The International Building, also known by its addresses 630 Fifth Avenue and 45 Rockefeller Plaza, is a
skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Most modern sources define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition, other than being very tall high-rise bui ...
at
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commerce, commercial buildings covering between 48th Street (Manhattan), 48th Street and 51st Street (Manhattan), 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. The 14 original Art De ...
in the
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...
neighborhood of
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. Completed in 1935, the 41-story, building was designed in the
Art Deco
Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...
style by
Raymond Hood
Raymond Mathewson Hood (March 29, 1881 – August 14, 1934) was an American architect who worked in the Gothic Revival architecture, Neo-Gothic and Art Deco styles. He is best known for his designs of the Tribune Tower, American Radiator Building ...
, Rockefeller Center's lead architect. The main tower is set back from
Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan in New York City. The avenue runs south from 143rd Street (Manhattan), West 143rd Street in Harlem to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The se ...
and includes two 6-story wings to the east, known as Palazzo d'Italia and International Building North. The wings flank an entrance plaza that contains
Lee Lawrie
Lee Oscar Lawrie (October 16, 1877 – January 23, 1963) was an American architectural sculptor and an important figure in the American sculpture scene preceding World War II. Over his long career of more than 300 commissions Lawrie's style ev ...
's ''
Atlas
An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of world map, maps of Earth or of a continent or region of Earth. Advances in astronomy have also resulted in atlases of the celestial sphere or of other planets.
Atlases have traditio ...
'' statue.
The facade is made of
limestone
Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
, with granite at the base. The wings, patterned around the
British Empire Building
The British Empire Building, also known by its address 620 Fifth Avenue, is a commercial building at Rockefeller Center in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Completed in 1933, the six-story structure was designed in the Art D ...
and
La Maison Francaise to the south, contain
rooftop garden
A roof garden is a garden on the roof of a building. Besides the decorative benefit, roof plantings may provide food, temperature control, hydrological benefits, architectural enhancement, habitats or corridors for wildlife, recreational oppo ...
s. The building's entrances contain ornate decorations by numerous artists. The main entrance on Fifth Avenue leads to a four-story-tall lobby with large marble pillars and escalators. The office space is arranged around the elevator core, with all offices being within of a window. The entire Rockefeller Center complex is a
New York City designated landmark
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and c ...
and a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...
, and the lobby is also a New York City landmark.
The International Building was developed as part of the
construction of Rockefeller Center
The construction of the Rockefeller Center complex in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, was conceived in the late 1920s and led by John D. Rockefeller Jr. Rockefeller Center is on one of Columbia University's former campuses and is bounded by F ...
, although plans for the building were modified multiple times. A groundbreaking ceremony was hosted in July 1933, after Italian interests leased the southern wing, but Rockefeller Center's managers could not secure a commitment for a specific country in the northern wing. The building's superstructure was constructed in 136 days from September 1934 to May 1935. The Palazzo d'Italia was modified in the 1940s after the start of World War II, and further modifications were made in the late 20th century. Over the years, the International Building has contained a variety of tenants, including numerous foreign consulates.
Site
The International Building is part of the
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commerce, commercial buildings covering between 48th Street (Manhattan), 48th Street and 51st Street (Manhattan), 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. The 14 original Art De ...
complex in the
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...
neighborhood of
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
.
The building carries the addresses 630 Fifth Avenue to its east and 45 Rockefeller Plaza to its west.
The rectangular
land lot
In real estate, a land lot or plot of land is a tract or parcel of land owned or meant to be owned by some owner(s). A plot is essentially considered a parcel of real property in some countries or immovable property (meaning practically the sam ...
is shared with the buildings at
1260 Avenue of the Americas and
50 Rockefeller Plaza to the west. The lot is bounded by
Sixth Avenue
Sixth Avenue, also known as Avenue of the Americas, is a major thoroughfare in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The avenue is commercial for much of its length, and traffic runs northbound, or uptown.
Sixth Avenue begins four blocks b ...
to the west,
51st Street to the north,
Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan in New York City. The avenue runs south from 143rd Street (Manhattan), West 143rd Street in Harlem to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The se ...
to the east, and
50th Street to the south. It covers and has a
frontage
Frontage is the boundary between a plot of land or a building and the road onto which the plot or building fronts. Frontage may also refer to the full length of this boundary. This length is considered especially important for certain types of ...
of on the streets and a frontage of on the avenues.
The International Building and 1260 Avenue of the Americas are separated by Rockefeller Plaza, a private pedestrian street running through the complex.
The building is assigned its own
ZIP Code, 10111; it was one of 41 buildings in Manhattan that had their own ZIP Codes .
The International Building is at the northeast corner of the Rockefeller Center complex. The building faces
La Maison Francaise and the
British Empire Building
The British Empire Building, also known by its address 620 Fifth Avenue, is a commercial building at Rockefeller Center in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Completed in 1933, the six-story structure was designed in the Art D ...
to the south; the two structures are architectural twins of the International Building's low-rise wings.
[ Also within Rockefeller Center are ]30 Rockefeller Plaza
30 Rockefeller Plaza (officially the Comcast Building; formerly RCA Building and GE Building) is a skyscraper that forms the centerpiece of Rockefeller Center in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York. Completed in 1933 ...
to the southwest and 1260 Avenue of the Americas, Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall (also known as Radio City) is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York C ...
, and 50 Rockefeller Plaza to the west. In addition, 75 Rockefeller Plaza
75 Rockefeller Plaza is a skyscraper on the north side of 51st Street in New York City, originally built as a northern extension of Rockefeller Center.
History
In July 1944, the Rockefellers began planning a new 16-story tower to house the Sta ...
, the Women's National Republican Club
The Women's National Republican Club is the oldest private club for Republican women in the United States, and was founded by Henrietta Wells Livermore in 1921. The club grew out of the earlier women's suffrage movement in New York which led to ...
, and 650 Fifth Avenue are immediately to the north. The Cartier Building
The Cartier Building, also 653 Fifth Avenue, is a commercial building on the southeast corner of 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. The building serves as the flagship store of Cartier in New ...
, 647 Fifth Avenue
647 Fifth Avenue, originally known as the George W. Vanderbilt Residence, is a commercial building in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It is along the east side of Fifth Avenue between 51st Street (Manhattan), 51st Street an ...
, and the Olympic Tower
Olympic Tower is a 51-story, building at 641 and 645 Fifth Avenue, between 51st and 52nd Streets, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the mixed-use development contains cond ...
are diagonally across Fifth Avenue and 51st Street to the northwest. The building also faces St. Patrick's Cathedral to the east and the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store
The Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store is a department store on Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The original 10-story structure at 611 Fifth Avenue has served as the flagship store of Saks Fifth A ...
(including 623 Fifth Avenue) to the southeast. The site was previously part of the campus of Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
, which retained ownership of most of the land well after the complex was built.
