Instant Alert: These copper-clad luxury apartment buildings — complete with an amenity-filled skybridge — will gradually turn green over time

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   These copper-clad luxury apartment buildings — complete with an amenity-filled skybridge — will gradually turn green over time by Raisa Bruner and Courtney Verrill on Apr 26, 2016, 1:51 PM Advertisement There's a new luxury residential development going up at 626 First Avenue in Manhattan, and it's composed of the two largest copper-clad buildings in the world. Also unusual is that the buildings' 761 units will only be available to rent, not to buy. The American Copper Buildings are two "dancing" copper-faced towers, connected 300 feet up by a giant, three-story skybridge. That skybridge is the first of its kind to be built in Manhattan in the last 80 years. And unlike many skybridges, which generally serve as footpaths between buildings, this one is a destination in and of itself: it houses the bulk of the buildings' 60,000 square feet of super-luxury amenities, which include a lap pool, fitness center, lounge, and climbing wall. Residents will also get double-sided views of the Manhattan skyline to the east and Hudson River and Brooklyn to the west.  But it's the exteriors that will probably draw the most attention. "It's kind of a performance art piece for the city as a whole," said Gregg Pasquarelli, a principal at SHoP Architects, which designed the project. The distinctive copper facing will soon lose its lucky-penny luster and "turn green before our eyes" over the course of the next 20 to 30 years, Pasquarelli said to Business Insider.  The 761-unit project is being developed and constructed by JDS Development Group. Leasing will open up towards the end of 2016, and although pricing has not yet been released, it's likely to fall in line with Manhattan's other major luxury towers, with units ranging from studios to three-bedrooms.  SEE ALSO: This stunning 1,100-foot skyscraper will be the tallest building on the West Coast DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook! The two towers — one at 40 stories tall, and one at 49 — have an unusual "bendy" structure. They look like they're leaning or veering away from each other, giving them a dynamic, warped appearance. This rendering shows the expected reflective quality of the towers once they're newly completed. In total, the project is about 900,000 square feet of interior space, with 761 rent-only units. It took a while to source all the copper, which ended up coming primarily from Germany, the developers said. Over 5,000 panels are being used to make up the facade. See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011