Is Gary Barnett a theater groupie? He should have no problem getting a front row seat at any number of Broadway theaters. His Extell gang has bought up scads of those precious Theater District transferable air rights for what is reported to be a new 50-story Condo-slash-Hotel to go up right off Times Square at 131 - 139 West 45th Street. It seems three old Broadway theaters all the way across the Square have found an angel in Mr. B. And as Max Bialystock will tell you, it takes a lot of cash to put on a show. Deep pockets can come in mighty handy.
[A notice from Community Board 5 posted on the fence at 135 West 45th]
Extell is everywhere these days. East Side. West Side. All around the town. They're certainly no stranger to the Crossroads of Desire, with their flippin' fantastic Orion over on the Deuce. Now they've made some new friends on this side of Broadway. They cut some deals with their mid-block neighbors along West 45th for even more air rights. Now they can build high over that big bow tie down below. And when Extell's new one rises it could have some company a block over at 66 West 45th, where Enrique Norten and TEN Arquitectos have plans for another 50-story hotel-condo combo. Will these two 500 footers make beautiful music together? Let's just hope they don't hit any sour notes. Gary has enough trouble with glass as it is.
[The Extell site (left & center) and Ten Arquitectos proposal]
[Air rights have been bought up from 121, 123 and 125 W. 45th]
[Exhibits from the Agreement between Extell and the owner of 121 W. 45th]
· The Expense Account of Extell's Gary Barnett [Curbed]
· Development Du Jour: The Lucida [Curbed]
· Rushmore Making Friends With Neighbors [Curbed]
· A Not So Wonderful Night for a Moondance [Curbed]
· Ballsy Flip Attempts at the Orion [Curbed]
· Times Square Giving Its Bow Tie to Pedestrians? [Curbed]
· 50-story hotel and condo tower planned for West 45th Street [City Realty]
· Ariel East's Bad Glass Problem [Curbed]