Architecture
The International Building was designed by the Associated Architects of Rockefeller Center, composed of the firms of Corbett, Harrison & MacMurray; Hood, Godley & Fouilhoux; and Reinhard & Hofmeister. Raymond Hood
Raymond Mathewson Hood (March 29, 1881 – August 14, 1934) was an American architect who worked in the Gothic Revival architecture, Neo-Gothic and Art Deco styles. He is best known for his designs of the Tribune Tower, American Radiator Building ...
was the complex's lead architect. The Associated Architects designed all of Rockefeller Center's buildings in the Art Deco style. Developed as part of the construction of Rockefeller Center
The construction of the Rockefeller Center complex in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, was conceived in the late 1920s and led by John D. Rockefeller Jr. Rockefeller Center is on one of Columbia University's former campuses and is bounded by F ...
, the International Building opened in 1935.[ The building is 41 stories high, including mechanical floors.] One of two skyscrapers that opened in Manhattan in 1935, it was noted for its short 136-day duration of construction,[ as well as the construction quality, overall design, and materials used.
]Hartley Burr Alexander
Hartley Burr Alexander, PhD (1873–1939), was an American philosopher, writer, educator, scholar, poet, and iconographer.
Family and early years
Alexander was born in Syracuse, Nebraska, on April 9, 1873. His father, the Rev. George Sherman Alex ...
, a mythology and symbology professor who oversaw Rockefeller Center's art program, led the installation of artwork throughout the complex. Rockefeller Center's international complex was decorated to an international theme, with motifs representing the arts, peace, and commerce.
Form
The main portion of the International Building is its 41-story tower. The main tower was recessed as far back from Fifth Avenue as possible to maximize rental space while still complying with the 1916 Zoning Resolution
The 1916 Zoning Resolution in New York City was the first citywide Zoning in the United States, zoning code in the United States. The zoning resolution reflected both Boroughs of New York City, borough and local interests, and was adopted primar ...
, which mandated that buildings contain setbacks above a certain height. Aside from the four-story entrance on Fifth Avenue, the tower has no setbacks along its eastern elevation
The elevation of a geographic location (geography), ''location'' is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational equipotenti ...
. The tower contains three setbacks on its north and south elevations, which are not visible from either Rockefeller Plaza or Fifth Avenue. The western ends of the north and south elevations contain nine-story-tall masses, which are visible from Rockefeller Plaza. The northwest corner contains a diagonal chamfer
A chamfer ( ) is a transitional edge between two faces of an object. Sometimes defined as a form of bevel, it is often created at a 45° angle between two adjoining right-angled faces.
Chamfers are frequently used in machining, carpentry, fur ...
, while the southwest corner is slightly set back, creating a small plaza. The setbacks on the 50th and 51st Street elevations correspond to the tops of the elevator banks inside.
Wings
The tower is flanked by two six-story wings: Palazzo d'Italia and International Building North. At the sixth story, both wings contain setbacks to their north and south. The Palazzo d'Italia (literally the Italian Palace) is at 626 Fifth Avenue. The limestone-clad wing is attached to the main tower at its northwest corner. International Building North, at 636 Fifth Avenue, is identical to the Palazzo d'Italia and is attached to the main tower at its southwest corner. The northeast and southeast corners of the main tower are set back above the seventh story, running above both wings.
Both wings contain Mediterranean-themed rooftop garden
A roof garden is a garden on the roof of a building. Besides the decorative benefit, roof plantings may provide food, temperature control, hydrological benefits, architectural enhancement, habitats or corridors for wildlife, recreational oppo ...
s designed by A. M. van den Hoek, each measuring . The gardens were initially grass lawns but subsequently replaced with ivy beds surrounded by curving hedges. The gardens are also decorated with terracotta planters, two stone plaques transported from the Roman Forum
A forum (Latin: ''forum'', "public place outdoors", : ''fora''; English : either ''fora'' or ''forums'') was a public square in a municipium, or any civitas, of Ancient Rome reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, alon ...
, and walkways with cobblestones from Italian roads
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
. Two statues by Paul Manship
Paul Howard Manship (December 25, 1885 – January 31, 1966) was an American Sculpture, sculptor. He consistently created mythological pieces in a classical style, and was a major force in the Art Deco in the United States, Art Deco movement. ...
, depicting a young man and woman, stood above the Palazzo d'Italia from 1935 to 1984. The statues were sculpted in 1934 and originally complemented Manship's ''Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning "forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titans, Titan. He is best known for defying the Olympian gods by taking theft of fire, fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technol ...
'' sculpture to the south.
The wings surround a central entrance plaza to the east. The plaza is paved in gray and pink stone, arranged in geometric shapes. Lee Lawrie
Lee Oscar Lawrie (October 16, 1877 – January 23, 1963) was an American architectural sculptor and an important figure in the American sculpture scene preceding World War II. Over his long career of more than 300 commissions Lawrie's style ev ...
's , bronze ''Atlas
An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of world map, maps of Earth or of a continent or region of Earth. Advances in astronomy have also resulted in atlases of the celestial sphere or of other planets.
Atlases have traditio ...
'' statue is at the center of the Fifth Avenue entrance plaza, placed on a pedestal. It depicts the ancient Greek Titan Atlas
An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of world map, maps of Earth or of a continent or region of Earth. Advances in astronomy have also resulted in atlases of the celestial sphere or of other planets.
Atlases have traditio ...
holding a armillary sphere
An armillary sphere (variations are known as spherical astrolabe, armilla, or armil) is a model of objects in the sky (on the celestial sphere), consisting of a spherical framework of rings, centered on Earth or the Sun, that represent lines o ...
. The statue incorporates motifs such as zodiac signs
In Western astrology, astrological signs are the twelve 30-degree sectors that make up Earth's 360-degree orbit around the Sun. The signs enumerate from the first day of spring, known as the First Point of Aries, which is the vernal equinox. T ...
and an axis aligned with the North Star
Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris ( Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an apparent magnitude t ...
. The pedestal is placed diagonally, with its eastern corner facing Fifth Avenue, and it is surrounded by granite benches.
Facade
The entire facade is made of limestone; the vertical piers and the reveals of the windows are very plain in design. When the building was developed, the Associated Architects gave the recessed main tower a one-story-tall entryway on Fifth Avenue, emphasizing the wings on either side. The wings' entrances on Fifth Avenue complement the main tower. The side entrances on 50th and 51st Streets contain limestone reliefs created by Lawrie. The exterior contains of limestone and 2,900 windows. In addition, the building uses 4.65 million bricks, weighing .
Fifth Avenue
The building contains a central plaza on its east, facing the Fifth Avenue entrance. Behind the ''Atlas'' statue, the main slab contains a limestone loggia with four piers, between which are three doorways to the four-story-high lobby. Each opening contains a revolving door with a granite frame. Plate-glass windows rise above the doors, reflecting both the ''Atlas'' statue and St. Patrick's Cathedral across the street. Both wings originally included artworks by Attilio Piccirilli
Attilio Piccirilli (May 16, 1866 – October 8, 1945) was an American sculptor. Born in Massa, Italy, he was educated at the Accademia di San Luca of Rome.
