Glassy makeovers of somewhat dated office buildings are no longer a new phenomenon, so we don't expect the news that landlord SL Green is planning to transform Times Square's 1515 Broadway to resonate the same way as, say, 1775 Broadway?but it still has some pop! In his Realty Check column today, Steve Cuozzo reveals the new-look Viacom building, famous to kids for its MTV studios, and to old people for replacing the Astor Hotel in the late '60s. Viacom might not stick around, but the $160 million facelift should help recruit some new blood. The protruding lower floors, the chunk of the 54-story tower that our nation's youth gathers around to worship like a golden calf, will be completely wrapped in glass, rather than just the part that faces Times Square. Some other limestone elements of the building, including parts of the crown, will be covered by brushed aluminum panels to differentiate from the Marriott Marquis next door. Architects Kohn Pedersen Fox drew up the redesign, and work has already begun. On the inside, the building will get a new lobby and various upgrades.
· Times Square Gets a Facelift [NYP]
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