Sky City (J220): Construction Start This November?

Sky City (J220)
© Broad Group

We heard some things about China's Sky City also known as J220 that caught our attention. They are serious! They will do it! China is getting world's tallest building and whole lot of world records.


Interesting article showed up on Wired, an interview with the man behind the project, BSB founder Zhang Yue who explained what is going on with the project at the moment. You probably heard that Broad Group is planning to build world's tallest building in only 90 days. This was pushed back to 210 days or seven month.

Sky City One, now renamed to J220 should be 838m tall skyscraper, 10m taller than current World's tallest, Burj Khalifa (828m). Also, J220 is planned to have 220 floors, filled with luxury apartments, low income housing along with retail and business space. J220 will be also earthquake resistant and have 31 high speed elevators.

The most important info is that foundations should be laid this November, next month, and if everything goes well, new world's tallest building should be done by March 2013!

"It’s hard to say for sure that the 16-million-square-foot plan isn’t entirely a publicity stunt. But Zhang has hired some of the engineers who worked on the current height-record holder, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, and Broad has created two large models of “Sky City” (as the J220 has been nicknamed). The foundation is scheduled to be laid in November at a site in Hunan; if everything goes well, the building will be complete in March 2013."
          -Lauren Hilgers

This will be very interesting to watch!

You can read full interview by Lauren Hilgers here.

Read and watch more about the Sky City here. 

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56 Leonard Street: "Construction Will Begin Next Week"

56 Leonard Street: "Construction Will Begin Next Week"
© Tronic / Alexico Group

Finally! The construction of 56 Leonard Street is continuing after years of big "nothing". Tribeca's tallest went out in 2007 and after successful construction start, work has been halted because of financial situation. This 250m (821ft) tall piece of modern architecture is designed by Herzog & De Meuron and it's known as one of the most beautiful skyscrapers going up in New York since Art Deco masterpieces back in '20s and '30s.


For more info about this beauty, check out our previous post with more photos and renderings.

New plan proposes restart of construction this December. Because of complexity of the structure, skyscraper should be done by 2016, which means, construction should take 4 years. Here's quote from Tribeca Citizen with exact plans:

"But the concern now is the impact of construction on the surrounding neighborhood. Committee chair Peter Braus called it “shocking” that construction will last four years, including nearly two years for the facade alone.

“It’s a very complicated structure,” said Tony DelGreco, a vice president of Lend Lease (formerly Bovis Lend Lease ) and the manager of the project.

DelGreco said that the first 10 floors will go slowly because of the large cantilevered apartments. 

“When you get past the 46th floor that’s when you get all the cantilevers coming again and it slows us down again,” he said. “So this has an 18-month concrete schedule for that reason. It’s just a slower, methodical job. You have to go slow to get it right.”

DelGreco said construction will begin next week on the north side of the site where workers will begin the three-month job of chopping up the sidewalk and putting in utility vaults for Con Edison. It will take more than a year-and-a-half, beginning in December, to build the superstructure, with facade work to start next July. The building is scheduled for completion in Spring, 2016."

In short:


• October–December 2012: Con Ed vaults and foundation remediation
• December 2012–August 2014: Superstructure
• November 2012–January 2016: Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and sprinklers
• July 2013–April 2015: Façade
• August 2013–January 2016: Interiors
• Completion: Spring 2016.

Stay tuned, we will watch this one closely.

Update: Workers returned on the site, first construction update in 2013.

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30 Park Place; Four Seasons Downtown, Manhattan, New York

Skyscrapers: 30 Park Place; Four Seasons Downtown, Manhattan, New York
© dbox

Talking about continuing construction of stalled projects, after we found out that 56 Leonard Street is on, we heard that another giant is getting ready to start again. 30 Park Place, Four Seasons Downtown, owned by Silverstein Properties was put on hold in 2010 after foundations were done. Designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern, the 912 foot (378m) tall building will serve as a bridge between the futuristic style of the 1 World Trade Center (former name Freedom Tower) and the classic Woolworth Building on the same block.


"Sharing a city block with the Woolworth Building, Cass Gilbert's iconic 1913 skyscraper, and strategically located one block from the World Trade Center redevelopment site, the Four Seasons Downtown combines a 175-key five-star Four Seasons hotel with 143 top-end condominium apartments in a slender 80-story tower that will become an important landmark among the constellation of towers in Lower Manhattan.

The hotel entrance on Barclay Street leads visitors into four floors of lobbies, lounges, restaurants, ballrooms, meeting facilities, and a spa and fitness center. The public rooms of the hotel face a through-block garden framed by a lower annex building that conceals building services and access to below-grade parking. A separate entrance and lobby on Park Place serves the residences.

