1740 Broadway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mutual of New York Building |
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| General information | |
| Coordinates | 40°45′54″N 73°58′54″W / 40.765063°N 73.981649°W |
| Completed | 1950 |
| Owner | EQ Office |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 375 ft (114 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 26 |
| Floor area | approx. 600,000 sq ft (56,000 m2) |
| Lifts/elevators | 14 (13 passenger, 1 freight) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates |
The building at 1740 Broadway is a tall, 26-story building in New York City. It is located in an area called Midtown Manhattan. This building used to be known as the MONY Building or Mutual of New York Building. Today, it is owned by a company called EQ Office. You can find it on the east side of Broadway, between 55th and 56th Streets. It shares its block with the Park Central Hotel.
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What Was the Famous MONY Sign?
One of the most famous things about this building was a large sign at its very top. This sign advertised for a company called Mutual of New York, which used to own the building.
The first sign spelled out "Mutual of New York." The letters "M," "O," "N," and "Y" were in bright red neon lights. They were also twice as big as the other letters. This sign was so famous that it inspired a hit song in 1968 called "Mony Mony" by Tommy James and the Shondells. It also appeared in the movie Midnight Cowboy.
Later, the sign changed to show the company's short name, or acronym, "MONY." There was even a dollar sign inside the letter "O."
When Did the Sign Change?
The MONY sign was taken down in December 2007. It was replaced with the number "1740," which is the building's street address. These new numbers are 8 and a half feet (about 2.6 meters) tall. They are lit up at night with bright white light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
The Weather Star: A Light Show on the Roof
On top of the building's roof, there is a special Weather Star. This is a 150-foot (about 46-meter) tower of lights with a star on top. It was built by a company called Artkraft Strauss.
How Did the Weather Star Predict Weather?
The Weather Star used to tell people the weather forecast for the next day using different colors:
- Green meant the next day would be fair (sunny and clear).
- Orange meant it would be cloudy.
- Flashing orange meant rain was expected.
- Flashing white meant snow was coming.
The lights on the tower also moved up or down. If the lights moved up, it meant temperatures were expected to rise. If they moved down, temperatures were expected to fall. If the lights didn't move, it meant no change in temperature was expected.
The Weather Star can still work today, but it is no longer used to predict the weather. At the bottom of the tower, there is also a four-sided digital board. This board has always shown the current time and temperature.
Who Built and Owned the Building?
The Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York built this building in 1950. It was built to be their main office. The architects who designed it were Shreve, Lamb and Harmon. This same team also designed the famous Empire State Building!
Mutual Insurance later changed its name to MONY Life Insurance Company in 1998. The company eventually left the building after another company, AXA, bought them. The building itself was fully updated and renovated in 2007.
Who Are the Current Tenants?
Today, several companies have offices in 1740 Broadway. Some of the well-known tenants include:
- L Brands
- Davis & Gilbert LLP
