LG blinks in fight over Palisades office tower

LG Electronics USA will build its new headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey at half the height the consumer technology giant originally proposed, following months of pressure from environmentalists on both sides of the Hudson River.

Both sides called the outcome a victory.

“It’s completely a win-win,” said Riverdale resident Frances Beinecke, the former head of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which had pressured LG to change its plans. 

The company initially proposed a headquarters over 130 feet tall, which would have been clearly visible above the tree line of the Palisades. New plans call for a 70-foot-tall structure that LG said will not hamper scenic views of the verdant cliffs.

Renderings released Tuesday show the structure barely visible above the tree line. That was enough to satisfy activists, who said the lower height will preserve the view from across the Hudson.

“I think it’s a huge accomplishment. It’s a great result,” said Ms. Beinecke, explaining that a year ago, no one expected a compromise like this. She credited LG for being willing to redesign their whole headquarters and the united front of environmental and cultural groups from up and down the Hudson. “This is an iconic landscape that thousands of people enjoy on a daily basis,” she said. 

An LG spokesman said the redesign will allow the company to accomplish its own goals.

“LG has found a way to meet its business needs by looking at the square footage that we need going forward and being able to adjust the design to a world-class building that will protect the views of the Palisades,” said John Taylor, vice president of public affairs and communications for LG’s U.S. arm.