LG Starts Building Controversial HQ Overlooking Palisades

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. — LG Electronics began building its headquarters in Englewood Cliffs Tuesday, ending a long legal battle and four year process that saw the project's height be slashed in half.

The borough's now-defunct zoning board approved the construction of a 144-foot building on Sylvan Avenue.

Opponents took the matter to court because the building was much taller than the 35-foot maximum allowed by the borough.

An appeals court sided with the opponents that the project was too tall and in October struck down the board's approval of the building's height.

"If this project was built it would be a blight on this histori view and be seen from around the area," said Jeff Tittel, the Sierra Club's executive director. "Now that LG has lowered their tower height, people can continue to enjoy the Palisades Park without looking up at an ugly tower."

The building would have created on blemish on New Yorkers' view of the east side of the Hudson River.

The campus will have a three-story "cube" that will join together two wings, the north one being the tallest.

The LEED-certified building is designed to emit low levels of light at night and a path that passes through several wetlands areas.

Woods in the north area of the campus will be left alone while oak and maple trees will be planted in the south part.

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An aerial photo of the new headquarters. — Courtesy of LG