| 56 Leonard Street | |
|---|---|
.jpg) View from theHudson River, 2021 | |
 Interactive map of the 56 Leonard Street area | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Residential condominium |
| Architectural style | High-Tech |
| Location | Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40°43′04″N74°00′23″W / 40.71767°N 74.00637°W /40.71767; -74.00637 |
| Construction started | Mid-2007 |
| Completed | 2017 |
| Opening | 2017 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 821 ft (250 m) |
| Top floor | 796 ft (243 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 60 |
| Floor area | 500,005 sq ft (46,452.0 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architects | Herzog & de Meuron Goldstein, Hill & West Architects |
| Developer | Alexico Group |
| Structural engineer | WSP Global |
| Website | |
| 56leonardtribeca | |
| References | |
| [1] | |
56 Leonard Street (known colloquially as theJenga Building[2] orJenga Tower[3]) is an 821 ft-tall (250 m), 57-story[1] skyscraper onLeonard Street in the neighborhood ofTribeca inManhattan,New York City. Completed in 2017, the building was designed by the Swiss architecture firmHerzog & de Meuron, which describes the building as "houses stacked in the sky."[4] It is the tallest structure in Tribeca.[5]
Alexico Group'sIzak Senbahar purchased the land and the air rights in 2007 from theNew York Law School forUS$150 million. Construction began that same year.[6] Foundation work on this tower began in 2008, but was shut down before the end of the year when the project was put on hold. After nearly four years, construction resumed in October 2012.[7]
In 2013, the developers secured a US$350 million loan from a syndicate led byBank of America.[6][8]
As of May 2013, 70% of the building had sold.[6] According to building developer Izak Senbahar, the building was 92% sold in seven months.[9] In June 2013, a penthouse at 56 Leonard went into contract for US$47 million, making it the most expensive residential property ever sold belowMidtown Manhattan. In 2024, it was reported that the value of a residence at 56 Leonard Street had nearly doubled over four years.[10]
On September 2, 2022, Venezuelan businessman Gustavo Arnal jumped to his death from his apartment on the 18th floor. Arnal was serving as thechief financial officer ofBed Bath & Beyond, which had been in a financial crisis for the past few months. Arnal was also one of the targets of aclass action lawsuit regarding Bed Bath & Beyond's stock price.[11][12][13]
56 Leonard is designed by the 2001Pritzker Prize-winning Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron.Anish Kapoor, known for the public sculptureCloud Gate inChicago, designed a similar sculpture to sit at the base of the building.[14] Herzog & de Meuron also designed the building's interiors, which include custom-designed kitchens, fixtures, bathrooms, and fireplaces.[14]Goldstein, Hill & West Architects LLP is the architect of record.[15]
There is 17,000 ft2 (1,600 m2) of amenity spaces on the ninth and tenth floors, including a 75 ft (23 m) pool, a 25-seat screening room, a private dining room, and a children's playroom. The building has a total of ten elevators; owners will share a hallway with at most one other apartment. The developers also figured a generator on the ninth floor into the plans.[14] There are eight full-floor apartments at the top, ranging from 5,200 to 6,400 ft2 (480 to 590 m2), with 14-to-19 ft-high (4.3-to-5.8 m) ceilings.[14] In addition, the building features a double-height lobby sheathed in "gleaming" black granite.[16]
In February 2023, an Anish Kapoor sculpture, superficially similar to hisCloud Gate work, was unveiled at the ground level, following four years of on-site construction and delays. Measuring 19 feet in height, 48 feet in (curved) length, and weighing 40 tons, the sculpture was commissioned in 2008 at an estimated cost of $8–10 million.[17] The designer of 56 Leonard specified a unique high-end expanded mesh ceiling for the recreational areas, helping these areas feel elevated and special. Expanded mesh metal ceilings are usually acoustically transparent and do not contribute to echoes, and will not corrode in high-moisture areas.[18]
The building was featured in Season 1, Episode 1 ofHow Did They Build That?: Cantilevers & Lifts by the Smithsonian Channel.[3]
