655 Madison Avenue (Google Maps, August 2024)
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The supertall race appears to be reaching new heights on the Upper East Side.
Extell has proposed two potential designs for a 74-story skyscraper at 655 Madison Avenue (between 60th and 61st streets). If approved, the new tower would become the neighborhood’s tallest.
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According to new zoning diagrams published by New York YIMBY, Extell is seeking City Planning Commission approval for a 1,162-foot-tall mixed-use tower designed by Beyer Blinder Belle. The building would span roughly 765,000 square feet, with most of its upper floors expected to house condos and the lower levels including office space and retail.
Demolition of the current building began earlier this year and could wrap by early 2026, New York YIMBY reports.
The zoning application includes two separate design concepts, one of which calls for an even higher building height of 1,279 feet.
In 2018, the nearby 520 Park Avenue became the tallest building on the Upper East Side at 781 feet. Extell is working on setting a new record on the UWS as well, with plans for a 1200 foot building on Columbus Avenue.
Plans for 655 Madison’s ground floor show separate entrances along East 60th Street for the residential and office components, with retail stretching across the podium level. The retail area includes a narrow “panhandle” extension for deliveries along East 61st Street.
Fashion giant Chanel is reportedly considering a $450 million purchase of the retail space, though a deal has not been finalized. If it goes through, the brand would control nearly 65,000 square feet at the base of the tower.
Back in March, East Side Feed reported that Extell had quietly purchased a string of low-rise buildings at 33, 35, 37, and 39 East 60th Street—just around the corner from 655 Madison—for a combined $103 million. Those buildings, which housed neighborhood staples like Philippe Chow and Il Mulino–both of which are moving to Midtown–could potentially factor into the developer’s broader vision for the area, though no formal announcements have been made.
Extell has not yet confirmed a timeline for construction.
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