Construction begins on Extell’s 69-story tower, set to be tallest on the Upper West Side

Rendering via Snohetta / Binyan Studios; construction photo via CityRealty

With the neighboring Jewish Guild for the Blind officially demolished, construction has now begun on Extell Development’s skyscraper at 50 West 66th Street. Designed by Snøhetta, the mixed-use skyscraper is set to rise 775 feet, making it the tallest building on the Upper West Side. The 69-story tower will feature a facade of excavations, that are meant to evoke the “chiseled stone of Manhattan’s geologic legacy,” according to the architects. As CityRealty reported, the new tower will sit next to some of the borough’s most illustrious buildings, including 15 Central Park West and The Century.

Snøhetta is incorporating the synagogue into their design, with an entrance added to the 65th Street side of the base. As the building rises, the design becomes more slender, the building’s opposing corners sliced away to make room for balconies.

The soaring bronze and limestone skyscraper will contain 127 condos with Central Park views. Amenities include a 16th-floor communal outdoor terrace and swimming pool, seating areas and plantings.

The architects write that 50 West 66th will “glow as a warm lantern, a new friend in the New York City skyline.” Further, because the tower sits just steps from Lincoln Center and Central Park, the design references the “area’s architectural character with a natural palette of refined materials.”

When it was announced, the project was met with criticism from Upper West Side locals, who say the tower violates zoning restrictions in the neighborhood. Despite resistance from the neighborhood, Extell is moving forward with construction and expect occupancy in about three years.

[Via CityRealty]

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All renderings via Snohetta / Binyan Studios