Google’s Pier 57 tops out ahead of summer 2018 opening

Last we checked in at the beginning of the year, the $350 million transformation of Pier 57, aka “SuperPier,” was making progress with its canted glass panels fully installed. Wednesday, co-developers RXR Realty and Young Woo & Associates held an event to mark the 450,000-square-foot development’s topping out, which came after 2,600 tons of structural steel were installed, 4,000 yards of concrete poured, and a 60,000-square-foot curtain wall built. The project will include 250,000 square feet of offices for Google, a 100,000-square-foot food market from Anthony Bourdain, and an elevated two-acre park with a rooftop movie and performance amphitheater to be used for Tribeca Film Festival screenings. This construction milestone comes ahead of an anticipated summer 2018 opening.

Great turnout commemorating the #ToppingOut of #RXRRealty’s #Pier57 this morning. It is amazing how many people contributed to this project, and how swiftly our team has achieved this critical #milestone. Today, RXR’s @scottrechler spoke to the project’s #LaborForce, thanking them for all their hard work. From installing 2,600 tons of structural steel, to pouring nearly 4,000 yards of concrete, to building 60,000 SF of curtain wall onsite, RXR and its partners #YoungWoo and @hudsonriverpark would like to thank the nearly 1,000 individuals who helped make this all possible.

A post shared by RXR Realty (@rxr_realty) on May 30, 2017 at 4:51pm PDT

Rooftop of Pier 57, under renovation on Manhattan’s West Side . . . #pier57 #superpier #google #anthonybourdain #architecture #adaptivereuse #handelarchitects #rxr #youngwoo #newyork #nyc #tribecafilmfestival

A post shared by Handel Architects (@handelarchitects) on May 9, 2017 at 11:36am PDT

Located at 15th Street in Chelsea, and jutting more than 800 feet into the Hudson River, Pier 57 was originally built between 1950 and 1954 “using techniques developed during World War II that allows for 90 percent of its weight to be supported by buoyancy,” as 6sqft previously explained. However, “upon the decline of the city’s maritime industries, the pier functioned as a parking garage for New York City Transit buses for three decades until they were moved in 2003,” leaving the pier sitting vacant since, save for the occasional art installation or event.

After seeking proposals in 2008, the Hudson River Park Trust brought the current development team on board, along with Handel Architects and !Melk Landscape Architecture and Urban Design. Though the offices and park are expected to open next year, Bourdain’s market won’t be ready until 2019.

Until then, check out the current views of the site:

Looking northwest

The south side of the pier 

The north side of the pier, looking east towards the West Side Highway

The north side of the pier, looking west towards New Jersey

Close up of the north side of the Pier

RELATED:

• Construction update: Google’s Pier 57 expansion gets glassed
• 27,000 Tons of Floating Concrete and Fabulous Feats of Engineering Make Pier 57 Peerless
• New Renderings of SuperPier: Google’s New NYC Digs + Bourdain Food Market To Arrive in 2018

All construction photos © 6sqft