Above, from the mind of starchitect Frank Gehry, the smattering of design concepts he toyed with for the 75-story tower set to rise soon in downtown Manhattan. Think we'd forgotten about this mysterious project since last year's big reveal of the (since-somewhat-discredited) design for the building? Actually, uh, we sort of had, until this bit of news popped up on LowerManhattan.info:
Pile driving will conclude on May 4th at Beekman Tower, one month earlier than expected. Since it began in February 2007, workers have installed more than 800 piles for the 75-story tower, located at 8 Spruce Street (near Pace University). The tower is being designed by Frank Gehry and will be primarily residential with office space for neighboring New York Downtown Hospital and a 630-seat K-through-8th-grade school. Foundation work continues at the site, with superstructure work beginning in late summer 2007. The tower is planned to open in early 2010.The crazy part is that Gehry and tower developer Bruce Ratner haven't yet released the final plans for this thing. Might we suggest that they never do so? Watching the tower rise would be so much more entertaining that way, no? (That said, anyone with dirt on the latest renderings—email us!)
· Pile Driving Wraps Up at Beekman Tower [LowerManhattan.info]
· Beekman Tower Update: What? Where? When? [Curbed]
· Gehry's Beekman Tower Update: 'Sort of Baroque' [Curbed]
· BREAKING Curbed Exclusive: Gehry/Ratner Renderings! [Curbed]