The race between the Bowery's two big "Fs" (Foster and Fischer) has taken a turn. The first round went to British starchitect Norman Foster, whose art gallery building at 257 Bowery shot to the lead with demolition done and a site all neat and tidy. Two doors up at 263 Bowery, Karl Fischer's site was lagging behind with not much doing other than a mess of bricks and trash. Fast forward and the positions have flipped. The Fischer team now has steel rising out of the ground, while Foster's crew is still digging downwards and fiddling with the foundation. It's not a fair fight!
Foster's gallery is a completely new structure that will rise 128'. Fischer's residential plan is an "Enlargment and Conversion" (in DOBspeak) rising only to 74' and making use of some of the existing structure. Plus, Foster's facade is intriguing: Lots of glass supported by a steel structure?a translucent curtain covering levitating rooms within. Fischer's is still a mystery, but we've got quite the canon to base some low expectations on. Prove us wrong, Karl!
· For the Foster fans: 257 Bowery coverage [Curbed]
· For the Fischer fiends: 263 Bowery coverage [Curbed]
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