Chrysler Building

May 19, 2020

See the observation deck proposed for the Chrysler Building

An observation deck will return to the Chrysler Building. During a Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing on Tuesday, Aby Rosen's RFR Realty, which bought the Art Deco landmark last year for $151 million, presented its proposal to revamp the skyscraper's 61st and 62nd floors to allow for public access. The Chrysler Building previously housed an observatory, which opened on the 71st floor in 1945 as the Celestial.
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April 3, 2019

Aby Rosen says he’ll add an observation deck to the Chrysler Building

“I see the building as a Sleeping Beauty: It needs to be woken up and revitalized,” developer Aby Rosen told the Post about his plans for the Chrysler Building. His firm RFR Realty, in partnership with Signa Holding, bought the landmark for $150 million last month . His plans include restoring the 1930s Art Deco interiors by way of a series of restaurants that will take inspiration from Chrysler's original Cloud Club, as well as adding a '"fashionable food hall" (of course) and retail spaces. The biggest news, though, is that he also wants to incorporate a new observation deck, joining the ranks of 30 Hudson Yards, One Vanderbilt, and Chrysler's one-time rival the Empire State Building.
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March 14, 2019

Chrysler Building sells for a discounted $150M, may become a hotel

Update 3/14/19: A few days after Aby Rosen bought the Chrysler Building for the bargain price of $150 million, the real estate mogul told Bloomberg this week that he would consider converting the tower into a hotel.  Real estate mogul Aby Rosen has picked up another New York City landmark. Rosen's RFR Holding LLC, which controls the Seagram Building and Lever House, bought the Chrysler Building for $151 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. The sale represents a major loss for majority owner Abu Dhabi Investment Council, who paid $800 million in 2008 for a 90 percent stake in the 77-story Art Deco tower.
Details here
January 14, 2019

Amazon could be the Chrysler Building’s new tenant

Amazon is close to reaching a deal to lease 10,000 square feet at the Chrysler Building, the New York Post reported on Sunday. News of the impending lease comes less than a week after it was reported that the Art Deco landmark is up for sale. Amazon announced in November plans to open a massive office complex in Long Island City to serve as their "HQ2." The company will start moving to the neighborhood this year, temporarily leasing space at One Court Square, a 50-story building with incredible views of the Manhattan skyline.
More here
January 9, 2019

The Chrysler Building is for sale

New York City's iconic Chrysler Building is on the market. The owners of the 1930 Art Deco landmark, Tishman Speyer Properties and the Abu Dhabi Investment Council, have hired real estate firm CBRE Group to sell the property, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. The Abu Dhabi government purchased its majority stake in the Chrysler for $800 million in 2008, but real estate experts told the WSJ it would be difficult to recover.
Details here
August 3, 2017

ARCHIPORN is an interactive map for lovers of architecture and design

While it may sound NSFW, the online guide ARCHIPORN is simply an informative guide to the world’s most beautiful architectural works, including various bookshops and institutions that specialize in architecture. First developed in 2008 by Brazilian architects Marcio Novaes Coelho Jr. and Silvio Sguizzardi, the project aims to identify and share information about iconic works from professionals around the world. The guide is chronologically organized, with different colors representing different eras. According to ArchDaily, cateogories range from before the year 1750, prior to the Machine Age, to recent works of 2010 and beyond.
Explore the map
May 27, 2015

Shhhhh…Secrets of Your Favorite NYC Landmarks

Sure, pretty much everyone living in New York City is familiar with Grand Central Station, Central Park and some of our other more notable landmarks, but these well-known locations still hold secrets that even born-and-bred New Yorkers may be surprised to learn. We’ve gathered together just a few to get you started, but in a city this size, with a history this long, there are many more that await your discovery. How many of these secrets were you aware of?
Find out all about these hidden gems here
May 15, 2015

What’s Your Favorite Building in NYC? 6sqft’s Writers and Friends Square Off

Once upon a time, when 6sqft was not yet launched, a group of writers were asked for their thoughts on their favorite building in New York City. Their choices, some easily recognizable and others a little further from the beaten path, were mixed together with those of a few folks a lot like our readers—interested in and passionate about all things New York. The result? A wonderful blend of what makes this city great: its diversity, not simply demographically but also in the opinions of those eight million souls who weave together the fabric of all five boroughs to create the most interesting city in the world. And it stands to reason the most interesting city in the world is home to quite a few interesting buildings. As one might expect, there was barely a duplicate in the bunch. Some weren't even on our radar! Is your favorite on the list? If not, we’d love to know what you think in the comments.
Read on to see if you agree with our selections
March 12, 2015

Going Up: Uncovering the Art Deco Elevators of Landmarked Building Interiors

Earlier this week, we visited the New York School of Interior Design's latest exhibit, Rescued, Restored, Reimagined: New York's Landmark Interiors, which, on the 50th anniversary of New York’s landmark legislation, features photography and information about more than 20 public spaces, known and little-known, that have been designated as interior landmarks. Looking through images of restored Broadway theaters, perfectly preserved coffered rotundas and period furniture, we couldn't help getting stuck on one often-overlooked element–the elevator. For most of us who live in a high rise or work in a typical office building, the elevator doors are just another blank wall that we stare at, only paying attention when they open and usher us in. But when the city's great Art Deco buildings were rising, the elevators were an extension of the lavish ornamentation and geometric details of the façade and interior lobby. We've rounded up some of our favorite Art Deco elevators in landmarked interiors, which means they're all publicly accessible so you can check them all out first hand.
Go up in style here
May 30, 2014

One Vanderbilt: New 65-Story Tower Near Grand Central to Stand Taller Than the Chrysler Building

It looks like the Chrysler Building is about to get a new neighbor. According to the New York Times, SL Green has reportedly proposed the development of a 1,200-foot, 65-story tower that would occupy the block between 42nd and 43rd Streets, and Vanderbilt and Madison Avenues. This proposal will have to undergo a review process as part of a new de Blasio administration plan to rezone an area of Vanderbilt Avenue for larger buildings. De Blasio’s proposal is a 2.0 version of a failed bid by Michael Bloomberg that would rezone an area around Grand Central Terminal. Bloomberg’s proposal – which would affect a 73-block area around the terminal - concerned officials and preservationists, who were concerned that the plan would add to the congestion in the area. Fulfilling one of his campaign promises, de Blasio has devised a plan to mitigate those issues as well as keep the city competitive for decades to come, by creating more office space in the prime business location.
Learn more about the iconic tower's new neighbor