Posted on 08/25/2010 7:12:05 PM PDT by re_tail20
The Empire State Building's owner lost his bid to stop a new skyscraper from rising in the neighborhood when the New York City Council approved zoning and land use changes Wednesday that pave the way for the 1,190-foot tower.
The project, called 15 Penn Plaza, is still in the planning stages. Developer Vornado Realty Trust has not set a date for its construction and has yet to sign a major commercial tenant.
But the plans alone for a glass office tower, which would stand higher than the Empire State Building's 86-floor observatory, infuriated the landmark's owner, Anthony Malkin, so much that he called it an "assault on New York City and its iconography."
Council members voted overwhelmingly in favor of the project. They said New York City and its world-famous skyline cannot afford to be frozen in time and must embrace new investments.
"We can't make decisions based on one building," said Councilman Mark Weprin. "The city has to grow, and it's going to continue to grow."
Mayor Michael Bloomberg also backed the project this week, dismissing Malkin's argument as delusional.
"Anybody that builds a building in New York City changes its skyline—we don't have to run around to every other owner and apologize," he said. "One guy owns a building, he'd like to have it be the only tall building—I'm sorry, that's not the real world."
Plans envision a 67-story, 1,190-foot-tall office tower two blocks west of the Empire State Building, which stands 102 stories and 1,454 feet but has an 86th-floor observation deck about 1,050 feet above ground.
Malkin had lobbied the council to cut the tower by one-third the proposed height.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
But the plans alone for a glass office tower, which would stand higher than the Empire State Building’s 86-floor observatory, infuriated the landmark’s owner, Anthony Malkin, so much that he called it an “assault on New York City and its iconography.”
I agree ...
I wonder who owns the new building or is behind its developer?
Given the mess at Ground Zero, this new building will probably be completed before Freedom Tower.
Flashback:
Empire State Building: No Lights for Mother Teresa
Tens of thousands of people are in an uproar about the building owner’s refusal to light New York City’s tallest skyscraper in blue and white to honor Mother Teresa in August on what would be her 100th birthday.
If the Empire State Building is getting kicked in the teeth today, maybe they deserve it...
See the article:
Empire State Building Urged to Honor Mother Teresa
The article on Epoch Times is dated August 22, 2010.
They can make the Empire State Building into a parking lot if it decides it is good to honor Mao Tse Tung (which they have done in the past), but not Mother Teresa...
Management issue ... we all know they are aholes ... the building didn’t do it ... it’s as much a Landmark as any we have and this is a terrible idea.
"Mother Teresa is not just a religious figure, she’s really a symbol of humanity. She’s a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She received honors and awards in countries all over the world. But most importantly, she is a symbol of what we, as human beings, can achieve, [when] we give our hearts, our energies, to the service of others,” said Richard Espinal, executive director of Altagracia Center for Faith and Justice. “We want the Empire State Building, which has become a symbol of the city of New York and of the state of New York, to recognize who she was as a symbol of our humanity, of our potential.”
Why give an a$$40le more money for being an a$$40le...
I think this issue comes up at a good time. Maybe the Empire State Building will change its tune.
There are many, many voters and people who think more of Mother Teresa than the Empire State Building.
And it reflects badly on the City of New York and the State of New York for allowing the Empire State Building to do this.
Besides, this is a FreeMason thing as far as I am concerned.
And the FreeMasons are a part of the New World Order. To Hell with them!
Its becoming increasing clear to me that Freedom Tower will NEVER get built. There will be a mosque there but forget about rebuilding. If they EVER were going to do it, it would have started before now.
They’ve started building it, and they’re up to the 34th. floor this month.
http://www.panynj.gov/wtcprogress/index.html
Still, it should have been finished already by now.
I don’t have a problem with it as long as it’s not a mosque victory tower.
Too bad they don’t build art deco style skyscrapers anymore.
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