Work at Two Bryant Park, formerly known as 1100 Avenue of the Americas, is wrapping up after undergoing a complete transformation. This 15-story office building located on Sixth Avenue between West 42nd and 43rd Streets, directly across from Bryant Park and adjacent to the Grace Building, offers exceptional views and amenities to its tenants. With floor-to-ceiling windows, this newly reflective façade is complimented by the structures and green space around it. In addition to having views of Bryant Park, the building has convenient access to subways, Penn Station, Grand Central Terminal, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
Designed by MdeAS Architects and developed by Brookfield Properties, the repositioning of Two Bryant Park included full façade and storefront replacement, the renovation of 386,190 sf of interiors, a new rooftop terrace, and a revamped public plaza.
The GMS team, led by Joe Mugford, including Philip Murray and Brian Bansrupan, provided structural engineering services for the relocation of the lobby to the middle of the building, requiring the removal of a line of columns to create a passage through from the south to the north. Transfer girders and new columns were required to carry the gravity load down to the foundation. The floor above was removed to create a double-height lobby space. A new lateral load resisting system, new mechanical and electrical systems, as well as a new energy-efficient modern glass curtainwall replaced the existing systems and dark façade that were last updated in 1984.
The new lobby connects to the Grace Building Plaza on the northern side. GMS was previously retained to provide consulting services related to the waterproofing of the Plaza during the renovation of that building’s public spaces. New storefront, additional entrances, a new kiosk and expansion of the pavilion on the plaza were also part of the renovation. Design, bidding phase services and construction phase inspection services, including observation of the flood testing of the membrane, were all included in GMS’s scope of work.
Built in 1906 as an E-shape six-story steel-framed masonry building, 1100 Avenue of the Americas is now a Class-A building with modern amenities and building systems.