Construction has reached the halfway mark on 1491-1493 First Avenue, a 35-story residential building on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Designed by Hill West Architects and developed by Carmel Partners, which purchased the property from Robert Chou for $73.5 million in early 2022, the 404-foot-tall structure will yield 206 condominium units, 7,120 square feet of ground-floor retail space, and a cellar level. CP VII 78th Street Owner is the owner and Carmel Construction East is the general contractor for the project, which is located at the southwestern corner of First Avenue and East 78th Street.
Substantial progress has occurred since our last update in the beginning of January, when the reinforced concrete superstructure had just begun to rise above street level. Much of the main tower has been built in the intervening months, and based on the pace of progress, the building could potentially top out sometime this summer. Installation of the light gray brick façade and grid of floor-to-ceiling windows has also begun on the podium levels.
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Preparations for the rest of the façade are underway on the tower with the installation of yellow insulation panels.
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
Photo by Michael Young
The rendering in the main photo shows the tower’s façade gradually transitioning from a tight grid of brick to more expansive stretches of glass as the building rises. Several setbacks are positioned around the upper levels and crown, which culminates in a mechanical bulkhead clad in dark metal paneling.
The closest subway from the development is the 6 train at 77th Street station along Lexington Avenue. Also nearby is the Q train at the 72nd Street station to the southwest on Second Avenue.
1491-1493 First Avenue has a completion date of summer 2025 posted on site.
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The West Side doesn’t allow such tall buildings so far north.
Go to 99th and Broadway and see how wrong you are
If there is a skyscraper as high as a hundred stories, that uses bricks to construct the façade. So very outstanding if actually built: Thanks to Michael Young.
Concrete colored bricks is always a strange choice. So is the very dull crown.
Hill West have really got the whole “handsome boring” thing down pat.
I haven’t seen a newly built, inspiring, joyful, enriching, forward thinking NYC high rise in decades.
Waterside might have been the last great one.
And, this particular contribution to the 1st Avenue streetscape is no exception.
Satire?
WELL!…. I like It, if for no other reason than It’s not another blue glass box.