Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Changing Skyline of Manhattan


During the warmer months, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has a large art work commissioned for installation on the roof.  These pieces are interesting to see, and, there is also this spectacular view of the Manhattan skyline and the trees of Central Park.  The first thing that jumps out at you from this vantage point are the new "super tall, super thin" residential dwellings.  The first one of these is on the left side of this photo - 432 Park Avenue which opened in 2016.  The most expensive unit included three stories, and sold for 91 million dollars!  Yikes!  Consider New York's Empire State Building, a model of classic skyscraper construction from the early 20th century, and 432 Park Avenue It's not surprising the newer building is more than 100 feet taller. What's arguably more impressive is the relative footprints at ground level; at its widest point, the Empire State building stretches 424 feet across. 432 Park Avenue was constructed on a 90-foot square lot!  These soaring towers aren’t always popular—many have actively fought against the buildings sprouting along 57th Street and Central Park South, worried that they’ll cast long shadows over Central Park—but it’s hard to argue against their status as marvels of engineering.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Although they may be "marvels of engineering, I personally would not want to be in one if there was a threat of a hurricane which so prevalent this time of year. I'm sure their views are spectacular!! betsey