Life and career
Piccirilli came to the United States in 1888 and worked for his fa ...
above their entrances, as well as decorations by Leo Lentelli
Leo Lentelli (20 October 1879 – 31 December 1961) was an Italian sculptor who immigrated to the United States. During his 52 years in the United States he created works throughout the country, notably in New York and San Francisco. He also taugh ...
. The south elevation of International Building North, as well as the north elevation of the Palazzo, also face the plaza. These elevations contain storefronts and display windows.
= Palazzo d'Italia
=
The ground floor of the Palazzo includes storefronts and display windows, above which runs a cornice
In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative Moulding (decorative), moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, ar ...
. The center of the Palazzo contains a main entrance with bronze doors. Above the doors and within the entrance, Piccirilli designed a glass panel, which depicted a man holding a spade with Italian inscriptions above and below. Corning Inc.
Corning Incorporated is an American multinational technology company specializing in glass, ceramics, and related materials and technologies including advanced optics, primarily for industrial and scientific applications. The company was name ...
manufactured the panel, which was built in 45 pieces. The works were covered in 1941 because they overtly celebrated fascism
Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hie ...
. In 1965, the original Piccirilli work above the entrance was replaced by Giacomo Manzù
Giacomo Manzoni (22 December 1908 – 17 January 1991), known professionally as Giacomo Manzù, was an Italian sculptor.
Biography
Manzù was born in Bergamo. His father was a shoemaker and sacristan. Other than a few evening art classes ...
's bronze relief ''Italia'', which depicts fruits below the word "Italia". The same year, Manzù created ''The Immigrant'', a bas-relief depicting a penurious mother and child with their belongings, upon a background of sgraffito
(; ) is an artistic or decorative technique of scratching through a coating on a hard surface to reveal parts of another underlying coating which is in a contrasting colour. It is produced on walls by applying layers of plaster tinted in con ...
foliage. ''The Immigrant'' replaced the center door of the entryway, but it was reoriented in 2001 when the center door was re-added.
The entrance cartouche
upalt=A stone face carved with coloured hieroglyphics. Two cartouches - ovoid shapes with hieroglyphics inside - are visible at the bottom., Birth and throne cartouches of Pharaoh KV17.html" ;"title="Seti I, from KV17">Seti I, from KV17 at the ...
above the doorways originally depicted the Crown of Savoy and a Fascist symbol. The second through sixth floors have steel sash windows, with limestone spandrels between the windows on each story. The windows are separated by flat vertical piers with ribbon moldings at their capitals
Capital and its variations may refer to:
Common uses
* Capital city, a municipality of primary status
** Capital region, a metropolitan region containing the capital
** List of national capitals
* Capital letter, an upper-case letter
Econom ...
. Three flagpoles hang from the piers. Lentelli's limestone bas-relief
Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...
s above the sixth-story windows signify four periods of Italian history: Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
, the Italian Renaissance
The Italian Renaissance ( ) was a period in History of Italy, Italian history between the 14th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Western Europe and marked t ...
, the unification of Italy
The unification of Italy ( ), also known as the Risorgimento (; ), was the 19th century Political movement, political and social movement that in 1861 ended in the Proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, annexation of List of historic states of ...
, and Fascist Italy
Fascist Italy () is a term which is used in historiography to describe the Kingdom of Italy between 1922 and 1943, when Benito Mussolini and the National Fascist Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictatorship. Th ...
from left to right. The Roman Empire panel depicts a military uniform, crown, wreath, and the initials SPQR
SPQR or S.P.Q.R., an initialism for (; ), is an emblematic phrase referring to the government of the Roman Republic. It appears on documents made public by an inscription in stone or metal, in dedications of monuments and public works, and on ...
, while the Renaissance panel contains a shield, a lion's head, and the Roman numerals "MCCCC" (the year 1400). The unification panel depicts two flags and the words "Morteo/Liberata" (death/liberty). The Fascist panel depicts an eagle above fasces; the inscription "AXII" (representing the Fascists' March on Rome in 1922) was removed in 1949.
= International Building North
=
The ground floor of International Building North also includes storefronts and display windows topped by a cornice. The center of International Building North contains a main entrance with three bronze doors. Because it was not originally built for a specific country, International Building North contains generic works related to international cooperation. Piccirilli designed an opaque "Poetic Glass" screen within the entryway above the doors, symbolizing a youth's involvement in world affairs. The glass panel, manufactured by Corning Inc. in 45 pieces, measures and is made of semi-opaque "poetic glass". Each glass piece was made with a unique mold, which was destroyed after the glass piece had been cast. The panel depicts a youth behind two rearing horses and a chariot driver, pointing to the left.
Piccirilli's cartouche above the entryway depicts a male and female holding brown tools. The figures are separated by a winged caduceus
The caduceus (☤; ; , ) is the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology and consequently by Hermes Trismegistus in Greco-Egyptian mythology. The same staff was borne by other heralds like Iris (mythology), Iris, the messenger of Hera. The s ...
, representing the god Mercury, and are topped by gilded leaves. The cartouche was intended to signify international cooperation but instead had a fascist effect. The second through sixth floors are arranged similarly to those on the Palazzo's facade. Three flagpoles hang from the piers. Lentelli created four bas-reliefs above the sixth-story windows, which signify Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas from left to right. Asia's icon is a praying Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),*
*
*
was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist legends, he was ...
with an elephant head above, and Europe's icon is the god Neptune
Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun. It is the List of Solar System objects by size, fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 t ...
flanked by dolphins. Africa is represented by a figure in traditional garb, surrounded by fruits, while the Americas are represented by a buffalo head, corn cobs, and Mayan motifs. During World War II, both Piccirilli's and Lentelli's works for International Building North were retained.
50th Street
On 50th Street, there are several storefronts and display windows, interrupted by three entrances. A cornice runs above the first story there. For the 9 West 50th Street entrance (leading to the Palazzo d'Italia), Lawrie had created ''Saint Francis of Assisi with Birds'', a bas-relief depicting Francis of Assisi
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone ( 1181 – 3 October 1226), known as Francis of Assisi, was an Italians, Italian Mysticism, mystic, poet and Friar, Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. Inspired to lead a Chris ...
. Francis is depicted wearing a brown robe, sitting on a brown bench, with a halo of golden birds around his head and more golden birds eating from a bowl in his hand. Below this artwork are horizontal brown and aqua strips, interrupted by light-brown dentil
A dentil (from Lat. ''dens'', a tooth) is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice. Dentils are found in ancient Greek and Roman architecture, and also in later styles such as Neoclassical, Federal, Georgian Rev ...
s in a checkerboard
A checkerboard (American English) or chequerboard (British English) is a game board of check (pattern), checkered pattern on which checkers (also known as English draughts) is played. Most commonly, it consists of 64 squares (8×8) of alternating ...
pattern. This was the only original artwork on the Palazzo dItalia's exterior that were not modified during World War II.
