Rendering courtesy of Related/Oxford.

Though it seems hardly a week can go by without a flurry of news from Manhattan’s newest instant neighborhood, Hudson Yards, the west side mega-project–the largest private development in the nation’s history–developed by Related Companies and Oxford Propertied Group now has announced that Friday, March 15th will be its official opening date. In addition to a grand opening celebration, the Public Square and Gardens and the neighborhood’s centerpiece, Thomas Heatherwick’s “Vessel,” are set to open on that date; more importantly, The Shops and Restaurants at Hudson Yards will be officially open.

Off to quite a start

A decade after first embarking on Hudson Yards–the largest private development in the nation’s history–developer Related Companies is in the thick of things, with listings live at 15 and One Hudson Yards and construction underway at 30, 35, and 55, as well as The Shed cultural center and the Vessel public art piece. Keeping the momentum moving, Yimby has now uncovered a new rendering of Norman Foster‘s 985-foot 50 Hudson Yards, which at $3.94 billion will be the city’s most expensive office tower, and the first view of the food and beverage pavilion that will sit in the Eastern Railyard.

All the details ahead

When completed, Related Companies‘ and Oxford Properties Group’s 50 Hudson Yards will be the city’s most expensive office building, coming in at $3.94 billion. To make starchitect Norman Foster‘s pricey vision a reality, the developers had filed an application with the New York City Industrial Development Agency to take advantage of financial incentives that were enacted in 2006 to encourage development in Hudson Yards. And according to a new report in Crain’s, the agency has approved $195 million in such tax breaks, which include making fixed payments towards the 985-foot tower’s development costs instead of paying property taxes that vary from year to year, as well as receiving a discount on the mortgage recording taxes.

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It’s been less than a month since it was revealed that starchitect Norman Foster would be designing the Related Companies‘ and Oxford Properties Group’s 50 Hudson Yards commercial tower, but the developers have already pegged the cost of the project at $3.94 billion, which will make it the city’s most expensive office building, reports The Real Deal. The 985-foot tower, where BlackRock has already signed a 20-year lease for 15 floors, will surpass One Vanderbilt‘s projected $3.14 billion price tag and Bjarke Ingels’ planned $3 billion+ High Line tower known as The Spiral, as well as One World Trade Center‘s current record of $3.8 billion.

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It’s been 14 months since developer Related Companies bought the site of a former McDonald’s at 34th Street and 10th Avenue, the final parcel needed to complete Hudson Yards. Initial reports said the site of 50 Hudson Yards would hold a 62-story, 1,000+ foot commercial tower, but Related and Oxford Properties Group have now revealed that the structure will rise 58 stories and 985 feet and be designed by starchitect Norman Foster. As first reported by Curbed, the news comes on the heels of BlackRock’s decision to sign a 20-year lease for 15 floors, or 850,000 square feet, in the building, leaving their long-time Park Avenue home in a show of confidence in the mega-complex.

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Google Street View of the McDonald’s site with other Hudson Yards construction in the background

Crain’s reports that the Related Companies has bought the site of a McDonald’s at 34th Street and 10th Avenue for an undisclosed sum, the final parcel needed to build 50 Hudson Yards. The fast food chain has owned the property for decades, but at the end of last month, the company notified the state that it would lay off all of the location’s 65 employees by the end of 2015. Though no formal designs have been released for the corner lot, the developer’s website tentatively envisions a 2,300,000-square-foot commercial tower that would reach 62 stories and higher than 1,000 feet.

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