Amenities for the apartments are located on the twenty-ninth floor; the function rooms and fitness center open to exterior loggias. The limestone and cast stone shaft of the tower rises to a dramatic skyline profile of full-floor penthouses and setback terraces."
          -Robert A.M. Stern Architects

Skyscrapers: 30 Park Place; Four Seasons Downtown, Manhattan, New York
© dbox

Skyscrapers: 30 Park Place; Four Seasons Downtown, Manhattan, New York
© dbox

Skyscrapers: 30 Park Place; Four Seasons Downtown, Manhattan, New York
© dbox

Skyscrapers: 30 Park Place; Four Seasons Downtown, Manhattan, New York
© NYguy/SSP

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Bauer Group To Build Kingdom Tower Foundation! Green Light For World's Tallest Building.

Kingdom Tower, new world's tallest building
© Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture

It's a go! German Bauer Group signed yesterday contract worth €25 million to build foundations for new world's tallest building, Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.


According to 4investors.de, construction will start in December and it will be completed within 10 months.
"For us it is a great thing to be involved in this project" shared Thomas Bauer, CEO of Bauer AG.

Kingdom Tower is designed by worldwide famous architecture firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. Kingdom Tower will be the first skyscraper to rise above 1,000m (3,280 feet).

Read detailed story about Kingdom Tower!

Take a look at 3D model and blueprint drawings of Kingdom Tower!

Photos from pile testing for world's tallest building!

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New New York Towers Above Central Park; 105 West 57th Street

Skyscrapers: New New York Towers Above Central Park; 105 West 57th Street
© via NY Observer

Looks like living right next to Central Park is wanted more than ever. As we heard from New York YIMBY, Extell with Gary Barnett is preparing new residential skyscraper for Midtown, right next to Central Park.


Just to remind you, Extell developed famous One57 tower down the block which is known for having the most expensive penthouse in New York City. It's their time now. This project is for now known as 105 West 57th Street, which is its location. Designers are architects from Cetra/Ruddy office, creators of skinny One Madison Park tower. Tower is proposed to reach 697ft (212m) with 51 floor.

Every floor will house one apartment. New New York skyscraper will also have 14 duplexes and one quadraplex on top of the building. Also, expect a lot of balconies. Pretty good huh? We will follow this project as Extell develops it along with New York YIMBY.

Read more about famous One57 tower.

Skyscrapers: New New York Towers Above Central Park; 105 West 57th Street
© via NY Observer

Skyscrapers: New New York Towers Above Central Park; 105 West 57th Street
© DOB

Skyscrapers: New New York Towers Above Central Park; 105 West 57th Street
© DOB

Skyscrapers: New New York Towers Above Central Park; 105 West 57th Street
© DOB

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432 Park Avenue: Are You Ready For New New York's Tallest?

432 Park Avenue
via Observer

432 Park Avenue, mysterious skyscraper set to rise on Midtown's Park Avenue is slowly revealing its secrets. A few days ago, foundation work has ended and the crew is leaving the site. We're now waiting for new contractor to move in and start building towards the sky. In the meantime, prices regarding 432 Park Avenue went public.


According to Wall Street Journal, price per square foot will be almost $ 6,000. What about the penthouse? Penthouse of 432 Park Avenue will hit the market asking $ 85 million. Don't forget it's located 396m (about 1,300ft) above Manhattan! We decided not to use words to describe what you can expect up there but use pictures instead.

Here are 2 shots from Google Earth, from the position of future penthouse. This is the view someone will buy for $ 85 million! Also, we placed One57 in for comparison. One57 penthouse is worth almost $ 100 million.

(Click the picture for bigger size)


Latest December construction update with set of floor plans.

432 Park Avenue penthouse view of Central Park from 396m (1,300ft)

432 Park Avenue penthouse view of Midtown and Lower Manhattan along with the ocean from 396m (1,300ft)

Read more about 432 Park Avenue tower

Read more about One57 tower

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One57: Three New Renderings Of New New York's Famous Building Under Construction

One57: Three New Renderings Of New New York's Famous Building Under Construction
© AECDP/CTBUH

Construction of New York's famous One57 is almost over, it will top out any day now at 306m (1005ft) over the Central Park. Extell developed this masterpiece designed by Christian de Portzamparc. Renderings were big secret from the beginning and even now when tower is there, we still find new ones, never published till now. Here are three new renderings showing how proud this tower stands there, offering the best views in the city along with the most expensive penthouse ever!


Read more about One57 and take a look at August construction progress of One57.

One57: Three New Renderings Of New New York's Famous Building Under Construction
© AECDP/CTBUH

One57: Three New Renderings Of New New York's Famous Building Under Construction
© AECDP/CTBUH

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New York's Finest: One57 Almost Topped Out Above Central Park

New York's Finest: One57 Almost Topped Out Above Central Park
© New York Yimby

New construction update today over at New York Yimby. One57 almost reached its full height above the Central Park. One of the best New York buildings under construction at the moment is almost reached 306m (1005ft). Just a reminder, this tower is home of New York's most expensive penthouse!


Read more about One57 tower and take a look what is so special about it.

Take a look at full update by New York Yimby here.  

One57 rising above Central Park
© Extell

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