Residential tower at 111 West 57th, otherwise known as Steinway Tower, has been under construction for nearly a decade and it’s finally ready for residents. The project consists of two adjacent buildings, one known as Steinway Hall and the other a 91-story residential tower by SHoP Architect.
Rising 1,428 feet over Central Park on Billionaires’ Row, Steinway Tower has made history upon completion as the world’s skinniest supertall skyscraper. It’s also the second tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere.
According to the Times, “it’s 24 times taller than it is wide.” You can think about it as “roughly eight times skinnier than the Empire State Building.”
Dreamed up by SHoP Architects, the luxury building has added to the “next great chapter in Steinway Hall’s famous history.” 111 West 57th is home to a total of 60 residences, with 14 in Steinway Hall and the other 46 (with one resident per floor) in SHoP Architects’ tower.
To build the tower, SHoP Architects used terra-cotta: an authentic material from the golden age of the Manhattan skyscraper, according to their website. The adaptable material was “stacked into an involuted pattern, like a softly breaking wave, that appears at once novel and familiar. Staggering those elements across the facade creates a distinctive moiré that changes dramatically when seen in different lights or from various distances.”
Though architects may view the building as a “prominent new local and regional landmark,” it has faced local criticism with commentary saying it looks “odd” in the skyline and “almost painfully thin.”
Regardless of opinions, the completed building definitely screams opulence. Beyond its striking exterior, its newly completed interiors are all sorts of luxury. Designed by Studio Sofield, led by William Sofield, some lavish amenities include:
- 82′ lap pool
- Private outdoor terrace
- Panoramic apartments
- 24-hour doormen
- A “great room” with double-height 26′ vaulted ceilings
Beyond those, residents can see original works of Picasso, Arp, Bores, Miro, Matisse and more on display. The design also honors the historical integrity of Steinway Hall by keeping its original woodblock floor and restoring its chandeliers.
The two buildings are connected by a block-long lobby sequence, that to no one’s surprise, is just as beautiful as the rest of the interior. The space is filled with limestone, marble, blackened steel, and velvet accents, a hand-painted mural, a sculpture by Kelli Bedrossian and ceilings that are 26 feet high.
“111 West 57th is a skyscraper designed for the future while being historically rooted in New York City in the timelessness of its refined detail and robust form,” said Dana Getman, Principal, SHoP Architects. “Its design is completely unique on the skyline yet immediately recognizable as a part of the city.”
Prices for residences range anywhere from $7,750,000 to $66,000,000.
To explore more of the new tower, see here. Note, 111 West 57th is not open to the public.