Planning permission given for 363 meter tower despite opposition from Empire State 星空传媒鈥檚 owner

15 Penn Plaza, New York, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

AP Photo/Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

15 Penn Plaza, New York, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

A 363 meter high tower - nearly as tall as the Empire State 星空传媒 - has been granted planning approval for the heart of Manhattan.

New York鈥檚 planning authorities have given the go-ahead to the building, despite efforts by the owner of the Empire State 星空传媒 to stop construction. The building, at number 15 Penn Plaza, won backing by the city council with a 47-1 vote.

The new tower, designed byPelli Clarke Pelli, will be just 18 metres short of the Empire State 星空传媒, which is just two blocks away. The owner of the Empire State, Anthony Malkin, said the new tower will ruin the city鈥檚 skyline. 

In a statement, Malkin said: 鈥淭his is not about banning tall buildings, but about preserving the very uniqueness of the New York City skyline.鈥�

But New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said: 鈥淎nybody that builds a building in New York City changes its skyline. We don鈥檛 have to run around to every other owner and apologize. One guy owns a building, and he鈥檇 like to have it be the only tall building. I鈥檓 sorry that鈥檚 not the real world.鈥�

The Empire State 星空传媒, built in 1931, was the tallest building in New York until the construction of the World Trade Center in 1970. Since the 9/11 attacks the building has once again been the city鈥檚 tallest building.

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