JPMorgan Chase Bank (JPMC) redeveloped 270 Park Avenue, replacing its existing 52-story office tower with a new, 70-story headquarters. Located in the heart of the East Midtown neighborhood, just north of Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, this is the first major project to benefit from New York City’s Greater East Midtown Rezoning effort—a transformative rezoning project, supported by VHB and adopted in 2017 by the City—to establish a new precedent for large-scale urban redevelopment.
For the JPMC headquarters, VHB prepared a comprehensive Environmental Assessment Statement, in accordance with City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) standards, in coordination with the New York City Departments of City Planning and Transportation and other partner agencies. Our team conducted pedestrian analyses to understand the movement of tenants and visitors around the new building. We also created visualizations of existing and future pedestrian movements and traffic patterns around the site. These studies informed the design of the new pedestrian plaza, green spaces, pickup/drop-off lane, and sidewalks, which were widened to improve the overall user experience. In addition, we conducted a land use survey and nightlife activity assessment, and provided valuable support throughout the public review process, presenting at public hearings and helping the project team navigate complex regulatory requirements.
