All renderings courtesy of Gensler

It’s been two years since developers unveiled their plans for a $300 million renovation of 550 Madison Avenue, helmed by architecture firm Snøhetta. Built in 1984 to the designs of Philip Johnson and John Burgee, the 647-foot building was the world’s first postmodern skyscraper. After several revisions, the renovation plans were approved by the LPC in February, and now, developer the Olayan Group has revealed the first renderings of the lobby. Most notably, the interior designs respect the 110-foot arched entryway and vaulted ceilings and add a window overlooking the proposed new public garden in the rear arcade.

More details ahead

Photo by Ajay Suresh on Flickr

In August, Midtown’s 71-year-old Paris Theatre closed its doors when its lease with developer Sheldon Solow ended. The 581-seat theater was NYC’s last single-screen movie house and was known for showing indie and foreign, especially French, films. But the iconic establishment on 58th Street will open its doors once more next month; Deadline reports that Netflix has worked out a deal with Solow to screen its upcoming movie “Marriage Story” in the Paris when it premiers on November 6th.

Read more

Rendering courtesy of Nordstrom

Nordstrom’s massive flagship store officially opens to the public next week, seven years after the company first announced its move to New York City. The department store sits in the base of the Central Park Tower, currently the tallest residential building in the world, and takes up seven floors. And while the tower no longer shares the company’s name, the sheer size of the flagship, along with its unique glass facade, will still make the store stand out. To celebrate the store’s opening on Oct. 24 at West 57th and Broadway, there will be grand opening festivities taking place with lots of free samples, complimentary food, and live entertainment.

Details here

Left: Photo by David Shankbone on Wikimedia; Right: Rendering by Hayes Davidson for Brookfield Properties

Hoping to start a new chapter for the problem-plagued tower, Brookfield Asset Management has unveiled its plan to overhaul 666 Fifth Avenue. The 41-story Midtown office building will undergo a $400 million overhaul designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, including a new glass exterior, floor-to-ceiling windows, revamped rooftop spaces, and updated mechanical systems, as the Wall Street Journal first reported. And separating itself further from its past, the building’s address will now be 660 Fifth Avenue. New details this way

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

Photo via Wikimedia

Developers are planning to build a massive office project on top of a Billionaires’ Row church. The Real Deal reported on Monday that Alchemy and ABR Investment Partners have partnered to buy properties owned by Calvary Baptist Church at 123-141 West 57th Street. The proposed boutique office building would rise 26 stories atop church space and sit next to Extell Development’s supertall, One57.

More here

Photo by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

Before it’s even truly felt like fall, winter is coming to New York City. Ice skating rinks and holiday markets will open this month, giving an early taste of cold-weather activities. The Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park, which includes holiday vendors and 17,000-square-foot ice rink, officially opens on Oct. 31, letting you trade trick-or-treating for shopping and skating. The iconic skating rink at Rockefeller Center will open on Oct. 12 for the fall and winter season and Lasker Rink in Central Park will open sometime later this month.

Who’s ready?

Image via Flickr

The United Nations General Assembly already began on Sept. 17 but Midtown has yet to experience the traffic nightmare that will hit the neighborhood next week. With meetings taking place through Sept. 30, the city has designated weekdays between Sept. 23 and Sept. 30 as gridlock alert days. On top of UNGA, Climate Week events will add to the congestion. “Drivers should leave their cars at home next week if they can—and try walking, taking mass transit, or getting on a bicycle,” Polly Trottenberg, commissioner of the Department of Transportation, said in a statement. Here’s a handy guide to getting around the city during the busy week ahead, including street closures and traffic updates for those of you with nerves of steel.

More details

Photo by Aaron Hargreaves for Foster + Partners

Apple’s famous Fifth Avenue flagship reopens Friday after more than two years of renovations. The glass cube has returned as an entrance to the store, set above the newly updated and locust tree-lined public plaza. As 6sqft previously reported, it cost $2 million to remove the cube in 2017 during the Midtown Manhattan store’s expansion.

Take a step inside

Central Park Tower in early Sept., Photo © 6sqft

Central Park Tower officially topped out on Tuesday, breaking the record set by nearby 432 Park Avenue for the tallest residential building in the world. Reaching 1,550 feet high, the skyscraper at 217 West 57th Street would be the tallest building in New York City if not for the 400-foot spire of One World Trade, as New York Magazine reported. Developed by supertall-specialists Extell, Central Park Tower includes a seven-story Nordstrom flagship store and 179 luxury condos.

Get the details