Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Construction watch: 799 Broadway

Been meaning to post an update on 799 Broadway... where, at the southwest corner at 11th Street, this 12-story zig-zagging office complex has its glassy façade in place ... (these photos are from a few weeks ago, but it essentially looks the same...)
According to a news release about the address: "799 Broadway will feature floor-to-ceiling glass, private terraces, and 15 foot high ceilings. This combination of highly desirable location and state-of-the-art design will appeal to New York’s most progressive and creative companies."

No. 799 was the former home of the historic St. Denis building, which opened as a hotel in 1853. Normandy Real Estate Partners bought the property for somewhere in the $100 million ballpark back in 2016... and tore it all down.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

That building could NOT be more ugly nor out-of-context if it tried. First off, it looks like the designer (or whoever is responsible for this mess) was drunk when the drawings were done. As an actual "building" it looks like a bunch of shipping containers got randomly stacked, like a bad game of jenga.

Gojira said...

Just. Fucking. Hideous.

Sarah said...

Doesn't that look just great next to Grace Church.

Anonymous said...

I like this. It reminds me of the modern juxtaposition against the older building structures in London. Why are there so many naysayers who won't or can't embrace change?

Anonymous said...

@12:59pm: May someone build something you find ugly right next to something you cherish. Then maybe you'll get a clue.

Sarah said...

Jamming in ugly commercial buildings in an attempt to remake Union Square into a high-end high-traffic office district, a thing for which there appears to be little or no demand, is not good change. If it were affordable housing, even if it were ugly, at least it would be adding to the community. It's like those hideous condo buildings in Two Bridges--they struggled mightily to sell the first one, yet insist on continuing to add the other two despite all evidence that the market isn't there for it.

Unknown said...

Looks worse than the renderings but better than it did early. Overall i like it - it's at least interesting and contemporary architecture - so much better that other recent builds around there (thinking the Death Star or the Hyatt on 13th or the Moxy hotel on 11th... all pretty terrible.)

Anonymous said...

What's with the vitriol on this comment thread? It seems when someone else presents a different point of view, they are chastised. Not a very grown up approach.

Anonymous said...

my office was at the St Denis for 15 years. I really miss that place. This building may remain empty for a long time given the rents they are asking and the economy/pandemic situation. Such a waste.

La vie est belle said...

I love historic buildings and also the specific architectural style that defines the East Village. I also admire these new modern creative looking buildings, am architectural style 'o the times. However there's a place for them, and that's not in a narrow commercial corridor passing through an otherwise historic neighborhood.