By Howard Morrel & Leslie Hirsch
Gary Barnett’s Extell Development clears a critical city milestone to expand its upcoming mixed-use tower at 871 Seventh Avenue to 1,130 feet.
The transforming Corridor near 57th Street is about to welcome a massive new architectural icon. Extell Development, spearheaded by Gary Barnett, has officially secured a pivotal zoning density bonus from the New York City City Planning Commission (CPC).
The newly approved authorization grants the project at 871 Seventh Avenue an additional 120,000 square feet of floor area. This critical 20% expansion transforms Extell’s initial concept from a modest 27-story development into a soaring, 71-story mixed-use supertall skyscraper rising an impressive 1,130 feet into the Midtown skyline.
A Mixed-Use Tower with Central Park Views
Designed by the renowned architectural firm Beyer Blinder Belle, the sleek glass curtain wall tower will rise at the corner of Seventh Avenue and West 55th Street, replacing the historic 26-story Wellington Hotel. Extell initially purchased the site in 2022 for $94.5 million.
The massive 702,239-gross-square-foot development will deliver an elite blend of residential, hospitality, and retail spaces:
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130 Ultra-Luxury Residences: Expansive condominiums dominating the upper portion of the tower, complete with signature floor-to-ceiling windows taking full advantage of proximity to Central Park.
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A World-Class Hotel: A 159,000-square-foot luxury hotel offering 156 high-end keys spanning floors 8 through 27.
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Premium Retail & Parking: 24,000 square feet of flagship retail wrapping around the bustling Seventh Avenue ground floor, alongside an integrated 55-vehicle transit garage.
High-Profile Transit Upgrades
The substantial 120,000-square-foot density bonus was awarded under the city’s Zoning for Accessibility (ZFA) program. In exchange for the added building height, Extell will fully fund and construct a series of massive infrastructural upgrades to the nearby 50th Street subway station (serving the 1 train line).
Extell’s major transit upgrades will feature:
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Brand-new ADA-accessible elevators servicing both the northbound and southbound platforms.
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A new turnstile fare control area and expanded street-level stairwell along the northbound platform.
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An integrated subway entrance built directly into the southwest corner of the new tower’s ground floor, connecting transit users straight to the 57th Street station network (N, Q, R, W lines).
Timeline Ahead
With interior gutting and perimeter structural scaffolding already wrapping around the former Wellington Hotel structure, full site demolition is safely on track to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2026.
The approval represents a major victory for Extell and continues the grand architectural evolution of the 57th Street neighborhood, injecting high-end residential luxury and crucial, accessible transit infrastructure into the heart of Midtown West.
Want to learn more? Let’s talk!
All the best,
Howard Morrel & Leslie Hirsch
Christie’s International Real Estate Group
(212) 956-4823
mha@christiesrealestategroup.com
