Rockefeller Center
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
The GE Building is one of six landmark buildings in the 19-building complex
The view of Central Park from the observation deck
the 18 foot statue of Prometheus was built in 1934 and remains one of the symbols of New York City
The mural American Progress in the lobby of the GE Building
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
In the 1930’s the worst years of the Great Depression were amidst. John D. Rockefeller had a dream to construct a “city within a city”, and that is just what he did. The construction of the Rockefeller Center employed more than 40,000 people. When the doors opened in May of 1933, the team that constructed the Rockefeller Center concluded that it was an act of good citizenship. The lobby was beautifully decorated by two very famous European artists, José Maria Sert, and Frank Brangwyn.
Throughout the 1930’s the Rockefeller Center improved rapidly. One of these improvements included the Christmas Tree tradition that started in 1931. The skating rink was added to the complex in 1936. By 1939, Rockefeller Center had more than 125,000 visitors per day.
During the first decade of opening, the Rockefeller Center
had tenants’ like News-Week, the French Bookstore, and Librairie de France. Current
tenants include financial firms such as Bank of America, textbook
publisher McGraw Hill, and NBC. One of the earliest tenants of the
19-building complex included the British and American intelligence services
during World War II.
An underground concourse connects many of the buildings and includes
restaurants retailers. The entrance to the observation deck is
on 50th Street between 5th & 6th Avenue. There are actually
three observation decks, allowing for a 360 degree view of New York. There
is also the famous skating rink on the concourse level with its 20-foot high
statue of Prometheus. The famous “Top of the Rock” view is one that can never
be forgotten.
Today over a million people visit the Rockefeller Center every year. To keep the environment healthy, Rockefeller Center has installed over 350 solar panels, and is planning to put a green roof on top of the Radio City Music Hall. Many improvements are still being made today to make sure that Rock is still magnificent in the decades to come.