Socony–Mobil Building
Socony–Mobil Building | |
---|---|
Moderne Style | |
Location | 150 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10017 U.S. |
Coordinates | 40°45′03″N 73°58′32″W / 40.75083°N 73.97556°W |
Construction started | 1954 |
Completed | 1956 |
Management | JLL |
Height | |
Antenna spire | 572 ft (174 m) |
Roof | 572 ft (174 m) |
Technical details | |
Floor count | 45[a] |
Floor area | 1,800,000 sq ft (170,000 m2) |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Harrison & Abramovitz, John B. Perkin |
Developer | Peter B. Ruffin (Galbreath Corporation) |
Structural engineer | Edwards & Hjorth |
Main contractor | Turner Construction |
New York City Landmark | |
Designated | February 25, 2003 |
Reference no. | 2117 |
The Socony–Mobil Building, also known as 150 East 42nd Street, is a 45-story, 572-foot-tall (174 m)
The Socony–Mobil Building contains a three-story base with a primary entrance on 42nd Street, a secondary entrance on Lexington Avenue, and a basement that is visible along Third Avenue. Above the base is a 42-story tower that brings the structure to its maximum height; this is flanked to the west and east by wings that rise to the 13th story. The stories above the base are completely clad with
The Socony–Mobil Building was constructed between 1954 and 1956 as a
Site
The Socony–Mobil Building is in the
The site of the Socony–Mobil Building was initially owned by the Goelet family, namely Robert Goelet Sr. (1809–1879) and Peter Goelet (1800–1879), co-founders of the Chemical Bank. The Goelet brothers began acquiring land on the current Socony–Mobil Building site in 1848, close to the intersection of Lexington Avenue and 42nd Street on the block's northwest corner, then leased the land.[5] The largest lessee, furniture-design company Pottier & Stymus, built a six-story brick factory/showroom building on the site[6] that burned down in 1888[7] and was rebuilt by the Goelets. The block also contained numerous hotels, a garage, and two theaters. An entrance to the New York City Subway's Grand Central–42nd Street station was built within a structure on 42nd Street after 1915.[5] The subway entrance is owned by the New York City Transit Authority and consists of two escalators, a maintenance room, and a heating plant. It was the only preexisting structure to be preserved in the Socony–Mobil Building.[8]
The
Architecture
The Socony–Mobil Building was designed by architects
Facade
The facade is made of two sections: a base with a tinted-glass facade and an upper section with a metal facade. Both materials are used in Harrison & Abramovitz's other works, as well as other structures in New York City.[17][c] In addition, the Socony–Mobil Building includes 3,200 vertically pivoting single-pane windows.[19] These windows could withstand wind gusts of up to 145 miles per hour (233 km/h).[20]
Base
The base is four stories tall and occupies the entire block. The facade of the base is composed mostly of dark-blue, opaque tinted glass windows, with slightly projecting
Upper section
The facade of the upper 42 stories consists of approximately 750,000 pounds (340,000 kg) of 0.038-inch (0.97 mm) thick pleated chromium nickel panels, described as being 20-gauge "Type 302" stainless steel.[1][12][16][24] There are 7,000 panels, embossed with pyramidal forms in high relief, on the building.[24][25] These panels can be grouped into four types: singular rosettes vertically adjacent to the windows; pairings of large and small rosettes beside the windows; and two types of interlocking pyramidal forms. The panels were designed so that rain could be washed away easily.[24][26] To ensure the patterns would be created to the correct specifications, the architects made full-sized plaster models and hired metal-die workers.[24][27]
Harrison & Abramovitz had briefly considered using aluminum, but because of developers Peter B. Ruffin and John W. Galbreath's connections to the steel industry, the architects instead decided to clad the facade in steel.[16][24][28] According to architectural historian Christopher Gray, "By using steel panels on the 1.6 million square foot [150,000 m2] building, the team gained several inches of floor space on the inside wall, greatly reduced labor costs on the skin, and saved weight—the panels weighed two pounds per square foot [9.8 kg/m2] as opposed to 48 pounds per square foot [230 kg/m2] for brick".[29] It continues to be among the world's largest stainless-steel-clad skyscrapers.[24][29]
Interior
The structure contains about 1.8 million square feet (170,000 m2) in total interior space.[30] Stainless steel was used in the lobby and for the elevator doors. The panels were press-formed into a trihedral pattern to prevent waviness and to break up reflections.[29] Near the top of the building are three mechanical floors.[19] At the time of the Socony–Mobil Building's completion, the 75,000 square feet (7,000 m2) on the square floor represented the single largest concentration of enclosed office space on a single floor in New York City.[12]
