2. Central Park Tower
Central Park Tower, also known as the Nordstrom Tower, sits at 225 West 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan along Billionaires’ Row. Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the building rises 1,550 feet with 98 above-ground stories and three basement stories. Central Park Tower is the second-tallest skyscraper in the U.S. and the Western Hemisphere, as well as the tallest residential building in the world. The basement and the first five above-ground stories contain a large Nordstrom store. Above-ground construction started in early 2015, and despite some controversies during the building’s construction, the building was topped out in September 2019 and completed in July 2021.
The tower was delayed after two buildings at 225 West 57th Street and 1780 Broadway were considered for New York City landmark status. Controversially, the eastern portion of the tower features a cantilever above the Art Students League of New York‘s building at 215 West 57th Street, which was created to maximize views of Central Park. This resulted in a number of lawsuits and controversies concerning the air rights sale. There were also multiple construction incidents, such as the death of a security guard when a truck driver accidentally hit a 3,000-pound glass panel on the ground floor, which then tipped over. The $3 billion building now features outdoor terraces, an indoor pool, steam rooms and a three-floor private club.