From Skyscraper to Stump

The stubby little building at 31 East 17th St. on the northern border of Union Square Park next to Barnes and Noble sits on a plot of land that has a very interesting history. Read all about it here.

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  • Latest New School Construction Update

    Next week (April 1 to April 5), material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors inside the building as well as roof work. We will be work on the new sidewalks around the building as well.

    The following week (April 8 to April 12), material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors and roofs as well as sidewalk work. By then end of this week we plan to have the rest of the sidewalk on 14th street complete. Additionally we plan to begin removing the sidewalk shed along 5th ave.

    This weekend the site will be open on Saturday, March 30th for interior, superstructure, sidewalk, and hoist removal related activities between the work hours of 7AM and 5PM as permitted by the City.

  • Latest New School Construction Update

    Next week (July 22 to July 26), material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors inside the building. Asphalt work on 14th st will begin this week to tie in the finished sidewalk. We will be opening the new sidewalk on 13th st. Additionally we will be working on the roofs of the building. Furniture deliveries will take place in the afternoon along 5th ave.

    The following week (July 29 to August 2), material, equipment and furniture deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors as well as sidewalk work.

    This weekend the site will be open on Saturday, July 20th for interior, roof, and sidewalk activities between the work hours of 7AM and 5PM as permitted by the City.

  • Update on Tammany Hall Dome Construction

    Construction of the glassy turtle shell-shaped dome on top of Union Square’s landmarked Tammany Hall building is officially underway. The building at 44 Union Square, formerly home to NYC’s Democratic party machine, is being transformed into modern office and retail space. New construction photos provided to 6sqft show the start of the unconventional dome’s installation, with the diagonally intersecting glass and steel now visible from the street. The political organization of Tammany Hall formed in New York City in the late 18th century and helped Democrats control city and state politics for decades. After a few different headquarter locations, the society landed in a building on East 17th Street and Union Square. The International Ladies Garment Workers Union bought the building in 1943. Other tenants have included the New York Film Academy and the Union Square Theatre. Designed by BKSK Architects, the redevelopment project consists of a gut renovation and the addition of four stories of retail space in the building’s base, with three levels of office space on the upper levels, including inside the dome. The architects designed the glass dome as an ode to the turtle which Lenape Chief Tamanend stands upon on a Philadelphia statue. Tammany Hall was named after the leader. According to the firm, the dome is “meant to be both evocative and respectful of the building’s past while also bringing architectural spectacle to this rather staid corner of Union Square.” BKSK first submitted plans to revamp the historic building in 2014. After the project was approved a year later by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, developer Reading International secured $57.5 million in financing. Renovations began in 2016. The dome features a framework of intersecting glass and steel, manufactured by German-based firm Gartner. There’s no doubt the top floor will not only be drenched in natural light but also offer unique views of Union Square and beyond.