NY by Gehry is a mixed-use development located in the heart of Manhattan, and has become an iconic landmark in the New York City skyline. Knowing this project would transform the neighborhood upon completion, Forest City didn’t want to make yet another office building in an already overcrowded, office-centric market. Instead, the team allowed themselves to daydream—and make those dreams a reality. Forest City tapped the incomparable Frank Gehry to design something unique and unforgettable; a development that would stand out in the crowd of downtown New York City buildings. After working through almost 90 iterations of architectural mockups, the result is a rippling, shining feat of construction and engineering; 80 stories of sparkling waves in Deconstructivist style.

Hoping to serve the Manhattan community, Forest City included two distinctive elements in the site: several floors of adjacent, dedicated clinic space for NY Downtown Hospital (who had previously owned the site), and five stories of public school space in the lower section, as there were no neighborhood schools in the area at the time of construction. A public garden and community gathering area was also included, despite the relatively tight footprint of the urban plan.

Since its completion in 2012, NY by Gehry is now considered one of the tallest residential towers in the world. Bustling retail and civic spaces live on the lower floors, and above them, the public schooling levels for Spruce Street School. Above, 889 units of multifamily housing continue to be leased and successful.