Supertall skyscraper, The Torch begins to rise in Midtown
- Jake Nicholas
- Aug 19
- 1 min read
The Torch is now climbing at 740 Eighth Avenue, bringing a striking new silhouette to the Times Square skyline as crews push the concrete frame upward between West 45th and 46th Streets.
Designed by ODA for developer Extell, with SLCE as architect of record, the 52-story, 1,067-foot supertall will span roughly 875,372 square feet and anchor an 825-key hotel. At the top, a public outdoor observatory will wrap a stem-like column that houses a 300-foot thrill-ride drop experience—one of the most unusual additions to New York’s viewing decks.
Conceptual Renderings of The Torch, Markets of Tomorrow ©
The tower’s program will include ground-floor retail, a dedicated pool deck for hotel guests, a private VIP lounge, and a two-story restaurant, all set along Eighth Avenue at the crossroads of Times Square and Hell’s Kitchen.
The Torch joins a wave of transformative construction across Manhattan, where more than a dozen supertalls have reshaped the skyline over the past decade. With new towers rising in Hudson Yards, along Billionaires’ Row, and now in Times Square, the borough continues to lead the nation in high-rise development, pushing the boundaries of design, engineering, and entertainment on the world stage.
