New York-based developer Rockefeller Group is in the midst of a $50-million renovation of the plaza at 1221 Avenue of the Americas in Midtown Manhattan, creating a new front door to the property's retail space.

Rendering of the plaza at 1221 Avenue of the AmericasRockefeller Group

Located on the west side of Avenue of the Americas between 48th and 49th Streets, a block south of Radio City Music Hall, the ground floor of the more than 2 million square foot office tower is lined with 65,000 square feet of retail space. The plaza, which opens to the commercial space, also provides in-building access to the Rockefeller Center subway concourse.

"New York City needs our business districts, and we need to be prepared to grow, evolve, and change in order to remain competitive," said Mayor Eric Adams in a news release. "Reimagining our central business districts will be an all-hands-on-deck effort, one that will require investments not just in the buildings but also in the neighborhood as a whole. I applaud the Rockefeller Group for being model New Yorkers and taking action to improve the neighborhood, and I look forward to working with them and others to ensure that Midtown remains a destination for New Yorkers and visitors alike."

Milan-based Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel is designing the renovation, which is the firm's first project in New York City, and will add new stadium seating while creating a more open layout.

Rendering of the plaza at 1221 Avenue of the AmericasRockefeller Group

Construction is on pace for completion by the 2022 holiday season.

The renovation comes at a time when space previously home to the McGraw-Hill bookstore and the New York Experience Theatre finds itself vacant for the first time in 50 years, leading Rockefeller Group to seek a new tenant.