West 47th Street

New York

Type New Building

Location New York, NY

Size 58,162 sq. ft.

Completion 2019

The Midtown Diamond District, well-known for its small scale structures of varying architectural styles, will soon have two buildings replaced with a mixed-use tower located at West 47th Street.

This new building has been designed to breathe new life into the small, but unique district. Rather than replicating the dark, solid masses already on the block, Marin Architects used the district as an inspiration.

To this end, the shining glass curtain walls on the front and back facades, and a clean steel structure with triangular profile emulate the shape of a diamond. The lot line walls are clad in Equitone fiber-cement panels inlaid with windows. The design of the two visible facades maintains the illusion of a piece of fine jewelry. Marin captured the essence of the developer’s vision and created an anchor in the Diamond District to inspire further modernization to the block.

The 50-foot wide footprint was affected by the required setbacks, so to maintain usable floor space in the upper floors, a compact services core was created. Rather than overwhelming the adjacent 1920s building, the upper floors were designed to be slightly stepped back, which also will bring more light into the narrow street. The total square footage will come to 58,162, providing much-needed, bright office space to the Midtown area.

With the first and second floors slated to be jewelry stores, the space is designed to be pedestrian-friendly and inviting. The curtain wall, which extends through the ground floor, sets itself in contrast to the older, darker neighboring buildings.

Construction began in January of 2017 with construction completion anticipated for 2019.