New Midtown Tower To Be NYC's Tallest By Ceiling Height: Report

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Real estate developers filed planes for a planned tower that could become the second-tallest in New York City and the tallest by ceiling height.

Developer Harry Macklowe's firm Macklowe Properties — best known for another Manhattan supertall 432 Park Avenue — submitted a preliminary application with the city to build a 1,551-foot-tall development on Fifth Avenue between 51st and 52nd streets, the New York Times first reported.

The development already has a name, "Tower Fifth," but is a long way from becoming a reality, according to reports. Macklowe will be required to seek approval from the city Landmarks Preservation Commission due to the development's proximity to landmarks such as St. Patrick's Cathedral and Rockefeller Center, the Times reported.

One World Trade Center, listed at 1,776-feet-tall, will retain its title as the city's tallest building, but only due to its massive spire. The Lower Manhattan skyscraper's ceiling actually tops out around 1,368 feet.

In addition to seeking city approvals, Macklowe still has to secure about 580,000 square feet of development rights for the site, the Times reported. A 2017 city rezoning of East Midtown allows developers the opportunity to buy up air rights of nearby landmarked sites, with a cut of the deal going to the city. Owners of sites such as St. Patrick's Cathedral and Grand Central Terminal have already cashed in on the provision.

But the high-profile developer seems confident that Tower Fifth will one day rise over Manhattan. In an interview with New York YIMBY, Macklowe said: "Tall buildings are a reality. The days of restrictions on buildings are really over. This is a building that’s never been built before, a 21st-century building.”

Tower Fifth will become the 18th suptertall development — taller than 984 feet — planned in Manhattan since the 2008 recession, the Times reported.

A message left with Macklowe Properties was not immediately returned. Patch will update this article if it hears back from the developers.

Read the full Times report (and check out Tower Fifth's rendering) here.

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