A 215-foot-long (66 m) passageway under Lexington Avenue and 42nd Street was completed along with the building in 1955, connecting the basement to the rest of the Grand Central–42nd Street subway complex. Originating inside the basement of the Socony–Mobil Building, the passage curved northwest and then west under 42nd Street to the mezzanine of the subway station.[31] The passageway was closed prior to 1991.[32] The tunnel was reopened in the late 2010s as part of the complex's renovation,[33][34] and new sidewalk staircases were built at the southeastern corner of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue.[35]
History
Planning and construction
Developers John W. Galbreath and Peter B. Ruffin convinced the Goelet estate, the previous owners of the site, to erect an office building on their land at Lexington Avenue and 42nd Street.[16] Subsequently, in 1942, the Goelets hired John B. Peterkin as a consultant.[5][16] Peterkin published his first plan for an office building in the early 1940s. Based on proposals for Rockefeller Center, it called for a brick-clad office tower over an airport-bus terminal at ground level.[12][36] At the time, structures with metal facades were not common and would not become a trend until the end of World War II.[16] The plan did not progress because of doubts over how the large site would be developed, as well as the challenges in securing the long-term leases that the Goelets wanted.[36]
The plans were then brought up by Ruffin, head of Galbreath's Galbreath Corporation, which was headquartered nearby.[37] At the time, the Goelet estate "wanted the property improved but not exploited".[38] Ruffin and Galbreath hired Harrison & Abramovitz to design the building in 1952.[37] The developers convinced Mobil (at the time known as Socony-Vacuum) to be the anchor tenant, leasing nearly half of the structure.[39][13] Socony-Vacuum would relocate from a headquarters at 26 Broadway in Lower Manhattan.[39][40] Construction of a 42-story skyscraper was officially announced in 1953, and the developers decided to call the structure the Socony-Vacuum Building.[4][39] At the time of the announcement, the site was still occupied by Volk's, a German bar on Third Avenue; the five-story Pershing Square Hotel on 42nd Street; a six-story loft next to the hotel; and numerous one-story structures with stores.[4]
After the Mobil deal was finalized, the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States and the National City Bank of New York collectively loaned $37.5 million for the project.[37] In planning the building's exterior, Harrison and Abramovitz collaborated with Ruffin and Galbreath to devise a design.[12] In 1953 and 1954, the original plans for a brick-faced structure were changed to that for a structure with embossed steel panels, even though at the time, steel was more expensive than brick.[16][37] Ruffin and Galbreath had connections to U.S. Steel, which offered to cover the cost difference of steel, and because such a design would show off the potential uses of steel on buildings.[16][24][28] Prior to the decision to use steel, Harrison & Abramovitz had briefly considered using aluminum.[16][24] German architect Oscar Nitzchke, of Harrison & Abramovitz's office, may have been involved in designing the steel panels, though the extent of his involvement is unclear.[24] For the steel panels, over 100 designs were said to have been reviewed.[41]
Harrison & Abramovitz hired Turner Construction as general contractors[37][42] and Edwards & Hjorth as structural engineers.[37] A groundbreaking ceremony for 150 East 42nd Street was held on March 31, 1954.[43][17] Girder construction started in November 1954[17] and was completed by the following July.[44] The installation of steel panels then started in May 1955[45] and completed that December.[24] Though the builders later claimed that "no accidents" had occurred during construction,[46] there was an incident in August 1955 in which the scaffolding sagged, forcing an evacuation of nearby blocks.[47]
Opening and early years
The first tenants started moving into the building in April 1956,[48] and the structure was declared finished on October 3, 1956.[17][49] The opening ceremony occurred two weeks later, on October 17, with a cornerstone-laying ceremony attended by the leaders of several large tenants. These leaders made predictions of "scientific commonplaces" within the next hundred years, and they placed their predictions within the cornerstone.[24][50] At the time of its completion, the Socony–Mobil Building was the first skyscraper to have its exterior wall entirely clad with stainless steel,[1][51] as well as being the largest air-conditioned building in the world.[52]
Ruffin, the Socony–Mobil Building's owner, had been placed in charge of leasing the office space.[53] Though the building was a speculative development, it was successful: The space had been completely leased by February 1955,[38][54] leading Ruffin to say that it was the first time he had seen a building fully leased "before [it] was even near completion".[55] Numerous companies had followed Socony–Mobil's example of moving from Lower Manhattan to Midtown Manhattan, though many corporations were moving to the suburbs at the time.[19]
At opening, Mobil had 2,500 employees working on the floors that they occupied.
