Gensler has released details of their proposed Tower Fifth in New York City. If realized, the 1556-foot-tall scheme would be the second-tallest building not just in New York, but in the Western Hemisphere. Located east of Fifth Avenue between 51st and 52nd Street, the tower will sit adjacent to St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
According to Gensler, who designed the scheme in collaboration with developer Harry Macklowe, the tower “creates a new paradigm for how a supertall structure meets the street and interacts with its neighbors.”
The 1.3-million-square-foot tower will contain 960,000 square feet of office space as well as shops, a food hall, and an auditorium. At the top of the tower, the city’s highest observatory will offer unprecedented views as well as “unique experimental, cultural, and entertainment experiences.”
At ground floor, a glass-enclosed public galleria will span the entire block to frame views of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The tower itself will be wrapped in an innovative, energy-efficient Closed Cavity Façade system to reduce solar heat gain by over 70%.
At the moment, the tallest building in New York City is the 1776-foot-tall One World Trade Center designed by SOM. Although Tower Fifth would extend 216 feet above the roofline of One WTC, the SOM scheme would remain the tallest in the city due to its mast.
The scheme was submitted as a preliminary application in January 2019. If built, it would mark the 18th supertall skyscraper (over 984 feet in height) to be started or completed in New York City since 2009.
Developer: Macklowe Properties
Design Architect: Gensler, in collaboration with Harry Macklowe
Architect of Record: Adamson Associates Architects
Rendering Credit: TMRW, courtesy of Gensler
