75 Rockefeller Plaza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 75 Rockefeller Plaza |
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75 Rockefeller Plaza
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| Former names | AOL Time Warner Building (2001–2003), Time Warner Building (1990–2001), Warner Communications Building (1973–1990), Esso Building (1947–1973) |
| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Office |
| Address | 15 West 51st Street |
| Town or city | New York City |
| Country | United States |
| Construction started | July 1946 |
| Completed | September 1947 |
| Owner | Mohamed Al Fayed |
| Landlord | RXR Realty |
| Height | 424 ft (129 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Steel |
| Floor count | 33 |
| Floor area | 578,237 sq ft (53,720.0 m2) |
| Lifts/elevators | 14 (12 passenger, 2 service) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Carson & Lundin; Wallace K. Harrison |
| Developer | The Rockefeller Group |
75 Rockefeller Plaza is a tall building called a skyscraper in New York City. It is on the north side of 51st Street. This building was first made as an extra part of Rockefeller Center.
Contents
History of 75 Rockefeller Plaza
Building the Esso Building
In July 1944, the Rockefeller family started planning a new building. They wanted a 16-story tower for the Standard Oil Company (Esso). This company needed more space because it had outgrown its old office at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.
The building was finished in 1947. It was built in an early Modernist style. When it was new, it was called the Esso Building. It was the first building in Rockefeller Center to have air conditioning throughout. It was also the tallest fully air-conditioned building in New York City at that time.
The building also had a very large restaurant called Schrafft's Restaurant. It could hold 1,283 people. This made it the biggest restaurant in the world back then.
New Names and Tenants
In 1971, Standard Oil's next company, Exxon, moved out. They went to a new building called 1251 Avenue of the Americas.
In 1973, the building got some big updates. Its heating, cooling, and air systems were replaced. The electrical systems were also improved. After these changes, a company called Warner Communications rented all the space Exxon used to have. This company later became Time Warner. Because of this, the building became known as the Warner Communications Building.
Warner Communications first used about half of the space. They rented out the rest to other companies. These included the Financial Times, Thomson-CSF, PBS, and The Economist. In December 1996, there was a small fire at a restaurant in the building's basement. This caused a small explosion on an upper floor. Everyone had to leave the building for safety.
In 2012, Time Warner announced they would move out. They were going to the Time Warner Center. This meant the building would be almost empty by 2014.
Modern Renovations and New Businesses
After Time Warner left, the owners of Rockefeller Center made a deal. They brought in RXR Realty to manage the office spaces. RXR Realty planned to spend $250 million to make the building new again. The company Kohn Pedersen Fox designed these changes.
The renovations included a new main entrance area. They also replaced the elevator cars. New systems for heating, cooling, plumbing, and electricity were installed. The outside of the building was also fully cleaned and repaired.
After the renovations, new businesses started moving in. In June 2016, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management rented a large space. The American Girl Store also moved its main store here. They took up two floors. In August 2017, an Austrian bank called Erste Group opened an office in the building. In October 2018, a company called Convene planned to open a special club. It would be on the 32nd floor with a library, dining area, and lounge.
Who Owns 75 Rockefeller Plaza?
The building is owned by Mohamed Al Fayed. It is managed and rented out by RXR Realty.
