New Freedom Plaza Plans Include Casino, Rooftop Pool & Two Conjoined Skyscrapers
A striking new megaproject just south of the United Nations headquarters in New York City was unveiled by the renowned architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).
The newly unveiled Freedom Plaza development is set to transform the area into a three-block-long public park with retail spaces and the addition of a Museum of Freedom and Democracy. This public green space, inspired by architectural principles from the neighboring UN building, aims to extend greenery to the East River, connecting city blocks and providing a refreshing urban oasis.
The project features a pair of 615-foot-tall skyscrapers connected by a captivating “skybridge” and crowned with a rooftop infinity pool, adding a distinctive touch to the city skyline. These towers will not only stand as architectural marvels but also serve as homes for two hotels.
The lobby, spanning the tops of the towers, is envisioned as a vibrant space housing restaurants, bars, an art gallery, and a unique glass-floored, glass-ceilinged viewing platform.
Additionally, pending license approval, the developers plan to include a subterranean casino, adding an extra layer of entertainment and luxury. The ambitious project also encompasses two new residential towers, standing at 50 and 60 stories, evoking the modernist spirit of New York City’s buildings from the 1950s and 1960s.
Currently, the Midtown Manhattan site overlooking the East River is occupied by the large-scale art installation “Field of Light” by British Artist Bruce Munro. The 6.7-acre prime real estate, roughly the size of Madison Square Park, has been underutilized since the 2000s. The developers, led by Bjarke Ingels, express their vision to build on existing architectural principles, creating a green connection all the way to the water’s edge.
The hotel towers are poised to feature the city’s first five-star Banyan Tree property and a hotel operated by Mohegan, a renowned casino operator. The crowning jewel of the project is a 150,000-gallon rooftop infinity pool, described by BIG as “one of the largest rooftop pools in North America.”
CEO Michael Hershman of the Soloviev Group, the property developer behind the plan, emphasizes the goal of developing the site to benefit the local neighborhood and the city at large.
While groundbreaking and completion dates are pending the casino license decision, the anticipated timeline for completion is five to seven years once construction begins. In the event the license is not granted, the project will proceed based on a previously approved design from 2008.
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