Later use
When the Socony–Mobil Company became the Mobil Oil Corporation in 1966, its headquarters was renamed the Mobil Building.[19] The structure was the subject of several bomb attacks by the Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional Puertorriqueña (FALN) in the 1970s. One such attack in 1970 targeted numerous office buildings in the area.[58] Another bomb, in 1977, killed an office worker in the building.[59] At the time of the 1970 attack, The New York Times stated that the Mobil Building was owned by the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company.[58] Because of an increase in crime in the 1980s, as well as the fact that the Mobil Building was largely occupied by a single tenant, a security desk was installed in the lobby, which required that all visitors and employees sign in prior to entering the building.[60]
In 1987, the building was sold to the Japanese firm Hiro Real Estate Company in a transaction estimated to be worth $200 million.[61] The building's occupancy rate decreased to 15 percent,[16] partially because Mobil then relocated elsewhere and partially because of the early 1990s recession, even though neighboring buildings generally had over 80 percent occupancy.[62] The Socony–Mobil Building was renovated in 1995, during which it was cleaned for the first time,[1] and the elevators, mechanical systems, lobby, and concierge desk were restored.[62] By that year, occupancy had increased to 25 percent.[16] Several major tenants, including HypoVereinsbank, Pfizer, Gruner + Jahr, and American Airlines, rented space in the building, bringing the building to 70 percent occupancy by 1996.[63] The building was 89 percent occupied by 1997. Hiro also extended the ground lease from 2013 to 2028 to show its long-term commitment; previously, companies had hesitated at moving into the building because the short term of the ground lease had indicated an uncertain future for the building.[62]
Hiro acquired a long-term lease from the Goelet estate in 2001 and began renovating the structure for $15 million. Around the same time, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission began considering the structure for official landmark status. Lawyers for Hiro objected, saying, "We don't believe the case [for landmark status] has been successfully made."[64] In 2003, the Socony–Mobil Building was designated as an official landmark despite these objections.[25] Financial firm Wells Fargo leased some space in 2011 for its New York City headquarters.[65][66]
Hiro placed the building on the market in March 2014.
Critical reception
The Socony–Mobil Building's design received mixed criticism. A contemporary Architectural Forum article said that much of the controversy revolved around the facade: "some dislike it because it reminds them of the metal ceiling of an old store. Others like it because it reminds them of an old store. Some who disliked it to begin with are now pleased with the sparkle. Some like it less now that the building is finished."[77] Architectural critic Lewis Mumford was among the detractors: He described the facade as "a disaster" and said that "From the street, this new building looks as if it were coming down with measles."[12][78] Similarly, critic Henry Hope Reed Jr. stated that "technical triumphs make for nothing but greater ugliness",[79] while writer John Tauranac stated that "its design is uninspired".[80]
The building also received praise for its design. A writer for The New York Times stated that "the curtain-wall or shell type of construction around skyscrapers has brought the metallic look to the skyline".[81] In its 2003 designation report, the Landmarks Preservation Commission described the building as "one of New York's most striking skyscrapers".[25]
See also
References
Notes
- ^ Excluding the ground-floor basement on Third Avenue
- ^ The major exceptions were the Chrysler Building, located across 42nd Street to the north, and the Daily News Building, located at 42nd Street and Second Avenue.[5]
- 666 Fifth Avenue and the Fashion Institute of Technology's Administration and Technology Building.[17] The Inland Steel Building in Chicago, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in 1956–1957, also used steel panels extensively.[18]
Citations
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- ^ a b Landmarks Preservation Commission 2003, p. 1.
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- ^ a b c d e f g Landmarks Preservation Commission 2003, p. 2.
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- ^ a b c d e f g Stern, Mellins & Fishman 1995, p. 456.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-470-28963-1.
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- ^ "Socony Mobil Building – The Skyscraper Center". www.skyscrapercenter.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2017. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
- ^ from the original on March 2, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g Landmarks Preservation Commission 2003, p. 4.
- ^ Landmarks Preservation Commission 2003, p. 9.
- ^ a b c d e f g Landmarks Preservation Commission 2003, p. 6.
