200 West Street Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids 200 West Street (Goldman Sachs Tower)
as seen from the Hudson River (2010)
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Office
Location	Battery Park City, Manhattan, New York City
Coordinates	40°42′53″N 74°00′52″W / 40.71472°N 74.01444°W / 40.71472; -74.01444
Construction started	2005
Completed	2009
Opening	2010
Cost	$2.1 billion
Owner	Goldman Sachs
Height
Roof	749 ft (228 m)
Technical details
Floor count	44
Floor area	2,099,985 sq ft (195,095.0 m²)
Lifts/elevators	53
Design and construction
Architect	Henry N. Cobb of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, with Adamson Associates Architects
Developer	Goldman Sachs
Structural engineer	Halcrow Yolles
Main contractor	Tishman Construction Corporation

200 West Street is a very tall building in New York City. It is the main office for a big company called Goldman Sachs. This company helps people and businesses with money matters, like investing.

The building is 749-foot-tall (228 m) and has 44 floors. It is located in an area called Lower Manhattan, right by the Hudson River. It's near other famous places like Brookfield Place and the World Trade Center.

A famous architect named Henry N. Cobb helped design this huge building. It cost about $2.1 billion to build! The building is also very good for the environment. It earned a special award called LEED gold certification for being eco-friendly.

Cool Features of the Building
- Eco-Friendly Air System
- Art and Walkways
Building the Skyscraper
- Construction Challenges
- Moving In
How the Building Was Paid For
Gallery
Images for kids
See also

Cool Features of the Building

This building has some really smart features.

Eco-Friendly Air System

One cool thing is its special air system. Instead of air coming from the ceiling, it comes from under the floor! This is called a "raised floor underfloor air system." It means that the air is kept at a comfortable 62 °F (17 °C). People working there can even control the temperature in their own space. This system also makes it easier and cheaper to change office layouts. It creates less waste too.

Art and Walkways

Inside the building, there is a giant painting by an artist named Julie Mehretu. It is 80 by 23 feet (24 by 7 m) and cost $5 million! There is also a covered walkway between the building and a nearby hotel. It has a cool glass and metal roof designed by Preston Scott Cohen.

Building the Skyscraper

Building 200 West Street was a big project that started in 2005. It took several years to finish.

Construction Challenges

During construction, there were a few difficult moments. For example, in 2007, a heavy part fell from a crane. Safety rules were checked, and work stopped for a few days to make sure everything was safe. In 2008, another piece of steel fell, but luckily, no one was hurt. City officials made sure the construction company, Tishman Construction, followed all safety rules very carefully.

Moving In

The first employees started working in the building in October 2009. About 7,500 people work there. The building has a huge area of 2,100,000 square feet (200,000 m²). It also has six very large trading floors where people buy and sell stocks. Before this building, Goldman Sachs had offices in other parts of New York City.

How the Building Was Paid For

This area of New York City was greatly affected by the September 11 attacks. To help rebuild, the project received special financial help. It got $115 million in tax breaks and money grants. It also received $1.65 billion in "Liberty Bonds." These bonds helped cover a large part of the $2.1 billion cost to build this important skyscraper.