Further west along 50th Street is an entrance to the main tower at 19 West 50th Street. Above the doorway is a depiction of a gilded plowshare containing crossed swords. The letters "Isaiah II IV" are inscribed in gold leaf above the plowshare, referencing chapter 2, verse 4 of the Book of Isaiah
The Book of Isaiah ( ) is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible and the first of the Major Prophets in the Christian Old Testament. It is identified by a superscription as the words of the 8th-century BC prophet Isaiah ben Amo ...
. Lawrie intended for his inscription to advocate for world peace. Lawrie did not decorate the lintel above the doorway, in contrast to all of the building's other side-street entrances. To the left of the doorway is a freestanding limestone pier
A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of water and usually juts out from its shore, typically supported by piling, piles or column, pillars, and provides above-water access to offshore areas. Frequent pier uses include fishing, b ...
with two intaglio and bas-relief carvings by Lawrie. The south face of the pier depicts Columbia (symbolizing America), greeting an immigrant woman who has just alighted from a ship, with the Manhattan skyline in the background. The west face depicts a young man unfurling a ship's sail in New York Harbor
New York Harbor is a bay that covers all of the Upper Bay. It is at the mouth of the Hudson River near the East River tidal estuary on the East Coast of the United States.
New York Harbor is generally synonymous with Upper New York Bay, ...
. Recessed within the doorway is a circular bronze clock above stainless steel capital letters reading "19 West 50th Street".
At the far west end of the 50th Street elevation is a third entrance. Above this, Lawrie designed a screen of 15 hieroglyphic panels, arranged in five rows with three bays
A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a ''gulf'', ''sea'', ''sound'', or ''bight''. A ''cove'' is a small, ci ...
each. The screen measures wide by tall and was designed to be backlit. The screen contains several sets of symbolic figures. The lowest panel in the center bay contains four men, each signifying a different race; the figures have the same skin color and are identified by their sculptural features. This panel is flanked by an eagle to the left (representing republics) and a lion to the right (representing kingdoms). The second row from the bottom contains a factory with smokestacks, a ship of trade, and a Norman
Norman or Normans may refer to:
Ethnic and cultural identity
* The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 9th and 10th centuries
** People or things connected with the Norma ...
-era tower from left to right. The center bay contains a panel with three men representing art, science, and industry in the third row, as wells a representation of the Roman god Mercury in the fourth row. These are flanked by panels depicting "man's four habitats": a mosque (the East), an Aztec temple (the West), palm trees (the South), and a seagull and whale fluke (the North). The center bay of the top row represents the rays of the sun, with the Big Dipper
The Big Dipper (American English, US, Canadian English, Canada) or the Plough (British English, UK, Hiberno-English, Ireland) is an asterism (astronomy), asterism consisting of seven bright stars of the constellation Ursa Major; six of them ar ...
to the left and the Southern Cross
CRUX is a lightweight x86-64 Linux distribution targeted at experienced Linux users and delivered by a tar.gz-based package system with BSD-style initscripts. It is not based on any other Linux distribution. It also utilizes a ports system to ...
to the right, representing the two hemispheres. Above the center bay is a clock measuring across. Lawrie drew sketches of the screen, which Rene Paul Chambellan then executed as clay models.
Rockefeller Plaza
The facade's rear elevation on Rockefeller Plaza contains storefronts and display windows. The rear elevation contains two limestone reliefs by Gaston Lachaise
Gaston Lachaise (March 19, 1882 – October 18, 1935) was a French-born sculptor, active in America in the early 20th century. A native of Paris, he is most noted for his robust female nudes such as his heroic '' Standing Woman''. Gaston Lachaise ...
, which honor the workers who built the complex. They were two of six carvings Lachaise did for Rockefeller Center, the other four being at the rear of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The panels are placed above what were originally entrances at 41 Rockefeller Plaza (to the right) and 45 Rockefeller Plaza (to the left). Each panel measures . The left panel shows two workers above a steel beam. The right panel shows workmen demolishing buildings on the site: one with a crowbar and the other with a blowtorch.
After the building's completion, the rear elevation was modified to reflect Isamu Noguchi
was an American artist, furniture designer and Landscape architecture, landscape architect whose career spanned six decades from the 1920s. Known for his sculpture and public artworks, Noguchi also designed stage sets for various Martha Grah ...
's design of 50 Rockefeller Plaza's entrance. As a result, the entrance at 41 Rockefeller Plaza has been infilled and replaced with a storefront. The remaining entrance at 45 Rockefeller Plaza is recessed deeply from the facade. There are three storefronts to the left (north) and four to the right (south) of the remaining entrance. In addition, the northwest corner was replaced with a diagonal chamfer, the only one in the original Rockefeller Center complex.
51st Street
On 51st Street, there are several storefronts and display windows, interrupted by two entrances at 10 and 20 West 51st Street. A cornice runs above the first story there. For the 10 West 51st Street entrance (leading to International Building North), Lawrie designed a bas-relief with a woman and horn as an allegory for world cooperation. The woman wears a green robe and is depicted as a flying figure, arising from gilded clouds with black borders. The horn contains green-and-gold dots depicting cornucopia
In classical antiquity, the cornucopia (; ), also called the horn of plenty, was a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers, or nuts. In Greek, it was called the " horn of ...
. Beneath the woman are three scalloped bands, which represent waves. From top to bottom, the bands are green, blue, and brown. Leon V. Solon collaborated with Lawrie in the coloring of the carving.
Further west along 51st Street is an entrance to the main tower at 20 West 51st Street. Above this is a lintel with gray-green trim and diagonally-oriented ridges. Lawrie designed 14 heraldic shields in front of the lintel. These shields are arranged in two rows, with three shields on the upper row and eleven on the lower row. Solon collaborated with Lawrie in the coloring of the shields. While the coats of arms are fictional, they were intended to represent the international character of the building. Gold letters with the building's name are placed above these shields. The sidewalk of the entryway is made of gray-and-pink pavement and includes ornamental bronze plates.
Interior
The superstructure
A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships.
Aboard ships and large boats
On water craft, the superstruct ...
uses of steel. When built, the International Building had of office space. The building included several modern mechanical systems, including a "selective cooling system", characterized in ''Architectural Forum'' as "probably the most important single advance in the technique of large-scale cooling". The International Building's lobby was inspired by the triangular lobby of the Chrysler Building
The Chrysler Building is a , Art Deco skyscraper in the East Midtown neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States. Located at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue, it is the tallest brick building in the world wit ...
and the chapel-like lobby of the Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story, Art Deco-style supertall skyscraper in the Midtown South neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its n ...
. As the International Building was not as big as 30 Rockefeller Plaza
30 Rockefeller Plaza (officially the Comcast Building; formerly RCA Building and GE Building) is a skyscraper that forms the centerpiece of Rockefeller Center in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York. Completed in 1933 ...
, the Associated Architects designed the lobby to give an illusion of grandeur.
