New 16-Story Tower In Landmarked UES District Moves Forward

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — On Tuesday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted 7-1 in favor of a plan that would build a new 16-story tower and connect it with three townhouses on Madison Avenue.

The six-story building to be demolished and replaced, located at 831 Madison Ave. near East 69th Street, is what the Commission calls a "no-style" building for its simple aesthetic. The approved, 16-story limestone mixed-use tower would replace the current brick building and stand at 195 feet tall.

The group of buildings was bought for a total of $62.6 million between 2020 and 2022 by Peter Kriemler, president of Swiss luxury fashion brand Akris, according to city records. The new tower is being designed by David Chipperfield Architects.

The plans for the building were first presented in September 2025, and were presented again on Tuesday with several revisions to the plan based on the Landmarks Preservation Commission's feedback.

Though the current building at 831 Madison Ave. is part of the Upper East Side Historic District, commissioners said the building to be replaced was remodeled in 1956 and is not a critical part of the district's existing aesthetic, which includes primarily architecture from the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The townhouses adjacent to 831 Madison Ave., however, are part of the landmarked district's visual identity, so they are being preserved and renovated, rather than torn down or replaced.

This includes two Neo-Grec rowhouses designed by Charles Buek & Co. and built in 1885-1886 (nos. 833 and 835), and a Queen Anne-style rowhouse designed by Thom & Wilson and built in 1884 (no. 837).

These three townhouses next to the building will be renovated, keeping the facades intact but connecting all the buildings through rear yard additions, according to the presentation from the David Chipperfield Architects firm.

"Overall, I think these changes have improved the project and result in a design that is appropriate in terms of its new design, its restoration and its rehabilitation of the historic buildings," Ward Dennis, a historic preservation consultant at Higgins Quasebarth & Partners, said during Tuesday's presentation.

One of the townhouses is also getting a rooftop addition, but the commissioners, in their vote, lowered the height of the addition by a story.

Now that the Landmarks Preservation Commission has approved the design of the building and the plans for the site, the developers will be able to apply for demolition and construction permits with the New York City Department of Buildings.

Once those permits are approved, a timeline for construction will crystallize.

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