A block away 432 Park Avenue is being constructed and will ultimately reach a staggering ninety six stories in height. A quarter of a mile tall, it will
be the second tallest residential structure worldwide.
Everyday as I write this blog I look out at this structure from my twenty eighth floor aerie. Like Jack's beanstalk it quickly rises to obliterate our view (and that of all south facing guests) of the Four Seasons Hotel on 57th.
The tower is rather diminutive.
Approximately six large square
windows wide, it appears to be
slightly compact. The building
abuts the hulking eighties Park
Avenue Tower at 65 E. 55th.
At thirty six floors, it's mass
will mask the southern views
the new tower's lower floors.
Don't worry about most who will live in this soaring statement of success. Full floor residences will stretch above the 91st floor. The top of the heap penthouse is already under contract for $95 million. At that height there are no terraces. However with the best 360 views in Manhattan, who needs to go outside?
What about me?! Now that I know
that a quarter of a mile tower is
about to loom outside my window,
I'm worried. Reflections off of the
posh Museum Condo Tower (left)
in Dallas caused "thermal leaf burn"
on trees in the adjacent Nasher
sculpture garden. Will our lovely
and sunny apartment suddenly
be plunged into a blaze of glory
or subterranean darkness? Must
I log onto weather.com rather than
peer out my window to see sky?
As an urbanite I should be used
to it. In 1909 the Metropolitan
Life Tower was erected. At 700
feet it was the world's tallest till
1913. Dwarfing everything in
it's primarily residential hood,
I can't help but wonder what
the neighbors said. Today it's
one of many towers in our city.
Oh... and... HALF the finished
height of 432 Park Avenue. So
I'll have to get used to living in
the bright lights or murky dark!
