By: Michael Young December 7, 2021 at 8:00 AM

Preparations for the demolition of 415 Madison Avenue East in Midtown are stepping up. This is the site of a 605-foot-tall commercial skyscraper and the 25th building for our year-end countdown. The 40-story building was designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrill and developed by 415 Madison Avenue LLC. It will generate 343,100 square feet of office space and replace the existing one at the corner of Madison Avenue and East 48th Street currently owned by Rudin Management. A 66-year-old building street. YIMBY reported last time that the LLC is seeking special permits as part of the ULURP process to comply with East Midtown Street regulations. This will allow the redevelopment of overbuilt floor space in new developments and gain access to the iconic St. Bartholomew’s Church along the nearby Park Avenue. The new property will also include a 350-square-foot ground floor retail pavilion and a 2,400-square-foot open-air public hall.

The current 24-story building contains floors ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 square feet and upper floors away from the street. The new 415 Madison Avenue will generate approximately 323,500 square feet in the superstructure and approximately 19,600 square feet below the street. The latter will be designed to be connected to the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) lobby as part of an agreement with the MTA to construct the entrance line for the grander east side corridor project at Central Station and Metropolitan Northern Railroad (MNR). The plan also includes a subway-north rail passage along the first floor of East 48th Street.

415 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

The photos at the end of November showed that black nets and metal scaffolding quickly covered most of the outer walls, and progress was completed at the western and southern elevations. To the south of the corner project site is No. 270 Park Avenue, and the super high-rise headquarters of JP Morgan Chase to be completed is rapidly taking shape. Stay tuned for the latest developments later this month.

415 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

415 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

415 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

415 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

415 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

415 Madison Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

The exterior renderings depict a light-colored facade composed of a modular design of double-height cubes, some of which have pocket loggias on the second floor. The building is covered with floor-to-ceiling glass, and the first few floors are equipped with multiple landscape terraces, and then transition to a fairly simple rectangular volume, eventually forming a flat roof guardrail. The image below shows the different sides of the structure and compares its size with the huge 270 Park Avenue.

415 Madison Avenue. Renderings of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill

Elevation and axonometric drawings of the proposed project at 415 Madison Avenue. Provided by SOM

Illustrative rendering of the lobby. Provided by SOM

Illustrative rendering of the With Action development site on Madison Avenue. Provided by SOM

The excavation, foundation and construction of the LIRR East Side Access entrance began earlier this year and is expected to be completed before the 2023 deadline detailed in the MTA agreement. After the entrance to the east side of LIRR is completed, the construction of the tower itself is expected to last 18 months.

If the special permission is not approved, 415 Madison Avenue will be built as a shorter 36-story, 468-foot-tall office building with an area of ​​298,100 square feet, using the building area permitted by the rights. The plan will also allow the transfer of 36,100 square feet of development rights from St. Bartholomew's Church and use nearly 40,900 square feet of existing non-compliant building area for the new tower. Office space will occupy 273,800 square feet, of which 2,200 square feet of retail space will face Madison Avenue, and the 2,500 square feet of LIRR east passage entrance. The transit hall will occupy 19,600 square feet below ground level.

YIMBY last reported that the total construction period of 415 Madison Avenue is expected to last about four years, and the new skyscraper will be completed sometime in 2024.

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At the size of 270 Park Avenue, it looks short and small. But it is beautiful on all coverings and on any facade. These details and renderings are very important: thanks to Michael Young.

There seems to be no limit to the demand for new office space.

not a problem. A very good thing.

Beautiful design, but has anyone been to this neighborhood recently? Just like all the ghost towns of empty offices... but they are building more office space! ? Most companies will never return to a full-time office, and the current state is to work and save a lot of money. Why should we build more office space in this city?

"Most companies will never go back to a full-time office. They are currently working and saving a lot of money. Why do we want to build more office space in this city?"

I have to put my hand on the magic crystal ball in your hand. Someone told me that the company that builds multi-billion dollar office buildings understands future work culture trends better than you.

As time goes by, the space becomes smaller and smaller, and the number of tenants increases. Older office spaces are more likely to be eliminated, remodeled or demonstrated.

I have been to this neighborhood recently, and "ghost town" is not the word I use to describe it.

Sometimes I feel that these comments are more related to some people's expectations for the future than the actual situation. Is "Stanley" someone who actively goes to Midtown East every day, or someone who commuted from Duchess County for two hours and was extremely afraid that he might have to return to the office?

"Why should we build more office space in the city?": Because there is an obvious demand. For example, the new "Spiral" has now been leased for more than 50%, while the building is still under construction. That is just a new building. I will also pick the new Google and Disney office buildings in Hudson Yards-technology companies with predominantly young workforces. Working from home (using available technology) is fine during this period, just to keep the company alive, but it is not a long-term/permanent solution for the working people. Many jobs are simply not suitable for long-term work at home. CEO Barry Diller put it best: "You can't run a global company in everyone's living room."

I worked at 420 Madison in the 80s and 90s, and the atmosphere was great. 7 interesting memories... I want to have a Dosanko downstairs at 415 We Love NYC

As early as the 1960s, upstairs at No. 415 on the 13th floor of Madison was the "House of Good People"-the studio of WMCA Radio "Fabulous 57".

Now anyone who asserts that Midtown is a "ghost town" is far away. Since Thanksgiving, Midtown has been crazy. I think the tourist crowd is bigger than before Covid. Yes, at least half of the office buildings are empty, but that is temporary. As far as I know, no major company does not plan to return to the office eventually. By sometime in 2022, all financial companies, law firms, etc. will mainly work in offices.

It is hoped that the upcoming mayor’s management changes will lead to a more pro-business mentality, allowing New York City to do what it does best: business. And allow companies to resume business in the city. Not in everyone's living room.

I will miss this building. The new one also looks great. It actually almost looks like the original.

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