In the heart of Manhattan, opposite the UN central, there is an imposing 36 -storey tower: “The House of Turkey”. Tonight (23.09.2025) at 9 pm (Greece time), this building will host the meeting of the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan With the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
This is not just the seat of Ankara’s diplomatic missions in New York. The “House of Turkey” – which will host today’s Erdogan – Mitsotakis meeting – is one of the Most costly and controversial diplomatic buildings ever built. Erdogan himself advertises it as “A place worthy of the country’s glory”but its construction has not gone unnoticed: it has been found in The focus of scandals, discussions for excessive cost and corruption categories.
Today, the building has evolved into a reference point for Ankara’s diplomatic moves in the United States. It is no coincidence that there Erdogan chose to meet Kyriakos Mitsotakis, at a time when the international scene is closely watching his every move.
There was also a meeting of the Propos, and last year the place of the place was made by the Greek side and had been held at the UN.
The choice of space has clear symbolism: A meeting at Turkey’s “stadium”, within walking distance of the UN headquarters in the heart of New York.
For Erdogan, the “House of Turkey” is an expression of power and a means of international promotion. For its critics, the building looks like a monument of arrogance and exaggeration, a symbol of controversial options and scandals that have triggered public discussions about cost and management.
The “birth” of the skyscraper
The idea got flesh and bones the 2012when the Turkish government bought two buildings in the Turtle Bay area in order to demolish them and erect a new diplomatic tower. Plans approved the 2016construction began the 2017 and completed in 2021, with an architectural signature of the American Perkins Eastman.
The building is high 171 metersit has a curved facade that refers to the crescent of the Turkish flag and a tulip -shaped top – Turkey’s national flower. It houses the Turkish mission to the UN, the consulate and diplomats. Its premises include amphitheater, meeting rooms, showrooms and prayer areas.
According to Turkish Cypriot media information, A floor of the KTE has been granted to the pseudo -state, as as an illegal entity it cannot have an autonomous presence abroad.
The cost reached the $ 291 millionmaking it the most expensive diplomatic building ever built by Turkey. The expense caused reactions inside, with critics talking about demonstration of luxury in a period of financial difficulties.
Problems were not missing even technically: just before the inauguration, fell glass from the 10th floor, While inspectors found serious deficiencies in fire and ventilation systems. The fire safety system, in fact, was completed with a delay of 18 months.
The inauguration in the shadow of scandal
On September 20, 2021, Erdogan himself inaugurated the “home of Turkey”, accompanied by his wife and then Foreign Minister. “It will be a place worthy of the glory of our country”, He said, giving political weight to a building intended to be Ankara’s “showcase” against the UN.
But the building was at the center of scandal. The whispers existed as early as 2021 and in 2023 the US federal justice opened an investigation into New York Mayor, Eric Adams, by accusations that he accepted luxurious trips with Turkish Airlines and donations by Turkish officials to exert pressure on the fire department to allow the building to be operated without complete fire safety control.
The case led to indictment in 2024, who spoke of “Gifts” and “illegal contributions” to his election campaign. Authorities investigated the behavior of his senior assistants, relatives and raising money for his electoral campaign.
In fact, a year ago, FBI had seized the New York Mayor’s electronic devices And they conducted a search at the home of Briana Sags, head of the donation group for his election campaign. Later it became known that the Manhattan prosecutor’s office was investigating whether the Adams election team in 2021 conspired with companies connected to Turkey to receive illegal donations.
Him February 2025the United States Ministry of Justice ordered Federal Prosecutors to withdraw all accusations against Adamshowever, the name of the “home of Turkey” had already been identified with the scandal.
He said in a video “innocent” and stressed that he was committed to fighting the charges and remain in his place, while asking New Yorkers to “pray” for him and show “patience”.
A defiant Eric Adams responded in a taped message after he became the first sitting mayor in New York City history to be indicted while in office. pic.twitter.com/xNlCYQkZmB
— New York Post (@nypost) September 26, 2024
“I always knew that if I defended the interests of the New Yorkers, I would be targeted, and I became a thing,” he said. “I will fight this injustice with all my power and spirit (…) I am innocent,” he underlined.