Century-Old Midtown Building Faces Demolition; Skyscraper Planned

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — A developer filed permits with the city on Wednesday to demolish a 102-year-old Midtown building amid possible plans to construct a skyscraper on the site.

The six-story building at 1710 Broadway, on the corner of West 54th Street, was built in 1919 as Ford Motor Company's new Midtown showroom — part of a string of dealerships that once lined Broadway, when it was known as Automobile Row.

Designed by the architect Albert Kahn, its facade features Indiana limestone and its street-level showroom included large glass windows and a marble staircase, according to the Daytonian in Manhattan blog.

In 1943, Ford Moved out and was replaced by the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union, who occupied the building for decades, Curbed reported. More recently, it was home to Bad Boy Entertainment, the company run by hip-hop mogul Sean Combs.

In recent years, the megadeveloper Extell acquired the property and revealed plans to construct a high-rise tower on the site.

Extell did not immediately respond to a request for comment about its plans for the site, and no new construction permits have been filed. This week's demolition permits were filed by an Extell executive, calling for full demolition of the former Ford building.