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- ^ "MTA Neighborhood Maps: Midtown East / Grand Central" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2018. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
- ^ Landmarks Preservation Commission 2003, p. 7.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Landmarks Preservation Commission 2003, p. 5.
- ^ from the original on April 12, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^ Architectural Forum 1955, p. 89.
- ^ Architectural Forum 1955, p. 88.
- ^ a b Architectural Forum 1955, p. 91.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-58471-162-9. Archivedfrom the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
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- ^ Grand Central Subdistrict (PDF). New York City Department of City Planning. November 1991. pp. 45–47, 74. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ Barone, Vincent; Pereira, Ivan (October 17, 2016). "A glimpse at One Vanderbilt's transit improvements". am New York. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
- ^ Hawkins, Andrew J. "$210M upgrade for Grand Central's subway unveiled". Crain's New York Business. Archived from the original on August 2, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
- ^ Saraniero, Nicole (December 15, 2020). "Long-Shuttered Tunnel to Grand Central Re-Opened". Untapped New York. Archived from the original on February 9, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ a b "New York's Biggest Building in 25 Years". Architectural Forum. January 1955. p. 91, cited in Landmarks Preservation Commission 2003, pp. 2–3.
- ^ a b c d e f Landmarks Preservation Commission 2003, p. 3.
- ^ a b "The Talk of The Town: Champ". The New Yorker. May 19, 1956. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Stern, Mellins & Fishman 1995, p. 452.
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- ^ The Michigan Technic. University of Michigan, College of Engineering. 1956. p. 10. Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
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- ^ "Skyscraper Scaffold Sags, Perils Crowds". New York Daily News. August 6, 1955. p. 2. Archived from the original on May 15, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
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- ^ National Research Council (U.S.). Building Research Institute (1957). Windows and Glass in the Exterior of Buildings: A Research Correlation Conference Conducted by the Building Research Institute, November 14 and 15, 1956, at the Chamber of Commerce of the United States in Washington. National Academies. p. 118. NAP:15299. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
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- ^ Kusisto, Laura (April 6, 2011). "Wells Fargo Finally Wins in the Office-Space Race—And Big". Observer. Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
- ^ "Wells Fargo takes 13 floors at 150 E. 42nd St. – The Real Deal". The Real Deal New York. April 6, 2011. Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
- ^ Levitt, David M. (March 18, 2014). "NYC's Socony–Mobil Tower Said on Market for $900 Million". Bloomberg Business. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^ Delaporte, Gus (March 18, 2014). "Socony-Mobil Building on the Market". Commercial Observer. Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
- ^ Strickland, Julie (April 17, 2014). "New York investor snaps up Mobil building for over $900M". The Real Deal. Archived from the original on January 13, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
- ^ Gupta, Rapti (April 17, 2014). "Socony–Mobil building in New York City sells for $900 million". Realty Today. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^ Samtani, Hitem (August 27, 2014). "David Werner lands $700M financing for Mobil Building acquisition". The Real Deal New York. Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
- ^ "Meridian Capital Group and Eastdil Secured arrange $700 million in financing". NYREJ. September 22, 2014. Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
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- ^ Samtani, Hitem (September 3, 2014). "Mount Sinai buys its space at the Mobil Building for $111M". The Real Deal New York. Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
- ^ Barbarino, Al (March 19, 2014). "Mt. Sinai Takes Massive Space at 150 East 42nd Street as Ownership Preps to Sell". Commercial Observer. Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
- ^ "A Glittering Tower for New York's Skyline" (PDF). Architectural Forum. Vol. 103, no. 11. November 1956. p. 157. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 28, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ^ Mumford, Lewis (February 4, 1956). "The Skyline: The Drab and Daring". The New Yorker. p. 82. Archived from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
- OCLC 2433828.
- OCLC 4494970.
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Sources
- Cobb, Harold M. (2010). The History of Stainless Steel. ASM International. ISBN 978-1-61503-011-8.
- "New York's Biggest Building in 25 Years". Architectural Forum. Vol. 102, no. 1. January 1955. pp. 86–92.
- "Socony-Mobil Building" (PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. February 25, 2003.
- Stern, Robert A. M.; Mellins, Thomas; Fishman, David (1995). New York 1960: Architecture and Urbanism Between the Second World War and the Bicentennial. New York: Monacelli Press. OL 1130718M.
External links
- Official website
- "150 East 42nd Street". Emporis. Archived from the original on April 22, 2016.
- "Socony-Mobil Building". CTBUH Skyscraper Center.