Tower Topper Rising at Macy's on Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn

The steel is rising at Macy’s on Fulton Street.

by Susan De Vries

05/16/2018 3 minute 0

The steel is rising at Macy’s on Fulton Street.

In September the iconic green mansard roof on the oldest part of Macy’s at 418 Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn was temporarily removed to make way for construction and development of the property.

Built in the 1870s, the cast-iron Second Empire-style building is being integrated into a glassy, modern 10-story office tower that will rise above it as part of a $279 million redevelopment of Macy’s by developer Tishman Speyer.

The mansard roof will eventually return. So far, the new framing has risen six stories.

The original cast-iron building was constructed by Andrew Wheeler before it was purchased, and significantly remodeled, in 1881 by Abraham & Weschler (which later became Abraham & Strauss). The Art Deco addition at 422 Fulton was constructed in 1929-1930, designed by Starrett & Van Vlecht. The combined buildings became Macy’s Downtown Brooklyn store in the 1990s.

downtown brooklyn development — Rendering via Tishman Speyer

The new project is being designed by Joey Shimoda of Los Angeles-based Shimoda Design Group along with Perkins Eastman, a global firm known for apartment towers and hotels. Macy’s will continue to operate out of the lower level and first four floors of the two original buildings — the 1870s Second Empire and the 1930 Art Deco.

The tower, dubbed the Wheeler in honor of the 19th century developer, will consist entirely of offices — no residential. There will also be a landscaped roof terraced, a separate bike entrance, bike storage, and locker rooms and showers. The office tower’s address will be 181 Livingston Street.

The developer has added new renderings to the building website since we last wrote about the project. While the glass tower doesn’t appear to have changed, the renderings give more views of the interior spaces.