High-Rises to Admire in New York!

“The Empire State”, “The Big Apple”, and “The Concrete Jungle”; are just a few of the many well-known nicknames the state of New York has gained over time. Slightly less popular, yet equally fitting- New York has also been coined with the name, “The Excelsior State“, after the state’s motto, “Excelsior”, meaning “ever upward”. This is fitting; considering that’s the exact direction you’d have to look to see the top of some of New York’s epic high-rises! New York’s skyline of iconic skyscrapers is one of the most easily recognizable and well-known throughout the world. Manhattan specifically, has constructed some of the World’s tallest skyscrapers since 1890. In total, there are over 6,400 high-rises in NYC! Let’s dive a little deeper and check out some of these New York high-rises worth admiring.

1. The Empire State Building

New York not only has the nickname “The Empire State”, due to its wealth and variety of resources, but it is also home to the iconic Empire State Building. The building’s name was actually derived from this already prevalent New York nickname. Opening all the way back in May of 1931, The Empire State building held the record for “tallest building in the world” for 40 years! Built in an INCREDIBLE 410 days, Homer G. Balcom was the structural engineer on this record-breaking high-rise, while Shreve, Lamb and Harmon are responsible for the architectural design.

Offering incredible 360-degree views of Manhattan, the top floor of this high-rise stands tall at 1,250 feet (380 meters). Moreover, including the structure’s antenna, The Empire State Building maxes out at 1,454 feet (443 meters). Therefore, this currently makes the Empire State Building the 4th tallest building in New York City, the 6th tallest in the United States, and the 43rd tallest tower in the world! In order to witness this incredible view yourself, you just have to take a sweet little trip up 1,872 steps. (No biggie!) Unless you prefer the sweat-free route, where one of the 73 elevators inside swiftly glides you up instead. 😉 But if running up is your style, consider joining the races! The high-rise hosts an “Empire State Building Annual Run Up” annually; one of the world’s most famous tower races, where you guessed it! The competitors make the impressive climb on foot!

Not only was the Empire State Building the most photographed building in the world according to research done by Cornell University in 2011, but it was also the NUMBER ONE most-popular destination amongst Uber’s 75+ million riders in 2018!

2. One World Trade Center

If there is any high-rise in America that has pulled on more heartstrings, I would be shocked. Creating beauty out of heartbreaking destruction, structural engineer WSP Cantor Seinuk, architectural firm David Childs (Skidmore, Owings and Merrill) and Daniel Libeskind, created the historic high-rise of the One World Trade Center. Recognizing and honoring the previous standing high-rises of the 2 World Trade Center Towers our country devastatingly lost, September 11, 2001, One World Trade Center is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex. 

Located in Lower Manhattan, One World Trade Center also known as the “Freedom Tower” stands at 1,776 feet tall. This is, entirely intentional, and creative! Did you guess why?! One World Trade Center’s height is in direct reference to the year the Declaration of Independence was signed! Its only competition for being considered the tallest building in the U.S. would be the Willis Tower, in Chicago. The true record holder all depends on whether or not the spire knocks are calculated in the comparison. The debate is to be continued…

3. Central Park Tower

Next, we will be traveling to Midtown Manhattan, along Billionaires Row, where the Central Park Tower (CPT) resides. Here to immediately break records, the Central Park Tower is the WORLD’S tallest residential skyscraper! Basically, the high-rise of all high-rises! As the second-tallest skyscraper overall in the U.S., only after the One World Trade Center, CPT stands 1,550 feet tall, and 131 stories high. This luxurious modern classic offers residences starting at the 32nd floor, priced from $6.5 million and up! If you’re in the market for something along the lines of a 4-bedroom, 8,000 square-foot condo, you’re looking at a price around $95 million. Talk about the lifestyles of the rich and famous!