Lobby
The lobby includes veined green marble piers spanning the height of each wall. The east wall has three glass-and-nickel bronze
Nickel silver, maillechort, German silver, argentan, new silver, nickel brass, albata, or alpacca is a cupronickel (copper with nickel) alloy with the addition of zinc. The usual formulation is 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc. Nickel silver ...
revolving doors underneath a sign with "Fifth Avenue" in nickel bronze capital letters. St. Patrick's Cathedral is visible through the glass panels above these doors. The north and south walls were originally used as storefronts. Above the storefronts were three-story-tall metal-framed openings, intended for exhibitions. However, no exhibits were ever installed, and advertising panels were placed there instead. Since 1978, the upper walls have included metallic structures designed by Michio Ihara. These comprise stainless-steel cables with gold leaves amid a gold-leaf background. There are 1,600 leaves, each in a different position and shape. Because the panels are backlit, many visitors consider them part of the lobby's lighting scheme.
As designed, the lobby had tiled floors with patterned red and green mosaic tiles. There are four green marble pillars supporting the ceiling, topped by nickel bronze moldings. The pillars have an H-shaped cross-section. Their marble cladding conceals their internal steel structure, and reflectors are embedded in the surface, providing illumination. Between the pillars are four escalators, two ascending to an upper mezzanine and two descending to the complex's underground mall. These also have nickel bronze gilding. The lobby's ceiling is high and is made of copper leaf. The ceiling does not contain lighting fixtures; the space is instead illuminated by the side walls, main entrance windows, and columns.
Three-story-high hallways stretch north and south of the lobby, leading to the Palazzo d'Italia and International Building North. Two additional passageways run west, connecting with the elevator lobbies and Rockefeller Plaza. Marble piers, topped by nickel bronze moldings, surround the green-marble walls of the elevator bank at ground level. Reeded moldings of marble are placed at the corners of these piers.
The mezzanine level includes Paul Fjelde
Paul Fjelde (August 12, 1892 – May 3, 1984) was a noted American sculptor and educator.
Background
Paul Fjelde was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was the son of Jacob Fjelde, who was a well-known sculptor in Norway when he emigrated to ...
's bronze bust of Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, and author. On May 20–21, 1927, he made the first nonstop flight from New York (state), New York to Paris, a distance of . His aircra ...
, installed in 1975. There are red terrazzo tiles on the mezzanine's floor, surrounded by nickel-bronze bands. The mezzanine also has green marble walls, as well as corridors to the north and south leading to the annexes. The openings to each corridor are surrounded by reeded moldings made of marble. Signs with the text "Mezzanine North Corridor" and "Mezzanine South Corridor" are placed above the corridor openings. The basement connects to other buildings at Rockefeller Center, including 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the British Empire Building, and La Maison Francaise. This tunnel is wide; its roof, below 50th Street, is held up by six steel pillars and steel girders.
Other stories
The passenger elevators are placed in a central core, ringed by a rectangular corridor on each floor. The interiors of the elevator cabs were clad in metal with strips of wood veneer. There were originally 28 elevators. At the building's opening, Westinghouse Electric Corporation
The Westinghouse Electric Corporation was an American manufacturing company founded in 1886 by George Westinghouse and headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was originally named "Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company" and was ...
equipped the elevator cabs with a "quota control" system, under which elevator calls would be distributed evenly to prevent overcrowding. One original cab was donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...
in 1979.
Offices surround the corridors on each of the levels above the four-story lobby. The office stories are arranged in a similar plan to the lobby. The complex's original architect, Raymond Hood, ensured that all of the offices in the entire complex be a maximum of from a window since that was the maximum distance that sunlight could permeate the windows of a building at New York City's latitude.
History
Development
The construction of Rockefeller Center
The construction of the Rockefeller Center complex in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, was conceived in the late 1920s and led by John D. Rockefeller Jr. Rockefeller Center is on one of Columbia University's former campuses and is bounded by F ...
occurred between 1932 and 1940 on land that John D. Rockefeller Jr.
John Davison Rockefeller Jr. (January 29, 1874 – May 11, 1960) was an American financier and philanthropist. Rockefeller was the fifth child and only son of Standard Oil co-founder John D. Rockefeller. He was involved in the development of th ...
leased from Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
. The Rockefeller Center site was originally supposed to be occupied by a new opera house
An opera house is a theater building used for performances of opera. Like many theaters, it usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, backstage facilities for costumes and building sets, as well as offices for the institut ...
for the Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...
. By 1928, Benjamin Wistar Morris and designer Joseph Urban
Joseph Urban (May 26, 1872 – July 10, 1933) was an Austrian-American architect, illustrator, and scenic designer.
Life and career
Joseph Urban was born on May 26, 1872, in Vienna. He received his first architectural commission at age 19 wh ...
were hired to come up with blueprints for the house. However, the new building was too expensive for the opera to fund by itself, and it needed an endowment. The project ultimately gained the support of John D. Rockefeller Jr.
John Davison Rockefeller Jr. (January 29, 1874 – May 11, 1960) was an American financier and philanthropist. Rockefeller was the fifth child and only son of Standard Oil co-founder John D. Rockefeller. He was involved in the development of th ...
The planned opera house was canceled in December 1929 due to various issues, and Rockefeller quickly negotiated with Radio Corporation of America (RCA) and its subsidiaries, National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast Television broadcaster, television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a su ...
and Radio-Keith-Orpheum (RKO), to build a mass media
Mass media include the diverse arrays of media that reach a large audience via mass communication.
Broadcast media transmit information electronically via media such as films, radio, recorded music, or television. Digital media comprises b ...
entertainment complex on the site. By May 1930, RCA and its affiliates had agreed to develop the site.
Planning
When plans for Rockefeller Center arose, a retail building with an oval plan was planned for the adjacent block to the south, between 49th and 50th Streets. This was scrapped in early 1931. An updated proposal for that site called for a 41-story tower and a pair of six-story retail buildings. As American tenants were reluctant to rent in these retail buildings, Rockefeller Center's manager Hugh Robertson, formerly of Todd, Robertson and Todd, suggested foreign tenants for the buildings. Rockefeller Center's managers held talks with prospective Czech, German, Italian, and Swedish lessees who could potentially occupy the six-story internationally themed buildings on Fifth Avenue. Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian tenants were also reportedly considered. Because the canceled oval building had contained rooftop gardens, Raymond Hood
Raymond Mathewson Hood (March 29, 1881 – August 14, 1934) was an American architect who worked in the Gothic Revival architecture, Neo-Gothic and Art Deco styles. He is best known for his designs of the Tribune Tower, American Radiator Building ...
suggested the idea for rooftop gardens across the complex, including on all of the retail buildings. These gardens would be curated by Ralph Hancock.
A department store and 45-story building was planned for the site of the current International Building, between 50th and 51st Streets, with the department store portion facing Fifth Avenue. When the department store was canceled, the building was downsized to 30 stories, then to 14 stories. The retail buildings on the block to the south, the British Empire Building
The British Empire Building, also known by its address 620 Fifth Avenue, is a commercial building at Rockefeller Center in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Completed in 1933, the six-story structure was designed in the Art D ...
and La Maison Francaise, were respectively leased by Britain and France. The final plans did not arise until after the British and French buildings were completed, when the architects decided that a series of identical retail structures on Fifth Avenue would be esthetically pleasing.
