Construction on The Torch, a massive new hotel development on Manhattan’s West Side, resumed in late June after a one-year pause. The 52‑story, 1,067‑foot tower, developed by Extell and designed by ODA with SLCE Architects, hit major legal and financial snags in 2024, including safety issues and claims of unpaid subcontractors. Vertical ground was finally broken this month, and may top out in 2026, ahead of its initial targeted mid‑2027 completion.
The Torch will house an 825‑room hotel, street‑level retail, a rooftop restaurant, VIP lounge, pool deck for guests, and a 360° public observation deck perched atop a spiraling glass “torch” structure. The project also includes an amusement park-like space at its base that will feature a 300‑foot transparent-drop ride, offering visitors a 90‑second freefall thrill.
Like most developments of similar scale, The Torch project has both boosters and opponents in the surrounding Times Square and Hell’s Kitchen neighborhoods—both of which stand to be significantly impacted by the structure itself, and the crowds of tourists and other visitors it aims to attract. Supporters of the development argue that the local economy will benefit from increased tourist dollars being drawn to the neighborhoods, and from new job opportunities within the tower. On the other side, the project’s opponents argue that the development is inflicting construction-related hassles, increased noise, traffic, ‘visual clutter’, and even more pedestrian crowding on an already-dense area.
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