The structural engineering company responsible for this incredible building is WSP Group. Meanwhile, Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill Architecture are accredited as the architectural firm on the job.  “Texture, palette, and material selections were made in order to address a softer, more sustainable and, hopefully, sophisticated expression,” stated Gill. As for the incomparable views overlooking the Southwestern tip of Central Park, Gill explains these were “achieved by carefully positioning the tower and incorporating large panels of glazing to capture the expansive views.” CPT offers breathtaking Central Park and skyline views, exquisite architecture, thoughtfully-designed floor plans and one of the world’s most exclusive private clubs. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) just recently awarded the building the 2021 Award of Excellence as; “The Best Tall Building 400 meters and above“. Breaking records, winning awards, and taking names! Basically, the Taylor Swift of high-rises.

4. 432 Park Avenue

Also over looking Central Park, and previously noted as the tallest residential skyscraper until the construction of the CPT, 432 Park Avenue is a stunning high-rise located in Midtown Manhattan. Beaming into the sky at a magnificent 1,396 feet, this 96-story tower is said to re-define the Manhattan skyline. With Rafael Viñoly and SLCE Architects (LLP), alongside structural engineer, WSP Cantor Seinuk, 432 Park Avenue exudes elegance and sophistication inside and out. With the help of praised architect Deborah Berke, the interior of the residences includes finishes of solid oak flooring, custom hardware, and high-quality natural materials. Featuring 12’-6” finished ceilings, private elevator landings, service entrances, windowed eat-in kitchens, and large master bedroom suites with two bathrooms and adjoining dressing rooms,432 Park Avenue offers an unmatched residential experience. 

Amenities include a lounge, private restaurant, outdoor terrace for dining and events, a 75-foot indoor swimming pool as well as a fitness center that offers a spa sauna, steam, and massage rooms. Also available to residents is a library, billiards room, screening/performance venue, conference room, children’s playroom and yoga studio. Basically, they have it all! Additionally including, in-suite dining and room service, concierge, 24-hour doorman, onsite parking garage and valet services are provided by the building’s staff. As you can see, this stand-out structure gives other high-rises a solid run for their money!

5. 111 West 57th Street (Steinway Tower)

While we’ve mentioned the World’s tallest building, as well as the highest residential skyscraper, let’s now pivot to another record-breaker in the history of high-rises; The Steinway Tower. Located at 111 West 57th Street, Steinway Tower is the World’s thinnest skyscraper! With a width-to-height ratio of approximately 1:24, the Steinway Tower touches the sky at an impressive 1,428 feet tall. The magnificent slender structure is perfectly aligned with the axis of Central Park and has immediately become one of New York’s most distinctive towers. This specific placement offers residents a symmetrical view of the park, the Upper East Side, and the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

Designed by SHoP Architects, the Steinway Tower’s construction required 49,000 cubic yards of concrete and used nearly 100 tons of rebar. During its erection, JDS Development’s Michael Stern and Property Markets Group’s Kevin Maloney told YIMBY in a joint statement; “We are so proud of the design and construction of this building and are thrilled to share it with New Yorkers as it begins to fully come to fruition; including the imminent installation of the decorative crown, marking the official top off. This building was made by New Yorkers through and through, and that’s very exciting to us.”

Steinway Tower (Cont.)

With 82 floors total, the first 5 will contain shared recreation spaces and high-end retail spaces. The remaining upper 77 levels will house luxury apartments. The same designer that designed Grand Central Terminal actually designed 14 of the building’s units back in the 1920s! How about that for a fun-fact?! As far as the exterior, Justin Davidson, from New York Magazine describes the building as: “practically calligraphic; it will glint on the skyline, thanks to a genuinely opulent exterior finished in terracotta and bronze.” All in all, the new Steinway Tower is stunning and historic, to say the least.

EEG in New York!

Guess what else is breaking ground in New York besides these record-breaking, admirable high-rises?! If you guessed, Eastern Engineering Group– you got it! In case you didn’t know, our company is also licensed to perform structural engineering in New York. Equally exhilarating, we also just proudly finished designing our first high-rise in Florida! **Finger-snaps!** How exciting is that?! Construction has just begun recently on the project, located in the highly desired destination of Edgewater. We cannot wait to share the exciting details with you; coming soon! And who knows? Maybe Eastern Engineering Group will be the next to snag a record or two! Whether it be in Florida or New York. 😉 Stay tuned!

©️ 2022 Eastern Engineering Group wrote and published this article. All rights reserved.