diEyeSpyArtNYC 00006
by DiDesigns Graphics
Title
diEyeSpyArtNYC 00006
Artist
DiDesigns Graphics
Medium
Photograph - Original - As Shot
Description
The Historic New York City Landmark Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower�s Pyramid-Shaped Roof and Gilded Cupola
In 1905, Metropolitan Life bought a lot at the southeastern corner of Madison Avenue and 24th Street, on which it intended to build a 560-foot (170 m) building. In 1909, the Metlife Tower was constructed near Madison Square park as the new headquarters of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. It was added to the original 1893 headquarters. The 700ft (213 m), 51 stories tall building was modeled on the Campanile at St. Mark�s Square in Venice. When constructed, it was the tallest building in the world. It would keep that title until the completion of the Woolworth Building in 1913. The building served as world headquarters of the company until 2005.
In the early 1950s, Metropolitan Life started to renovate its entire headquarters, as well as demolish auxiliary structures in lieu of a new limestone, art moderne building. The tower, the sole remaining structure from the early 20th century, was extensively renovated from 1960-1964, and most of the ornaments on the tower�s facade were removed or rebuilt during that time, including the clock and the pyramid-shaped roof. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978, and a New York City landmark in 1989.
A three-year exterior restoration project, which saw much of the building covered in scaffolding, ended in 2002 and added a new, computerized, multicolored nighttime lighting system, much like that of the Empire State Building; the colors change to denote particular holidays or important events. The gilded cupola at the very top of the building serves as an �eternal light� which stays illuminated even after the rest of the lighting system has been turned off for the night. The building figured prominently in the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company�s advertising for many years, illustrated with a light beaming from the top of its spire and the slogan, �The Light That Never Fails�.
In March 2005, SL Green Realty Corp. bought the tower, intending to convert it to apartments. In May 2007, the tower and adjacent air rights were subsequently sold for $200 million to Africa Israel Investments. In 2011, Tommy Hilfiger and a partner signed a contract to buy the building for $170 million, planning to transform it into Hilfiger�s first hotel, with luxury condos. However Hilfiger backed off the project in September 2011. Africa Israel then sold the tower to Marriott International in October 2011 for $165 million. Marriott announced in January 2012 that they are converting the tower to the New York Edition Hotel. �Edition� is Marriott�s boutique hotel line, run in association with Ian Schrager. The three Edition hotels, in London, Miami and New York, were sold by Marriott in January 2013 for $815 Million to the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. The New York property was conveyed to its new owner on its completion. Marriott continues to manage the hotels under long-term contract. The hotel opened in September, 2015.
copyright 2016
Diana L Elliott
Di Designs Graphics
All Rights Reserved
DSC05779
Uploaded
December 24th, 2016
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