The International Building plan was modified to its current status in June 1932, along with its two retail wings, which were nearly identical to the retail buildings to their south. After making this change, Hood resigned from the development of Rockefeller Center because of his illness. With this plan, the main tower was increased to 38 stories. The retail wings were to be connected to the main tower via a four-story galleria measuring wide and long. The southern wing had been named the Italian Building (later the Palazzo d'Italia), and Italy's dictator Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who, upon assuming office as Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister, became the dictator of Fascist Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 un ...
had expressed his approval of the project. Mussolini was impressed by the wing's 9-story height, which beat the 6-story height of the French and British buildings. Rockefeller Center's officials projected that the northern wing would be occupied by German interests.
Construction and opening
In March 1933, a company led by Italian senator Vittorio Scialoja
Vittorio Giulio Ippolito Camillo Scialoja (; 24 April 1856 – 19 November 1933) was an influential Italian Professor of Jurisprudence. His early focus was on Roman law, but he later broadened the scope of his research and teaching to embrace o ...
was established for the purpose of operating the Palazzo d'Italia. The wing was to be occupied by four subsidiaries of that company, known as the Commercial, Art, Food, and Tourist corporations. By early July, Rockefeller Center's developers had leased of space in the Palazzo, representing about a third of that structure's total floor area. A groundbreaking ceremony for Palazzo d'Italia took place on July 12, 1933, attended by Italian senator Antonio Mosconi, Rockefeller Center Inc. president Arthur Woods, and John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s son Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich "Rocky" Rockefeller (July 8, 1908 – January 26, 1979) was the 41st vice president of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977 under President Gerald Ford. He was also the 49th governor of New York, serving from 1959 to 197 ...
. The otherwise formal event was interrupted by a fascist chant led by an unemployed bricklayer. Rockefeller Center Inc. filed plans with the New York City Department of Buildings
The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) is the department of the New York City government that enforces the city's building codes and zoning regulations, issues building permits, licenses, registers and disciplines certain construction ...
in May 1934 for the two wings and a 38-story, International Tower at 45 Rockefeller Plaza.
The final small wing would have been rented by Germany under the name "Deutsches Haus", but Rockefeller ruled this out following Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
's rise to power in 1932. Russia started negotiating to lease the north wing in 1934, but the Russians were no longer actively seeking a lease by the next year. With no definite tenant for the northernmost building, the Rockefeller Center's managers reduced the proposed nine-story wings to six stories, enlarged and realigned the main building from a north–south to a west–east axis, and replaced the galleria between the two retail wings with an expansion of the International Building's lobby. The empty office site thus became International Building North, rented by various tenants.
The steel frame for the Palazzo was constructed starting in September 1934, after the plans had been modified. Work proceeded quickly, with the building rising about per day. The International Building's construction involved 1.3 million man-hour
A man-hour or human-hour is the amount of work performed by the average worker in one hour. It is used for estimation of the total amount of uninterrupted labor required to perform a task. For example, researching and writing a college paper ...
s of work, during which only 5,000-man-hours of delays were reported due to accidents. The low accident rate was attributed to construction contractors' use of modern safety measures, as well as the use of automatic equipment and two staging area
A staging area (otherwise staging base, staging facility, staging ground, staging point, or staging post) is a location in which organisms, people, vehicles, equipment, or material are assembled before use. It may refer to:
* In aviation, a desi ...
s for columns and beams on the building's seventh floor. In April 1935, Nelson Rockefeller hosted a ceremony in the International Building's lobby, giving craftsmanship awards to 31 workers who were involved in the project. When Rockefeller Center's developers opened the building on May 1, 1935, only 136 days had elapsed from groundbreaking to completion. The International Building was seen as a symbol of solidarity during the interwar period
In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period, also known as the interbellum (), lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) – from the end of World War I (WWI) to the beginning of World War II ( ...
, when Italy's entry in the League of Nations
The League of Nations (LN or LoN; , SdN) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace ...
was obstructed by American isolationists.
1930s to 1960s
The month after the building opened, Rockefeller Center's managers selected Piccirilli, Lawrie, Lachaise, Chambellan, and Lentelli to create work for the International Building. Lachaise's panels on the rear entrance were unveiled shortly afterward. Piccirilli's work for Palazzo d'Italia was installed in July 1935, followed by his work for International Building North in April 1936. Lawrie's ''Atlas'' was installed in January 1937, and his panels above three of the entrances on 50th and 51st Streets were unveiled in September 1937.
Among the earliest tenants were booking offices for the Cunard-White Star Line
Cunard-White Star Line Ltd, was a British shipping line which existed between 1934 and 1949.
History
The company was created to control the joint shipping assets of the Cunard Line and the White Star Line after both companies experienced finan ...
, Furness Withy
Furness Withy was a major United Kingdom, British transport business. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange.
History
The company was founded by Christopher Furness, 1st Baron Furness, Christopher Furness and Henry Withy (1852–1922) in 18 ...
, and the Italian Line
Known as Italian Line and from 1992 Italia Line, whose official name was Italia di Navigazione Società per Azioni, S.p.A., was a passenger shipping line that operated regular transatlantic crossing, transatlantic services between Italy and the ...
. Sinclair Oil
Sinclair Oil Corporation was an American petroleum corporation founded by Harry F. Sinclair on May 1, 1916. The Sinclair Oil and Refining Corporation amalgamated the assets of 11 small petroleum companies. Originally a New York corporation, Sin ...
leased seven stories in the building in July 1935, bringing the building's occupancy to 40 percent. Other early tenants included United States Tobacco Company, the Bristol Myers Company, the Swedish American Line
Swedish American Line (, abbr. SAL) was a Swedish passenger shipping line. It was founded in December 1914 under the name Rederiaktiebolaget Sverige-Nordamerika and began ocean liner service from Gothenburg to New York City, New York in 1915. ...
, the Berlitz Language School, the Chalif School of Dancing, and a tourist bureau of the federal government of Mexico
The Federal government of Mexico (alternately known as the Government of the Republic or ' or ') is the national government of the Mexico, United Mexican States, the central government established by its constitution to share sovereignty over the ...
. The building was also used for events such as ''New York Times'' book fairs and an international dance exhibition. A permanent art gallery was announced for the building's mezzanine and third floor in 1938. By the late 1930s, tobacco firm Liggett & Myers
Liggett Group ( ), now JTI Ligget, formerly known as Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company, is the fourth largest tobacco company in the United States. As of 2014, Liggett Group was the fourth largest American tobacco company by gross revenue, though ...
, watch company Bulova
Bulova is an American luxury timepiece manufacturing company that was founded in 1875 in New York City. Formally the Bulova Watch Company, it makes watches, clocks and accessories.
