Midtown Developer Not Giving Up On Gravity-Defying Skyscraper

HELL'S KITCHEN, NY — A developer who wanted to build a gravity-defying skyscraper on an empty Hell's Kitchen lot is pressing Gov. Kathy Hochul to reconsider her recent move to drop plans to redevelop the site — saying polling backs up their case.

The dispute centers on the state-owned, full-block vacant lot on 11th Avenue between West 35th and 36th streets, known as Site K. Last spring, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the state was seeking proposals to build on the site — only for his successor Kathy Hochul to revoke that request last month, saying more community input was needed.

That abrupt move imperiled the one proposal for Site K that had been publicly revealed: a mind-bending, 1,500-foot-tall skyscraper developed by The Peebles Corporation. Known as "Affirmation Tower" and designed by star architect David Adjaye, the project was revealed last fall and pitched as Manhattan's first skyscraper to be built by an entirely Black team.

Making waves on social media after its announcement, the eye-catching proposal also included two hotels, an observation deck and a new headquarters for the mid-Manhattan NAACP. Notably, however, it lacked any housing, which ran against the wishes of Community Board 4.

In a statement after Hochul revoked the request for proposals, the Affirmation Tower team called the move "a temporary setback," saying they were "confident" that the state would soon issue a new request.

On Tuesday, the developers escalated things by releasing a set of polls conducted on behalf of the Peebles Corporation, showing a majority of surveyed New Yorkers supported building the tower once they learned about it.

Conducted in December by Schoen Cooperman Research, the poll surveyed more than 1,000 people who planned to vote in this year's New York general election — and 475 who will vote in the June Democratic primary, where Hochul will be seeking a full term.

It found that about a quarter of general election voters already knew about the proposal, of whom 75 percent supported it. Support among all primary voters jumped to 68 percent when respondents were given a series of pro-development talking points, including that the tower would create "thousands of jobs," stimulate billions in economic output and empower Black developers and designers.

"We remain undeterred in our efforts to transform New York City’s commercial real estate industry by knocking down the barriers and systematic industry-wide decimation that block women and minorities from meaningful access to New York City real estate," the developers said Tuesday.

While the developers did not spell out their motive, the implication was clear: that Hochul's re-election bid would be boosted if she backed the tower. Still, if the proposal does not change, it might have a tough time winning support from local leaders, given its lack of housing.

Reached for comment, Matt Gorton, a spokesperson for Empire State Development — the state entity that is handling Site K — said that "ESD is committed to a development that is inclusive."

Hochul's office did not return a request for comment about the Peebles Corporation's statements.

Related coverage:

• Cuomo's Hell's Kitchen Development Plan Is Revoked By Hochul
• Long-Vacant Hell's Kitchen Lot Could Finally Be Developed
• Skyscraper Proposed For Long-Vacant Hell's Kitchen Lot: See It