Grand Central's supertall neighbor moved one step closer to reality today, as City Planning unanimously approved SL Green's plans for the 1,500-foot-tall One Vanderbilt and a rezoning of the Vanderbilt Avenue corridor. Along with the tower, which will hold 1.6 million square feet of office space, SL Green will create a public plaza and make $210 million worth of transit and infrastructure improvements to Grand Central. City Planning Chairman Carl Weisbrod called the Kohn Pedersen Fox-designed tower a "a significant addition to the East Midtown business district and to our skyline," saying that it will "further the City's goal of keeping East Midtown one of the best business addresses in the world." TD Bank already signed on as the anchor tenant.

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer approved the proposal in January, so the positive vote from City Planning was expected, despite one man's repeated attempts to thwart the tower. Up next: a City Council hearing in mid-April with the final vote in May.

· City Planning Approves One Vanderbilt [TRD]

· All One Vanderbilt coverage [Curbed]