Three new Midtown luxury hotels: Developer Robert Gladstone reportedly planned a luxury hotel at the southeast corner of 55th and Eighth Avenue. The site, owned by Hearst, was used to stage the construction of the media conglomerate's new headquarters by Norman Foster. The site can hold about 400,000 sf. Also on 55th Street, Dallas-based Lincoln Property Company is said to be mulling a mid-block condo hotel just off Fifth Avenue. The firm has purchased townhouses at 12-18 W. 55th, and -- according to the New York Post -- will agglomerate the air rights from the landmarked 9 W. 54th St. that abuts the assemblage to the rear. If the developers purchase air rights from surrounding properties, the resultant developement could top well over 100,000 sf. Lastly, ten blocks south, Extell Investment Management recently was reported to be assembling the parcels from 131 to139 West 45th Street for a luxury hotel.

UWS Cloud-buster? American Continental Properties owns a plot on the west side of Amsterdam Avenue between 67th and 69th Streets, which would allow the developer to erect a 21-story building under current zoning. However, the property is flanked by no less than TWO sprawling synagogues. If American Continental can successfully purchase their air rights, the tower could potentially rise as high as 70 stories.

RFR's Aby Rosen acquired 980 Madison Ave. from the Peter Sharp Foundation for a reported $120 million. Norman Foster will design a tower for the site.

Clarett on a tear! Veronica Hackett’s Clarett Group is mulling a 41-story condo tower at 220 Central Park South, which would be the tallest building on the street and replace the current 20-story building. Caesar Pelli would be the architect.  In addition, Clarett Capital LLC, a joint venture between the Clarett Group and Prudential Real Estate Investors and ING/Clarion, is constructing a 27-story building designed by Caesar Pelli at West End Avenue and West 70th Street.

Extell Development is reportedly planning a 35- to 40-story tower at 107 W. 57th St., currently the home of Ritz Furs.

Edison Properties has purchased a full-block parcel with the address 501 W. 17th Street. Here's the kicker: It has been reported by multiple industry sources that the developer envisions an 869-unit residential development. This massive number could only be achieved by packing smaller, near-dormitory-size apartments into a dense, full-block building or by constructing a towering high-rise. By comparison, Chicago's monolithic John Hancock Center originally was built with 700 units in its 50 residential floors.

Rockrose Development has finished assembling the parcels it needs on the remaining block of its 2 Gold Street development, and now plans a complementary tower.

A group of investors plans to develop the parcel covering 47-49 E. 34th St., which could hold a tower climbing into the 300- to 400-foot range.

Every developer worth his salt has been snapping up parking lots and decaying buildings abutting the High Line that once would have been considered economically toxic. Now that the city plans to turn the long-defunct West Side El train ruin into a contemporary public park, the area is on fire. The neighborhood flanking the rail line is STAUNCHLY zoned low-rise, so expect developers to use dazzling architecture projects to compete for clients. Think Highline519. We will post the projects as their details get hashed out.

Sheldon Solow is preparing to construct a high-rise forest planned for the site of the ConEdison power plant property he purchased to the immediate south of the United Nations. Expect several towers in the range of Trump World Tower, at least 700 to 800 feet tall. Developer may revisit earlier plans for an 880-foot commerical tower at 708 First Ave. Charles Gwathmey, Richard Meier and David Childs are being passed around as names for project architects.

New York Law school is expected to get about $150 million for its 12,500-square-foot parcel in Tribeca, which is zoned for over 300,000 square feet of prime, pricey residential space with a zoing rarity: no height limits! Stay tuned ...

Extell Development bought 140,000 sf of air rights from the Art Students League at 215 W. 57th. The company owns the property at 225 W. 57th, as well as the adjacent 12-story Hard Rock Cafe site, and a parcel extending through to 58^th. These could combine for a formidable project.