History Founding
Bulova was founded and incorporated as the J ...
, jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels is a French luxury jewelry company. It was founded in 1896 by the Dutch diamond-cutter Alfred Van Cleef and his father-in-law Salomon Arpels in Paris. Their pieces often feature flowers, animals and fairies.
History
The ...
, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada, known as simply the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE or ...
, and nine consulates had leased office space at the International Building.
The International Building soon became a hub for consular offices; at the beginning of 1941, there were 19 consulates. Though the U.S. government forced the closure of the Italian consulate that June, Rockefeller Center officials initially indicated they would not rename the Palazzo. With the United States' entry into World War II
Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor took place on December 7, 1941. The United States military suffered 19 ships damaged or sunk, and 2,40people were killed Its most significant consequence was the entrance of the United States into World War II. The U ...
that December, the Japanese consulate at the building was closed and Piccirilli's artwork on the Palazzo wing boarded up, as the U.S. was fighting both Japan and Italy. At this time, the Palazzo d'Italia was renamed International Building South. The building continued to host exhibitions, including a Sculptors Guild
Sculptors Guild, a society of sculptors who banded together to promote public interest in contemporary sculpture, was founded in 1937. Signatories to the original corporation papers (Sculptors Guild, Inc.) were Sonia Gordon Brown, Berta Margouli ...
display in 1942 and a showcase of Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (6 October 188727 August 1965), known as Le Corbusier ( , ; ), was a Swiss-French architectural designer, painter, urban planner and writer, who was one of the pioneers of what is now regarded as modern architecture ...
art in 1945. In 1945, Bankers Trust
Bankers Trust was a historic American banking organization. The bank merged with Alex. Brown & Sons in 1997 before being acquired by Deutsche Bank in 1999. Deutsche Bank sold the Trust and Custody division of Bankers Trust to State Street Corp ...
leased a bank branch on three stories in International Building South, filing alteration plans with the Department of Buildings. The branch spanned the basement, ground, and mezzanine levels with safe-deposit vaults below the basement. Also around this time, the northwest corner of the ground floor was modified. The Italian tourist bureau finally returned in 1949, at which point International Building South was planned to be renamed Palazzo d'Italia.
When Sinclair Oil built a new headquarters two blocks south at 600 Fifth Avenue
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th Street and 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. The 14 original Art Deco buildings, commissioned by the Rockefeller family, span ...
in the early 1950s, it vacated seven stories of space, which were quickly taken by Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster LLC (, ) is an American publishing house owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts since 2023. It was founded in New York City in 1924, by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. Along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group US ...
and Esso
Esso () is a trading name for ExxonMobil. Originally, the name was primarily used by its predecessor Standard Oil of New Jersey after the breakup of the original Standard Oil company in 1911. The company adopted the name "Esso" (from the phon ...
. Occupants of the storefront space during this time included American President Lines
American President Lines, LLC, is an American container shipping company that is a subsidiary of French shipping company CMA CGM. It operates an all-container ship fleet, including nine U.S. flagged container vessels.
In 1938, the U.S. governm ...
, which remodeled a storefront in International Building North; the United States Passport Agency; and the Egyptian government
The politics of Egypt takes place within the framework of a republican semi-presidential system of government. The current political system was established following the 2013 Egyptian military coup d'état, and the takeover of President Abdel ...
. By 1954, the International Building contained travel and information bureaus for 22 countries. During the 1960s, the building housed executive offices for companies such as Xerox
Xerox Holdings Corporation (, ) is an American corporation that sells print and electronic document, digital document products and services in more than 160 countries. Xerox was the pioneer of the photocopier market, beginning with the introduc ...
, Bulova, and Executive House Hotels. The ''Italia'' panel was installed above the Palazzo's main entrance in 1965. A bomb detonated outside the building in 1968, though there were only minor damage and two injuries.
1970s and 1980s
The Investors Funding Corporation of New York and the Security National Title and Guaranty Company took up three floors by the early 1970s. Other tenants during that decade were the Consolidated Newsprint Company, Hanes
Hanes (founded in 1900) and Hanes Her Way (founded in 1985) is an American clothing brand headquartered in Winston-Salem. Founded in 1900 as Shamrock Knitting Mills by John Wesley Hanes, the company is owned by Hanes, Inc.
History
Hanes was f ...
, and Bank Brussels Lambert
Bank Brussels Lambert (BBL, ) was a prominent Belgian bank that was created in 1975 through the merger of Banque de Bruxelles and Banque Lambert, and was eventually acquired in 1998 by ING Group; however the name survived as part of Groupe Bru ...
. Fjelde's bust of Charles Lindbergh was dedicated in the lobby in 1975, and Ihara's ''Light and Movement'' was installed there in 1978 after Nelson Rockefeller, a modern-art connoisseur, had commissioned a structure to fill the empty lobby walls. Rockefeller Center's managers cleaned the facade of the International Building and its wings during 1979 as part of a restoration program across the entire complex. Manship's statues, which had stood atop the Palazzo d'Italia since it opened, were removed in 1984 and relocated to Rockefeller Center's central plaza.
Columbia University was not making enough money from Rockefeller Center leases by the 1970s, and the university started looking to sell the land beneath Rockefeller Center, including the International Building, in 1983. That year, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the Government of New York City, New York City agency charged with administering the city's Historic preservation, Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting Ne ...
(LPC) held hearings to determine how much of Rockefeller Center should be protected as a landmark. The Rockefeller family and Columbia University acknowledged that the buildings were already symbolically landmarks, but their spokesman John E. Zuccotti recommended that only the block between 49th and 50th Streets be protected; the International Building was excluded from this area. By contrast, almost everyone else who supported Rockefeller Center's landmark status recommended that the entire complex be landmarked. The LPC granted landmark status to the exteriors of all of the original complex's buildings, as well as the interiors of the International Building's and 30 Rockefeller Plaza's lobbies, on April 23, 1985. Rockefeller Center's original buildings also became a National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...
in 1987.
Meanwhile, Columbia had agreed to sell the land to the Rockefeller Group for $400 million in February 1985. The Rockefeller Group formed Rockefeller Center Inc. that July to manage the International Building and other properties. The roof gardens of the wings were restored in 1986 at a cost of $48,000 for each garden. The complex became a National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...
in 1987. Mitsubishi Estate
is one of the largest real estate developers in Japan and is involved in property management and architecture research and design.
As of 2018, Mitsubishi Estate has the most valuable portfolio in the Japanese real estate industry, with a total ...
, a real estate company of the Mitsubishi Group
The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries.
Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group traces its origins to the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company that existed from 1870 to 1946 ...
, purchased a majority stake in the Rockefeller Group in 1988, including the International Building and Rockefeller Center's other structures.
1990s to present
By the early 1990s, the International Building was 87 percent occupied. During that decade, the International Building contained a business center shared by several small tenants, with reception and communications services as well as conference rooms. The Rockefeller Group filed for bankruptcy protection in May 1995 after missing several mortgage payments. That November, John Rockefeller Jr.'s son David
David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament.
