Hudson Yards to Get a Massive 51-Story LEED Gold Commercial Complex

The High Line Park on the edge of West Chelsea will soon have a new neighbor: a 51-story <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/stanford-university-proposes-green-roofed-leed-certified-campus-for-roosevelt-island/" target="_blank">LEED</a> Gold tower for retail and commercial offices. Designed by <a href="http://www.kpf.com/" target="_blank">Kohn Pederson Fox Associates</a>, the tower, which is the largest portion of the Hudson Yards project, will be a giant retail center, and the largest commercial building in New York (even bigger than <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/6-important-facts-you-may-not-know-about-one-world-trade-center/">One World Trade Center</a>!). Although it will not open until 2015, Coach has already signed on to be the building’s main tenant.

Mayor Bloomberg announced yesterday, just after <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/high-line-stakeholders-pledge-to-complete-the-parks-final-section-at-the-west-side-rail-yards/" target="_blank">announcing the extension of Highline Park</a>, that new retail building will be a part of a total redevelopment of the area surrounding the High Line to the waterfront.

The area will gain 5,000 “affordable” apartments, 6 million square feet of office space, a luxury hotel, a public school and a cultural facility. A new park, called <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/217-solar-powered-leds-light-up-the-hudson-river-for-reflecting-the-stars/" target="_blank">Hudson River Boulevard Park</a>, will also occupy the area, giving 14 acres of public space that will complement the High Line.

The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/supertall-at-the-skyscraper-museum-celebrates-the-worlds-tallest-buildings/" target="_blank">Kohn Pederson Fox tower</a> will offer a whopping 1 million square feet of retail space, with <a href="http://www.coach.com/online/handbags/FrontDoor-10551-10051">Coach</a> as a prominent tenant. Coach will locate their campus there, occupying a south tower, as well as the bottom of the retail complex, which will include a central atrium open to the community.

Viewed from New Jersey, the 51-story building will appear to rival the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/empire-state-building-achieves-leed-gold-certification/" target="_blank">Empire State Building</a>, and add a glimmering new finger to the skyline, sitting at the Hudson River and 30th Street.

With the extension of the 7 train opening in 2013, the previously remote area of far <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/friends-of-20th-street-park-push-for-new-green-space-in-chelsea/" target="_blank">West Chelsea</a> will be easily accessible and linked to 33rd Street and 42nd Street by a quick train ride.

The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/leed-seeking-childrens-discovery-center-opens-at-the-queens-central-library/" target="_blank">LEED Gold</a> retail center will be one of many new mixed use buildings that will transform the disused Hudson Yards into a waterfront neighborhood with access to parks, bike paths, shops and entertainment.