Metropolitan Tower (Manhattan)

Metropolitan Tower
Metropolitan Tower
General information
Type	Office, residential condominiums
Architectural style	Postmodern
Location	146 West 57th Street, Manhattan, New York
Coordinates	40°45′53″N 73°58′45″W / 40.7648°N 73.9793°W
Construction started	1982
Topped-out	October 2, 1985
Completed	1987
Owner	GreenOak Realty and L&L Holding (offices); condominium owners (residences)
Height
Roof	716 ft (218 m)
Top floor	77
Technical details
Floor count	68
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Schuman, Lichtenstein, Claman & Efron
Developer	Macklowe Properties
Main contractor	HRH Construction

Metropolitan Tower is a mixed-use skyscraper at 146 West 57th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Completed in 1987 and designed by SLCE Architects, the building measures 716 ft (218 m) tall with 68 stories. Metropolitan Tower is designed with a black-glass facade, with a rectangular 18-story base topped by a 48-story triangular tower. It was developed by Harry Macklowe.

Metropolitan Tower is next to Carnegie Hall Tower, separated from it only by the Russian Tea Room. The building has entrances at 57th and 56th Streets, connected by a passageway that forms part of 6½ Avenue. The base contains about 225,000 sq ft (20,900 m²) of office space, with a triple-height mechanical area at the top. The office stories are owned as a single condominium, as are each of the 235 residential apartments in the upper stories. The residential tower resembles a right triangle in form, with a pointed edge facing north on 57th Street. Because of the high ceilings of the office stories, several floor numbers are skipped and the highest floor is numbered 78.

The site of Metropolitan Tower was occupied by low-rise buildings until 1982, when they were acquired by the Feinberg Realty and Construction Company and then Macklowe's company Macklowe Properties. Though Macklowe also tried to acquire what later became Carnegie Hall Tower's site, he was unable to obtain the Russian Tea Room between them. Construction began in 1984, and the residences were marketed to wealthy buyers after the building was completed. The office condominium has changed ownership several times in Metropolitan Tower's history; as of 2016^[update], the offices are owned by GreenOak Realty and L&L Holding.