Photo by Evan Joseph for Empire State Realty Trust

With the opening of the 80th-floor observatory last week, the $165 million, four-year redevelopment of the Empire State Building is now complete. In partnership with the city’s tourism agency, NYC & Company, Empire State Realty Trust created an interactive, visitor-focused experience, which includes personalized digital itineraries, the building’s classic viewfinders, film, original artwork, and more. The Trust unveiled the 102nd-floor observatory to the public in October, with the second-floor museum opening earlier in the summer.

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Rendering courtesy of Stantec

The creation of the East Midtown Greenway (EMG), a 1.5-acre public space stretching from East 53rd to 61st Streets along the waterfront, got underway Friday. The project, to be completed by 2022, is part of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway initiative to wrap the entire perimeter of Manhattan with accessible public spaces and safe bicycle paths. The midtown space will close one of the largest remaining gaps in the $250 million city initiative, announced by Mayor de Blasio in 2018, to connect 32 miles of Manhattan waterfront esplanade.

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Renderings by Noë & Associates/The Boundary

We now have a sneak peek inside the historic condo conversion currently underway at the Waldorf Astoria, now called The Towers of the Waldorf Astoria. Beijing-based Anbang Insurance Group Co. has released an updated teaser website and new renderings of the project, which will bring 375 private residences and 350 renovated hotel rooms to the storied building. Condo sales were initially expected to launch this fall, but are now slated to hit the market in early 2020 with the project wrapping up by 2021.

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Photo from this afternoon, by 6sqft

After spending the last two months outside of public view getting a “full spa treatment,” the New York Public Library’s majestic lions are back to guarding the institution. Patience and Fortitude have been in place since the 42nd Street Library opened in 1911 and were named by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia during the Depression to signify the characteristics New Yorkers needed to survive the tough times. The iconic duo was carved by the Piccirilli Brothers out of porous Tennessee pink marble, making them quite susceptible to the elements and the toll of time. The pair requires conservation efforts every seven to 10 years and were last restored in 2011. The last bits of the scaffolding will be removed during the day on Friday, just in time for the annual Library Lions fundraising gala on Monday, November 4.

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Photo courtesy of Lord & Taylor

The biggest news to surface in the turbulent waters of the WeWork saga may be the multibillion-dollar bailout and takeover by Japanese company SoftBank following a failed IPO and a company valuation that skidded from a reported $48 billion to $8 billion in a matter of months. And as part of a scramble for cash, the office space sublease and coworking disruptor has been expected to divest of the Lord & Taylor building at 424 Fifth Avenue; WeWork purchased the high-profile property–the former home of the department store’s flagship location–with partners Rhone Capital and Hudson’s Bay for $850 million earlier this year. But, as Crain’s reports, the company may be trying to lease the 660,000-square-foot property to high-paying office tenants as a way to raise the needed funds.

Will the building be back on the market soon?

View looking north, with Central Park and the towers that dot Billionaires’ Row clearly visible; Photo courtesy of Empire State Realty Trust

After four years and $165 million, the revamp of New York City’s first supertall is nearly complete, bringing a more contemporary and visitor-friendly experience to one of the world’s most historic buildings. The Empire State Building’s 102nd-floor observatory, which boasts 360-degree panoramic views at 1,250 feet above street level, officially opens to the public on Saturday, Oct. 12. Building owner Empire State Realty Trust redesigned the observatory to be less obstructive for guests, allowing more picture-perfect views and less time waiting.

All the way up

Map data © 2019 Google

As a rookie in the New York City real estate game, Alex Rodriguez is trying to hit it out of the park. The former New York Yankee has picked up a second apartment building, a 14-story residence in Turtle Bay, as first reported by the New York Post. In June, A-Rod bought his first major Big Apple purchase, a 21-unit rental in the East Village with Barbara Corcoran, who founded the eponymous real estate firm and is an investor on the television show Shark Tank.

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Photo of One Vanderbilt © 6sqft

The Grand Central Terminal-adjacent supertall One Vanderbilt officially topped out this week, reaching its full 1,401-foot height. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, the tower is now Midtown’s tallest office building and the fourth-tallest skyscraper in New York City. One Vanderbilt, developed by SL Green, measures 1.7 million square feet and boasts a unique terra cotta facade as well as the fourth-highest observation deck in the city.

Another supertall makes its mark

Photo credit: Evan Joseph for Empire State Realty Trust.

The Empire State Building unveiled today the second phase of a freshly reimagined $165 million Observatory Experience. The new second-floor gallery treats visitors to a series of nine individual exhibits, taking them on a digitally enhanced, experiential journey from the building’s construction to its current iconic cultural status. The 10,000-square-foot gallery’s redesign was led by experience designer Thinc along with team members IDEO, Squint Opera, Beneville Studios, Diversified, Intersection, Kubik Maltbie, Otis Elevator Company and Tenguerian Model.

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Images courtesy of Flickr, Wikimedia Commons, and Pexels

Independence Day may have been last week, but if you haven’t had your fill of red, white, and blue festivities, Bastille Day is this Sunday. Whether you’re a history aficionado or just appreciate French culture and cuisine, there is plenty to do this weekend to celebrate the 230th storming of the Bastille.

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