September 23, 2019
With Starchitechs Building All Over NoMad, SOM Appears to Steal the Show
The list of firms with projects in Nomad is a who’s who of architecture, but perhaps the most anticipated project has begun to rise at the southwest corner 31st and Broadway. Designed by one of the world’s leading firms SOM, 1245 Broadway promises to be a stunning little gem that revels in its relatively small size to create a varied, engaging piece of street sculpture. The unusual shapes that change as the building moves upward break the banality that many tall modern buildings fall victim to and at the same time the strong rhythmical window frames provide a classic balance that never lets the rhythm get out of hand. The detailing at the retail level, entry, step backs and on the upper floors looks impeccable, as one has come to expect from SOM.
The development firm GDSNY recently finished pouring the concrete foundation slab of 1245 Broadway. The 22-story commercial office building is set to rise to completion by the end of 2020, and when complete, it will be 318 feet tall and contain 200,000 square feet of class A office interiors. The structure will feature a curtain wall composed of architecturally finished concrete panels between floor-to-ceiling windows with triple-insulated glass. The developers are aiming for LEED-silver certification.
1245 Broadway won’t just be an aesthetic star either. It will boast the unusual luxury of 12-foot-tall ceilings, often only available in older buildings, as well as ground-floor retail and a restaurant, but perhaps the biggest sign of the times, are the amenities it is offering that many are looking for:
- Bicycle storage for office workers.
- Large terraces positioned on the building’s multiple setbacks will provide workers with access to fresh air, light, and views of the surrounding neighborhood.
- A private tenant amenity lounge with skylights, private phone booths, communal work areas, a fireplace, and a beverage station.
One has only to look at the site before groundbreaking to see how welcomed this building will be and how enriching the recent changes being made in NoMad are to the present and how they honor the neighborhood’s storied past.
1245 Broadway was recently renumbered and was formerly 1241 Broadway—the site of two of The Great White Way’s most renowned theatres, Wallach’s and Palmer’s, the latter of which hosted the New York premiere of Puccini’s La Boheme.
