Suit Dismissed, Renovated Hell's Kitchen Building Seeks Tenants

HELL'S KITCHEN, NY — Days after preservationists failed in their bid to preserve the art deco lobby of an iconic Hell's Kitchen building, the owners are pushing forward with renovations and have already begun seeking tenants.

The McGraw-Hill Building, a blue-green office tower on West 42nd Street between Eighth and Ninth avenues, is in the midst of a $120 million renovation that its owners say will bring it into the 21st century while preserving its historic character.

But historically-minded New Yorkers were alarmed earlier this spring when renderings emerged showing its famed lobby — a glossy space clad with strips of steel and colorful porcelain panels — looking unrecognizable. They filed suit in March, seeking to force the owners — a group identified only as Deco Tower Associates — to preserve the space.

On Sept. 10, however, a state judge tossed the lawsuit, in no small part because the lobby — originally designed by the architect Raymond Hood in the 1930s — had been substantially renovated in the 1980s, stripping many of the historic elements.

Wasting no time, ownership announced on Monday that the soon-to-be-renovated building is in the market for tenants, boasting of its "state-of-the-art amenities" and "modernized" lobby. (A spokesperson for Resolution Real Estate, the firm handling leasing, said the timing was coincidental.)

A press release describes the new 35-foot atrium that runs through the lobby, whose construction set off the preservation panic. (Preservationists' allies in the legal battle included State Senator Brad Hoylman, Council Speaker Corey Johnson, and Community Board 4.)

"The reimagining of this landmark property brings to market one of the most extraordinary prospects for businesses looking for a true headquarters opportunity," said Scott Klau, vice chairman of the real estate firm Newmark, in a news release.

It remains unclear which historic elements will survive the renovation. Earlier this month, preservationists said they were hopeful that some key elements, like the horizontal banding, were still in place, citing photos submitted by ownership that appeared to show them hidden behind plywood.

"There is something to preserve," preservationist Theodore Grunewald told Patch on Sept. 7. "Not only is there something intact that's in its original location, but all of the pieces still exist."

The renovation was designed by MdeAS Architects.

Backers also describe "post-pandemic" fixes that they hope will make the tower more attractive for in-person office use, including a new HVAC system and open-floor office layouts.

Previous coverage:

• Hell's Kitchen Building's Preservation Battle Set To Resume
• Hell's Kitchen Building's Art Deco Lobby At Risk, Advocates Fear