Kohn Pedersen Fox redesigns base and interiors at 60 Wall St. for Paramount Group

Manhattan, NY Paramount Group, Inc. unveiled plans for an extensive repositioning of 60 Wall Street’s base and interiors, including its lobby and public atrium. With construction set to begin in summer of 2022, the postmodern building’s revitalization includes a transformative opening up of the façade, new triple height windows, the addition of a skylight to cast natural light into the atrium, and the installation of the largest indoor green wall in North America. New amenities including a restaurant and café are also planned with additional seating in the atrium to transform 60 Wall St. into a destination for professionals and visitors alike. The planned investment will reimagine the building as a focal point for the local neighborhood and a hub of activity for the new Wall St.

Reimagined by architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), the atrium is revitalized as an open, light-filled and verdant place of life and activity. Arriving from the subway, one ascends into the new atrium through a grand staircase, animated by a 100-ft.-tall interior green wall that spans the full length of the block. Above, a new skylight cut through the podium dramatically opens the public room to the sky above and generates an experience worthy of this iconic place in Manhattan. The skylight also provides a visual connection between the atrium and the floors above. The grand public space is activated by exciting new dining options and amenities, seamless connectivity with both of the building’s modernized lobbies, as well as the energy of Wall and Pine Sts. beyond.

On its exterior, the new portico and façade enhance the building’s street presence with a modern update, increasing transparency into the activities of the atrium and lobbies through new large-format windows. By retaining the concept of a colonnade screen, popular throughout the district, the new portico reinterprets the formal language into a fresh aesthetic that retains richness and stature while achieving a light and technologically innovative façade.

Additional improvements to the office floors include enhanced ventilation systems that utilize high-efficiency MERV 15 filtration and increased outside air per person with capabilities of providing 100% outside air to the spaces in ideal weather conditions.

“Our goal for 60 Wall St., particularly in a time of COVID, was to create an environment that brings a sense of wellness to this intense and exciting urban community,” said Hugh Trumbull, AIA, KPF Design principal.

“By opening up the atrium, infusing it with greenery, bringing in natural light and visually uniting the two streets, we aim to bring the people of this neighborhood together where hopefully they will share ideas and chart the path to the future.”

“Redesigned to accommodate a variety of top-tier tenants looking to base and build their future offices within the building, 60 Wall St.’s modern, column free floor plates, boasting uninterrupted, panoramic views of Manhattan, Downtown Brooklyn and Jersey City, uphold the building’s best-in-class legacy. Situated in a neighborhood rich with restaurants and transit options, the building further appeals to tenants’ employee pool,” said Albert Behler, chairman, CEO and president of Paramount. “The repositioning will transform 60 Wall St., providing tenants with the benefits of a new building and the opportunity to create an office that best suits their unique needs.”

CBRE has been charged with leasing the building with Paul Amrich and Howard Fiddle at the helm.

Originally designed in 1989 by Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo & Associates, 60 Wall Street is one of Manhattan’s finest LEED Gold, Class-A office towers. The 1.6 million square foot, 47-story office building offers entrances to its impressive, two-story atrium on both Wall and Pine Streets, uniting the two thoroughfares with a pedestrian promenade. The tower has excellent light and offers spectacular panoramic views from its tower floors. Due to the robust requirements of the previous tenancy, the in-place, modern infrastructure is superior to new construction in many respects.