By Bobby Panza
Construction continues at 50 West 66th Street. When complete, it will become the tallest building on the Upper West Side, taking the title from 200 Amsterdam Avenue, which was completed in 2021.
The 775-foot-tall structure, developed by Extell Development, sits between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West, and is currently at the point of having its slanted, steel-framed crown constructed.
WSR sent reporter Bobby Panza out to talk to people in the area to see how they feel about the building. Some chose not to be photographed, so Bobby snapped the view from where they stood.
Kendra Barnett
Resident at 34 West 65th Street.
“I moved in about a year ago. So, I’ve seen it [built up] from the lower levels, but it started before I got here.
It’s kind of loud, not going to lie. I live in the front of my building, so I can hear it. It doesn’t affect traffic too badly, I don’t think. But it can be quite loud when the cement trucks come in. I think most of the construction trucks are coming in on this side [West 65th], not on [West] 66th.
It’s very different from the other buildings on the street. The rest are lower than six or seven stories. We’ll see what happens when it’s finished. As of now, it hasn’t affected my rent too much; I just recently renewed my lease.”
Ken Briggs
Professor at Juilliard. Lives nearby on 56th Street. Comes to Lincoln Center every day.
[Laughing] “Actually, I hadn’t noticed [the building] until you pointed it out. No, wait, yeah, okay, there it is!
I don’t like [super talls] at all. I think they really disrupt the beauty of what used to be a beautiful roofline across Manhattan. And just to have one of these pencil buildings stick out like a sore thumb is really not very elegant, let alone the people that I know that live in the ones on 57th Street (Billionaire’s Row) who have creaky elevators and all sorts of noise at the very top of them. So, they’re not very happy.
I really wish architects would look at things in terms of neighborhoods rather than trying to stand out like sore thumbs.”
Jennifer Barnett
Resident at 10 West 66th Street.
“I think it’s great. It’s going to be a beautiful building. It will bring new people to the neighborhood and increase the value of apartments in the area.”
Garrett Portwood
From Jersey City. Just applied for jobs in Manhattan and was relaxing in Sheep Meadow.
“I love that building. I like the windows; if I were to live someplace, I’d want to maximize the window space to capture the skyline views. It’s reflecting New York. And the fact that this could house a lot of wealthy people contributes to the economy, right?
I also love the mix of old and new buildings on the Upper West Side. It’s a great area.
As you and I know, every neighborhood in New York is changing at a rapid pace. It almost feels like it’s changing more rapidly every year. But I would ask this: Are they [Extell] doing another project to help with affordable housing? I would like to see a balance.”
Theodore Dixon
Resident of West 71st Street. “Mayor” of Muffin’s Café on Columbus Avenue.
“You got to get through all the politics of it. The people who own parts of that building, they don’t live there. It’s part of their portfolio and as far as I’m concerned, it blocks our view. It does.
To the people who hold the wealth in that building, get them involved and part of the neighborhood. It would be an asset to my neighborhood and to them.
I’m keeping love alive. The most potent weapon there is, is love.”
Subscribe to West Side Rag’s FREE email newsletter here.
Jackie O led a successful fight to stop the Solomon Brothers towers from going up on the old Columbus Circle Coliseum site. One of the arguments was that the towers would cast shadows over the park. Now NYC has become a place where anything goes including this.
Panza4Life
and that’s the bottom line
Good to see Theo back in action now that it is (sometimes) Spring.
Thank you for featuring Theo 🙂
Continued overdevelopment on the M66 bus route means worse traffic impacting the M66.
@Ken Briggs . . . you, sir, are the very reason NY is not turning into Dubai. Full of forced glitz that look like the cheatin’ side of town covered in lights. Thank you for that.
One of my bosses lives in a penthouse in the Apthorp, so I’m very familiar with the area, Their neighbor was Gloria Vanderbilt’s family – then she and her two boys . . . ten she and Anderson. My boss’s brother actually got famous for his portraits of her.
Love to see the Rag featuring a diversity of opinions. I’ve always felt like the comments section can be a self selecting group of people that doesn’t reflect the whole breadth of our community!
I’m with Mr. Dixon.
What Theodore said! 💜
I live across the street on 65th. It’s been awful. So loud 6-7 days a week and super early in the morning – aren’t there ANY laws about when construction can begin in the morning?Some days so loud I cannot hear my TV. And so much dirt constantly in my apartment and now they’ve torn up the whole street – multiple times!. Traffic is awful. Didn’t used to bother me as much but I’ve been here a year and now wonder about potential carcinogens from all the asphalt, cement and who knows what they keep digging up. Wonder if the EPA is overseeing this project – not to mention all the construction workers smoking dope on their breaks. I too wondered why they aren’t doing this on 66th – people on that street must have more money.
You moved across from a major construction site AFTER it was known to be such?
You may or may not like it, but this building does not qualify as a pencil building at all. It is substantial. !
It is out of place and it will obstruct sunlight in Sheep Meadow, which is a bug cause for concern. Central Park is a valuable asset that requires preservation from excessive commercial development, such as the proliferation of skyscrapers in its vicinity like on already happening on the south side
we have an apt at 200 CPS & the lights from that bldg are on all night long, glaring in our windows as bright as daylight. Finish it up already, although it does mar the skyline to the west.
Looks great. I hope there will be more tall buildings on the UWS.
We moved out of 34 W65th after Covid and they were starting up again. the noise was awful and elimated any sight of blue sky. It’s an awful building for the UWS.