51 Astor Place facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 51 Astor Place |
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51 Astor Place. 770 Broadway is visible reflected in its windows.
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| General information | |
| Type | Mixed-use |
| Coordinates | 40°43′49″N 73°59′25″W / 40.73028°N 73.99028°W |
| Height | |
| Roof | 183 feet (56 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 13 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Fumihiko Maki |
51 Astor Place is a cool office building in the East Village part of Manhattan, New York City. It's located on Astor Place. A company called Edward J. Minskoff Equities built it. This building is home to the IBM Watson Group, which is a special part of IBM.
The building has a unique look. It's made of black glass. The famous architect Fumihiko Maki designed it. Some people didn't like its modern style at first. Locals even nicknamed it "The Death Star" because of its dark, bold design.
Building History
This building was built on land owned by Cooper Union. Cooper Union is a special college. They got permission to develop the land, even though they are a non-profit group.
The builders started without a main tenant already signed up. This is called building "on spec." The developer, Edward J. Minskoff, hoped to attract companies. He wanted businesses from the finance and technology worlds.
The construction of 51 Astor Place finished in 2013. It cost about $300 million to build this impressive structure.
What's Inside?
51 Astor Place is a "mixed-use" building. This means it has different kinds of spaces inside. On the ground floor, there are three retail stores. These are places where people can shop.
The main company in the building is IBM. Other businesses also have offices there. These include St. John's University, Mail Online, and 1stdibs. A part of The Carlyle Group, called Claren Road Asset Management, is also a tenant.
Cool Design Features
The building was designed by Fumihiko Maki. He is a very famous architect. He also designed 4 World Trade Center in New York City.
The developer described the building's look. He called it "black glass with black granite and silver fins." This shows its sleek and modern style. A writer named Matt Chaban thought it was one of the most interesting buildings built in the area.
Inside the lobby, there's a fun surprise. You can see a bright red sculpture of a rabbit. This artwork was created by the famous artist Jeff Koons.
