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Street view of the City Spire entrance and exterior, a mixed-use development in Manhattan with condos & Class A office space.

City
Spire

150 West 56th Street

New York, NY

THE STORY:

Turned an available parking garage adjacent to City Center Theater and 500,000 sq. ft. of unused development rights into one of the tallest skyscrapers in Manhattan, located four blocks from Central Park.

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Building icon used on the Continuum Company website, a boutique ground-up real estate development firm in New York & Florida.

340 UNITS

Stair icon used on the Continuum Company website, a boutique real estate development company in New York and Florida.
Wrench icon used on the Continuum Company website, a ground-up real estate development firm in New York and Florida.

BUILT 1987

72 STORIES

Front entrance to City Spire, a 72-story mixed-use skyscraper in Manhattan developed by the Continuum Company.
Condo living room at City Spire in Manhattan with tiles floors, open floor plan and large windows to enjoy the city skyline.

KEY DETAILS

Total Cost: $225 Million

Total Gross Sq Ft: 850,000

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USES:

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  • 494, 500 sq. ft of luxury condominiums

  • 310,000 sq. ft. of Class A office space 

  • 10,500 sq. ft. of retail

  • 35,000 sq. ft. of parking on 2 levels below grade 

 

AMENITIES:

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  • Health club, fitness center and pool, parking

  • Design: A glass tower with triple setbacks and panoramic views of the city skyline 

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PROJECT
CHALLENGES

  • The proposed 72-story building drew strong opposition from preservation groups concerned that the development would be architecturally inconsistent with the neighboring 6-story theater, an important NYC landmark located on a Manhattan mid-block site.

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  • Existing zoning restricted the height of a new building to 400 feet, severely impacting the economic feasibility of the proposed project. 

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  • Development required the approval of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. 

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  • Property owner operated a garage within the building and would only sell if the new building included a parking facility, which he could operate and was at least as large as the existing one.

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  • The significant amount of existing street level noise was a marketing issue for the proposed residential component of the development.

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  • The tempered glass, required by the zoning code for office buildings, was only available in green, gray and black, which distorted the views. Because of the office component, the tempered glass also had to be used for the residential component, which severely limited the spectacular views of the condominiums.

The lobby at City Spire, a mixed-use skyscraper with luxury condominiums and Class A office space in Manhattan.
View from City Spire, a 72-story mixed-use high rise, overlooking the nearby Central Park in Manhattan.

OUR SOLUTION

  • Through the government approval process, zoning variances were granted, resulting in approvals for a 72-story mixed-use high-rise, the tallest residential building in NYC at that time.

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  • Created incentive package for City Center to support the proposed development that allowed them to expand their existing stage into the new development (existing stage was too narrow). The expanded stage was designated as a separate condominium, wholly-owned by City Center.

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  • Procured additional air rights by making a contribution of $3 M to New York City Opera and $3 M to NYC Ballet which produced an additional 26 stories (297,300 square feet) and by providing and overseeing $5.5 M of historic renovation to the City Center Theater which produced another 12 stories, ultimately doubling the original building envelope.

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  • Located office space and residential amenities on floors 1 through 25. Located the residential section on floors 26 through 72, maximizing the value of unobstructed views and minimizing noise issues at the street level.

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  • Developed the first mixed-use building in NYC with clear glass by commissioning a glass manufacturer to create clear, tempered glass that allowed occupants to enjoy the great views. 

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  • Created incentive package for the garage owner which included the construction of a larger garage for his company to manage in the new building.

Street view of the City Spire entrance and exterior, a mixed-use development in Manhattan with condos & Class A office space.
The Continuum Company logo with white letters and black background. Continuum is a real estate development firm in NYC & FL.
Street view of the City Spire, a mixed-use skyscraper in Manhattan developed by the Continuum Company.

                   NEW YORK HEADQUARTERS:                                                                                             T +212 554 3700                                                                       FLORIDA HEADQUARTERS:

 49 West 23rd Street, 4th FL, New York, NY 10010                                                                        reception@continuumcompany.com                                               1700 79th Street, Suite 136, North Bay Village, Florida 33141

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