53 West 53rd Street

To:  Community Board 5, The Landmarks Preservation Commission, The City Planning Commission and The City Council

Midtown Manhattan is defined by the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. Both were built in the depression era, since then no building in Midtown Manhattan has approached 1,000 feet. New York is known among many other things as the skyscraper capital of the world, but in reality while New York remains one of the world’s greatest cities, it has not been at the forefront of skyscraper design for many years now. In fact New York is losing out to many cities in Asia, the Middle East, and even in America, as Chicago has effectively surpassed New York in terms of super tall buildings. This is not a call for taller buildings, nor is it a complaint against the developers building the current crop of mundane skyscrapers.

As it turns out some developers still have vision and a desire to add to New York’s storied skyline. One such developer is Hines, who is proposing the MOMA Spire in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. This building is designed by Jean Nouvel and is every bit as great as the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, which is no small claim. Although it is designed in a modern vernacular, every inch of it strives to be tall, it has a Gotham feel and it has Art Deco flourishes, it is a modern landmark. This is what New York essentially is all about; big, bold, and proud. New York is making a statement, finally! Alas today’s New York wouldn’t be what it is without its fair share of misguided pseudo-intellectual critics and selfish nimby’s including certain members of Community Board 5, these people do not embody the New York spirit. The New York spirit has never been about maintaining the status quo. Instead of encouraging this development, they are rallying against it, claiming that it is too tall. A most ridiculous claim as the MOMA Spire is located at the center of Midtown Manhattan which has the highest concentration of skyscrapers in the world. If MOMA Spire utilized its space by expanding its girth instead of height, it would fit right in with its monotonous concrete and glass neighbors. Certain members of Community Board 5 and certain critics would presumably be satisfied, which exposes them as the fraudulent judges that they really are. It is the boring and the mundane that we should be rallying against! What’s missing in this area is a signature skyscraper among the sea of monotony.

This is the same New York that came together to raise funds to build a base for a very out-of-place, very tall statue, on an island no less! Today, to say the Statue of Liberty is legendary and inspiring would be a gross understatement. There were certain misguided detractors when it was proposed too. New York is very fortunate to have an opportunity to build another landmark, a gift really by another Frenchman; we can not allow this opportunity to be wasted. This is not a call to raise funds, as there is no need, this petition is a call to quiet certain people who stand in the way of this once in a lifetime development, and to show support for this development in hopes that it eases through a set of needed public approvals, including the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the City Planning Commission and the City Council. By signing this petition you show that the real New York Spirit is alive and well.

“Make no small plans for they have no power to stir the soul”.
- Niccolo Maciavelli

P.S.

I have no affiliation with Hines or with MOMA or with Jean Nouvel. I merely want to see a building built in my lifetime that inspires the same sense of awe and admiration and pride in my city that I have whenever I look at the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The 53 West 53rd Street Petition to Community Board 5, The Landmarks Preservation Commission, The City Planning Commission and The City Council was created by Supporters of 53 West 53rd Street and written by Andrew Stern (as080087@baruch.cuny.edu).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.