Today the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) voted to approve an updated design by Oslo, Norway– and New York–based Snøhetta for the renovation of the Philip Johnson– and John Burgee–designed AT&T Building at 550 Madison Avenue .
“We are very excited to start exterior work, and continue ongoing interior improvements, to restore the building to its original prominence,” said Erik Horvat, director of real estate at Olayan America, part owners of the tower, in a press release.
The project made headlines in 2017 with fans of the postmodern structure rejecting Snøhetta’s initial proposal, which called for, among other changes, placing a portion of the granite façade with a glass curtainwall. Last summer, LPC voted to landmark the building, calling these plans into question.
According to the updated scheme, which was released in December, Snøhetta will restore the original 60-foot-tall entryway windows and existing façade and brickwork, and retain the ground-level arches, promising 94 percent of the exterior will remain unchanged. The team will replace the existing dark glazing—installed during a 1990s renovation—with clear glazing.
At the building’s rear, Snøhetta proposes expanding an existing annex with a covered indoor garden, increasing public space by 50 percent. This area will feature greenery, bike racks, and public restrooms according to the the same release.
While no construction timeline was released, Olayan says that tenants will be able to move in starting in 2020.
