According to reports by New York Post, SHoP Architects’ 111 West 57th Street, recognized as the “world’s skinniest skyscraper” in Manhattan, New York, may never be completed due to its escalating construction costs. Investment group AmBase, which has filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court, claims that the 82-floor tower has already surpassed its budget by $50 million when no more than 20 floors have been constructed yet.
Courtesy of SHoP Architects
AmBase particularly blames the developers, Michael Stern from JDS Development Group and Kevin Maloney from Property Markets Group, for not considering the cost of construction cranes. A year earlier, the Investment group, also, sued the developers after accusing them of trying to dilute their stake in the project. However, the developers have described AmBases claims to be “baseless” and announced that they would fully defend the filed lawsuit in court.
The under-construction residential tower is located in Midtown Manhattan. It was designed to combine the quality of historic New York towers with the capabilities of the latest technologies in engineering. The tower’s eastern and western façades are richly clad in Terra Cotta for a playful light effect, and the northern façade entirely features a glass curtain wall to optimize the view of neighboring Central Park. Owing to its height to width ratio of 24:1, the tower earned its title as the world’s skinniest skyscraper, with a height amounting to 1,421 feet, about 433 meters.
Hadeer Shahin is the Built Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she curates innovative architectural works from around the globe. With a background in architecture from Alexandria University and hands-on experience in design and digital content, she bridges the gap between technical precision and editorial vision. Hadeer’s keen eye for spatial storytelling and her passion for contemporary design trends make her a vital contributor to Arch2O’s mission of highlighting excellence in the built environment.