting gatherings like readings and performances. Now, as she prepares to sell the beloved property, Clara hopes it finds a new owner who will cherish and respect its artistic legacy as much as she has.

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