Scaffolding and protective coverings now encircle the 15-story building at 343 Madison Avenue, where Boston Properties is poised to develop a supertall office tower.

Kohn Pedersen Fox

The tower, designed by KPF, joins a growing collection of Midtown East towers that already includes One Vanderbilt (another KPF project), 200 Park Avenue, 383 Madison Avenue, and 245 Park Avenue, and (of course) the Empire State Building.  The 1,050-foot-tall building at 343 Madison will include nearly 750,000 square feet of office space, 2,100 square feet of retail, and about 3,800 square feet of pedestrian and transit infrastructure improvements at street level, according to city planning documents.

KPF's design for the tower includes a series of terraces and atriums at the base, midway through the building trunk, and at the crown. In addition to offering "visual interest," the breaks also provide load transfer, and will be stylized with lighting and greenery.

Demo permits filed in February cover a stretch of Madison Avenue between East 44th and 45th Streets.  Completion of the tower is expected sometime in 2026.

Kohn Pedersen Fox

YIMBY first reported the demolition of the existing building, which dates to the early 20th century.