405 Park Avenue’s Demolition Continues in Midtown East, Manhattan

405 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

Demolition is progressing at 405 Park Avenue, the site of a possible new skyscraper in Midtown East, Manhattan. Though original plans called for a renovation and addition atop the existing 17-story occupant, full demolition permits were issued for the structure in January 2021. MRP Realty is the owner and Titan Industrial SVC Corp. is the demolition contractor for the property, which is located at the corner of Park Avenue and East 54th Street.

Several floors have been removed since our last update in July, when demolition work was just getting underway. Based on the pace of progress, the structure could potentially be fully razed before the end of winter.

405 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

405 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

405 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

405 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

405 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

The below aerial photographs show the progress on the upper levels, where excavators are breaking up the concrete superstructure. The piles of debris are then lowered to street level and hauled away.

405 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

405 Park Avenue. Photo by Michael Young

No plans have been revealed for the new structure. However, it is possible this plot could be combined with the cleared parcel at 417 Park Avenue to yield a skyscraper of similar proportions to Lord Norman Foster’s recently finished 425 Park Avenue, just one block to the north. The new project will join the ongoing boom of new high-rise developments across Midtown East such as One Vanderbilt, 175 Park Avenue, 343 Madison Avenue, 415 Madison Avenue, and 270 Park Avenue.

YIMBY will continue to follow up on the demolition and eventual construction of 405 Park Avenue in the coming years.

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19 Comments on "405 Park Avenue’s Demolition Continues in Midtown East, Manhattan"

  1. David in Bushwick | December 4, 2022 at 8:24 am | Reply

    This entire project is shady and suspect. Go to street view and see the demolition crime that was 417 Park Avenue.
    We need a mayor who can focus on more than just nightlife and kidnapping the homeless. We need a leader who realizes what make NYC special is very quickly being destroyed.

    • Yes the loss of 417 Park is lamentable. Its incredibly frustrating that a developer couldn’t see the opprtunity they had to preserve it and incorporate it into the lower floors of a soaring tower. But that demo approval was made long before Adams became mayor, so I’m not sure what any of this has to do with him. Are you just being hyperbolic for hyperbolics sake?

      • I hope whatever design gets built here, and possibly with the empty lot to the north, will be something spectacular for Park Avenue. Hope it matches or even surpasses the architecture of Foster’s 425 Park Avenue

    • Cheesemaster200 | December 4, 2022 at 11:08 am | Reply

      We lament on the demolition of old buildings, but continue to pass laws that make old buildings uneconomical.

      If we want to save older buildings, then we need to realize they are not as sustainable, accessible or easy to maintain.

      • Agree except that existing buildings are inherently sustainable. Demolition and construction create massive impacts that take generations for even the most efficient new buildings to overcome.

      • Cheesemaster, can you please give me one example of a law passed that you are talking about ?
        you’re argument makes no sense at all.
        417 was condos if I’m correct and could have easily been incorporated into a new building as there was absolutely nothing wrong with that majestic building.

        • Cheesemaster200 | December 5, 2022 at 11:20 am | Reply

          Sure.

          Local law 97 is the biggest, requiring substantial investment for sustainable systems and envelope. This will result in a substantial fine for nonconforming buildings after 2025, and by itself represents a massive incentive to demolish old buildings.

          Local law 87 ties into this, with retro commissioning which will flush out underperforming buildings under local law 97.

          Local law 11 makes brick masonry facades expensive to maintain, favoring glass curtain wall construction which can be easily inspected.

          Then if course you have ADA and NYCECC which will require any renovations to meet ever more stringent requirements.

  2. Looking forward to the new project.
    And it’s a joke to throw in homeless folks in these comments- DeBlasio and the liberals City Council are the reason for the plague that’s engulfed our city since 2020….. time to make this city safe and liveable again

    • Ridiculous opinion. Im thinking maybe a global pandemic and economic shutdown had something to do with it. Put down the Post.

      • So you didn’t live here pre-2012, before DeBlasio took over? Streets were clean, subways were safe, police were respected. Yes 2020 added fuel to the fire, but the match was lit in 2012.

        • Have you at all paid attention to the trajectory of the country in the last ten years? I mean DT was made President forgodsake. Society has been noticeably fraying in the last decade. Brb didn’t “wreck” the city as you seem to be saying. Correlation is not causation. I’m assuming you thought Bloomberg was awesome?

        • Tell me more about life in the City prior to 2012… We’ve established that the streets were immaculate, the subways were crime-free and everyone loved their neighborhood cop on the beat, even the ones that were shoving their faces in brick walls while being unwarrantedly frisked a year earlier. I suppose all the women were strong, all the men were good-looking, and all the children were above average as well? But sure it’s the fault of some mayor who believed in equal treatment under the law and absolutely no other societal factors came into play at all…

      • Poor NFA

        Self-loathing , morally corrupt tool.

        You’re the biggest apologist for DeBlasio and the crime infested streets that he gave us , the homeless disaster that he expanded by letting out all of these demented sociopaths from Rikers and the real estate disgrace that he fomented with bribes from developers.
        If you think that’s great politics and policy, you’re morally empty

        As far as the Washington Post , no I won’t stop reading it … sorry

  3. This is such a shame. The original building looked great and it was newer than most demolished buildings as of late.

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