The Illegal Tower That Almost Got Cut Down

Added: 2026-05-06

[00:00:00]They tried to chop 20 floors off a skyscraper after it was already built.

[00:00:04][music] This is 200 Amsterdam Avenue. It wasn't supposed to be this tall. In New York, building height depends on your land. Developers stitched together tiny disconnected slivers of land just to claim extra height. They were connected only on paper. That loophole let them build way higher than allowed. Neighbors were livid. They claimed it was a threat to the neighborhood's soul, block sunlight for schools and parks. They didn't just complain, they sued. In 2020, the neighborhood won. Judge ruled the tower was illegal and ordered a forced shrink. A skyscraper losing its head. But then, the developers appealed.

[00:00:37]And in 2021, the ruling was overturned.

[00:00:40]The tower stayed. All 52 stories of it.

[00:00:43]Because in New York, being clever can beat the rules.