The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...
and a consortium led by Goldman Sachs
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational investment bank and financial services company. Founded in 1869, Goldman Sachs is headquartered in Lower Manhattan in New York City, with regional headquarters in many internationa ...
agreed to buy Rockefeller Center's buildings for $1.1 billion, beating out Sam Zell
Samuel Zell (born Shmuel Zielonka; September 28, 1941 – May 18, 2023) was an American billionaire businessman and philanthropist primarily engaged in real estate investment. Companies founded by or controlled by Zell include Equity Residential ...
and other bidders. The transaction included $306 million for the mortgage and $845 million for other expenses. The International Building's U.S. passport office moved out during 1998 and was replaced by a three-story New York Sports Club
Town Sports International Holdings (or TSI Holdings) is an operator of fitness centers in Florida and in Puerto Rico. Its current brands include Liv Fitness Clubs, Palm Beach Sports Clubs, and Christi's Fitness. Former brands include New York ...
. A preservation dispute arose in May 1998, when the owners announced plans to enlarge shop windows on the center's Fifth Avenue buildings to two stories. The window sizes were reduced upon the LPC's request, and the modifications were approved in September 1998.
Tishman Speyer
Tishman Speyer is an American multinational corporation based at 45 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan. The conglomerate invests in high-profile real estate properties, has developed multiple buildings around the world, and has owned famou ...
, led by David Rockefeller's close friend Jerry Speyer
Jerry I. Speyer (born June 23, 1940) is an American real estate developer. He is one of two founding partners of the New York real estate company Tishman Speyer, which controls Rockefeller Center. Speyer was featured in the Forbes 400 list in 2021 ...
and the Lester Crown family of Chicago, bought the original 14 buildings and land in December 2000 for $1.85 billion, including the International Building. The new owners opened several restaurants throughout the complex, including Campari and Brasserie Ruhlmann at the ground floor. Office tenants during the 2000s included investment firm AlpInvest Partners
AlpInvest Partners is a global private equity asset manager with over $85 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2024. The firm invests on behalf of more than 500 institutional investors from North America, Asia, Europe, South Amer ...
; stock-market indices provider FTSE Group
FTSE International Limited trading as FTSE Russell ( "Footsie") is a British provider of stock market index, stock market indices and associated data services, wholly owned by the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and operating from premises in Canary ...
; law firms BakerHostetler
BakerHostetler is an American law firm founded in 1916. One of the firm's founders, Newton D. Baker, was U.S. Secretary of War during World War I, and former Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio.
History
, the firm was ranked the 73rd-largest law firm in t ...
and Venable LLP
Venable LLP is an American law firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. It is the largest law firm in the state of Maryland. Founded in 1900 by Richard Venable in Baltimore, Venable operates 13 offices across the United States and employs about 85 ...
; and radio network Premiere Networks
Premiere Networks, Inc. (formerly Premiere Radio Networks, shortened as PRN) is an American media company, a subsidiary of iHeartMedia, for which it currently serves as its main original radio content distribution and production arm. It is th ...
. The ''Atlas'' statue at the entrance was restored in 2008. During the 2010s, office tenants included satellite television provider DirecTV
DirecTV, LLC is an American Multichannel television in the United States, multichannel video programming distributor based in El Segundo, California. Originally launched on June 17, 1994, its primary service is a digital Satellite television, s ...
, ''TV Guide Magazine
''TV Guide'' is an American biweekly magazine that provides television program listings information as well as television-related news, celebrity interviews and gossip, film reviews, crossword puzzles, and, in some issues, horoscopes. The print ...
'', private equity advisory firm Campbell Lutyens
Campbell Lutyens is an independent private markets advisory firm exclusively focused on primary fundraising, secondary transactions and GP capital advisory services in the private equity, private debt, infrastructure and sustainable investing ...
, and Rockefeller Capital Management
Rockefeller Capital Management (RCM) is an independent wealth management and financial services firm, founded in 2018. The firm offers family office, asset management, and strategic advisory services to high-net-worth individuals and families, ins ...
.
In 2020, Tishman Speyer hired Gabellini Sheppard Associates to design a renovation for the lobby. The plans included cleaning wall and floor surfaces, adding recessed lighting, and creating brass niches beneath Ihara's lobby structures. The Lego Group
Lego A/S, also known as the Lego Group, is a Danish construction toy production company based in Billund. It manufactures Lego-branded toys, consisting mostly of interlocking ABS plastic and rubber bricks. The Lego Group has also built severa ...
opened a Lego Store
A Lego Store, sometimes referred to as a Lego Imagination Center, is a retail store operated by The Lego Group that specializes in selling only Lego products, similar to Apple Stores or Disney Stores. Many of these stores have opened across North ...
at the building in June 2021, and the restaurant Le Rock opened there in late 2022. Gabellini Sheppard Associates' renovation of the lobby was completed by early 2024.
Reception
At the International Building's completion, ''Architectural Forum
''Architectural Forum'' was an American magazine that covered the homebuilding industry and architecture. Started in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1892 as ''The Brickbuilder'', it absorbed the magazine ''Architect's World'' in October 1938. Ownershi ...
'' wrote, "The form of the building is severe and rather clunky", with the main slab rising its full height without any setbacks on Fifth Avenue. Conversely, ''Architectural Forum'' wrote that the plaza had "splendid and imposing design" and that the lobby was "one of the best things of its kind that has yet been done". Paul Goldberger
Paul Goldberger (born December 4, 1950)Brennan, Elizabeth A.; Clarage, Elizabeth C''Who's who of Pulitzer Prize winners'' Greenwood Publishing Group, 1999. Cfp.87on Paul Goldberger of ''The New York Times'' wrote in 1976 that the escalators at the center of the lobby were "a modern equivalent of the triumphal staircase". Six years later, Goldberger said 30 Rockefeller Plaza's form, "made sumptuous by its mounting setbacks", contrasted with the "smaller and bulkier" International Building and other structures in the complex. Architect and writer Robert A. M. Stern
Robert Arthur Morton Stern (born May 23, 1939) is an American architect, educator, and author. He is the founding partner of the architecture firm, Robert A. M. Stern Architects, also known as RAMSA. From 1998 to 2016, he was the Dean of the Y ...
wrote in his 1987 book ''New York 1930'': "Its virtually reveal-less facades and detail-free columns and piers were complemented by the severe machine-like precision of the interior details."
See also
*Art Deco architecture of New York City
Art Deco architecture flourished in New York City during the 1920s and 1930s. The style broke with many traditional architectural conventions and was characterized by verticality, ornamentation, and building materials such as plastics, metals, ...
*
References
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{{Fifth Avenue
1935 establishments in New York City
1930s architecture in the United States
Art Deco architecture in Manhattan
Art Deco skyscrapers
Fifth Avenue
New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan
New York City interior landmarks
Office buildings completed in 1935
Retail buildings in New York (state)
Rockefeller Center
Skyscraper office buildings in Manhattan