NEW YORK | The Empire State Building | 1,472' Pinnacle | 103 FLOORS | 1931 - Page 32

Lecom · #**621** Posted **Jan 10, 2011, 10:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aleks

Idk, the antenna looks good like that imo. Cladding it would make it look bad.

But yeah, they should wash the Spire and put some coating on it so it shines a bit. Especially the last floor, right before the antenna starts. Hopefully when the FT is finished some of the antenna's will be removed because they distract from the beauty. And those random rusted tubes need to go too! Also, is this the original glass on the spire/observation floors?

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I'm all for historic preservation but this glass has to go. It's really outdated and dirty. They should at least replace the glass, have these panels cleaned and then installed again.

Hopefully once 1WTC rises, a good chunk of antenna tenants move back to the WTC, allowing the ESB's owners to take all that clutter off the main dirigible shaft and restore it to its original streamlined look, leaving external communications equipment only on the antenna itself.

NYguy · #**622** Posted **Jan 11, 2011, 2:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by gramsjdg

When did they shorten the antenna?

It's beena long time. Could have been back in the 80's, I don't remember exactly.

BStyles · #**623** Posted **Jan 12, 2011, 9:10 PM**

I was one of those kids who thought that nothing could ever go wrong with TV. When the towers fell and the TV screens stayed as white as snow for days, you realize that nothing is impervious.

I honestly don't appreciate that they cluttered the spire with all the broadcasting equipment, but they didn't really have a choice in the matter. A decade ago there weren't any large towers in vicinity with large antennae besides Conde Nast, so they had little to work with. It was stated that once 1WTC's communications ring and antenna were completed, all of the FM stations that were relocated after 9/11 would move back downtown, and the ESB would get it's spire renovated. Sometime next year, hopefully.

STR · #**624** Posted **Jan 12, 2011, 11:34 PM**

^The PA has had trouble getting broadcasters to sign back on. Last I heard, only one had leased space. I expect that to change, as Tower 1 has the only truly dedicated high-level space in the region. It just may take a while. It sure won't be next year. 2 years from now is about the minimum.

NYguy · #**625** Posted **Jan 13, 2011, 2:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by STR

^The PA has had trouble getting broadcasters to sign back on. Last I heard, only one had leased space. I expect that to change, as Tower 1 has the only truly dedicated high-level space in the region. It just may take a while. It sure won't be next year. 2 years from now is about the minimum.

Yes, end even them the Empire State will continue to serve as a backup. It's cluttered, but that look may be here to stay.

In other news, there was a full page ad in the papers today from Malking talking about the large lease they've just signed (for about a half million square feet) and the large blocks of space that will become available. It's returning to its status as one of the important "big boys" as far as tenants go.

NYguy · #**626** Posted **Jan 13, 2011, 5:15 PM**

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Lecom · #**627** Posted **Jan 13, 2011, 9:12 PM**

Meh, the ESB's antenna has enjoyed a nice comeback that has already lasted for 10 years and will probably go on for at least another 5. Judging by the tragic circumstances that suddenly boosted their business, there are no hard feelings at all about them losing most of their newfound customers.

Troubadour · #**628** Posted **Jan 14, 2011, 5:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aleks

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Some folks obviously hate all the technology that has "grown" out of the mast, but I guess I'm just a scifi guy through-and-through, because the above picture is unspeakably beautiful to me. Technology at high altitude = awesome. I love the way the antenna masts on ESB and BoA look. It reminds me of the fine details on Gothic cathedral spires.

Matthew · #**629** Posted **Jan 17, 2011, 2:04 AM**

If enough supertall buildings are built close to the Empire State Building, it will become worthless as an antenna site for line-of-sight broadcasting, due to multi-path interference. Many people will tell you this area will see many supertall proposals in the near future. This would lead to One World Trade Center becoming the leading site for line-of-sight broadcasting. This will likely take many years, but any bad multi-path from just one new supertall, such as 15 Penn (multi-path in New Jersey), could lead to several broadcasters leaving earlier than thought. This is also a possible reason the Empire State Building isn't pleased with plans for 15 Penn. The Empire State Building is located in the middle, with many older and shorter buildings around it, which creates uncertainty, while One World Trade Center is near the far end and on the waterfront, in an area already well developed with newer buildings less likely to be replaced with supertalls. You can send a better signal into New Jersey and along Long Island from One World Trade Center. I'm not sure if the signal from the Empire State Building is much better (multi-path interference) into places like White Plains? It could be about the same? I guess we will see when One World Trade Center is completed, but in the renderings, the One World Trade Center antenna does appear to be the best.

KevinFromTexas · #**630** Posted **Jan 17, 2011, 6:03 AM**

New York's skyline could still look like that and still be the best. So many gems.

Don098 · #**631** Posted **Jan 17, 2011, 6:29 AM**

Are all of those buildings in Lower Manhattan occupied or retrofitted for modern society? If not, someone needs to get on that so they don't fall victim to greedy developers that only want new construction...

NYguy · #**632** Posted **Jan 17, 2011, 2:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don098

Are all of those buildings in Lower Manhattan occupied or retrofitted for modern society? If not, someone needs to get on that so they don't fall victim to greedy developers that only want new construction...

It may be news to you, but it's those "greedy developers" who will do the retrofitting.

NYguy · #**633** Posted **Jan 17, 2011, 2:54 PM**

The glory days...

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thelanetrain17 · #**634** Posted **Jan 17, 2011, 3:52 PM**

sorry if this question has already been answered, but what kind of renovations are they going to do on the ESB??? Interior? Exterior?

Roadcruiser1 · #**635** Posted **Jan 17, 2011, 5:28 PM**

Both interior and exterior renovations are being done to bring it back to look as much as it did to when it first opened.

Roadcruiser1 · #**636** Posted **Jan 17, 2011, 5:32 PM**

Also I would love to see them fix the Empire State Building to it's opening day looks both inside, and outside, but I would also like to see them fix the mast so it would look like new, and without the broadcasting things, and stuff coming out of it. Hopefully they would try to patch it up a bit, and even though it might sound like a foamer's dream fly blimps from Coney Island to the top of the Empire State Building. I think it's impossible though due to the air currents, and it has been tried before, but maybe if they improve the way the blimp docks it would stand a chance.

Lecom · #**637** Posted **Jan 17, 2011, 7:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troubadour

Some folks obviously hate all the technology that has "grown" out of the mast, but I guess I'm just a scifi guy through-and-through, because the above picture is unspeakably beautiful to me. Technology at high altitude = awesome. I love the way the antenna masts on ESB and BoA look. It reminds me of the fine details on Gothic cathedral spires.

I agree. There is definitely some magic to the assemblage of the equipment that has quite organically grown on top of the ESB, like barnacles on a ship's hull. It's an interesting example of adaptive reuse. Initially built for the "future" zeppelin travel, the mast found itself much more practical use as a harbinger of the actual 20th century "future" - radio broadcasts first, then TV etc, and now it's getting yet another update to accommodate the most contemporary equipment. Whether it's better to maintain this organic growth on a building's exterior or if it should be restored to its classic, streamlined look is a whole other urbanist discussion.

MolsonExport · #**638** Posted **Jan 17, 2011, 8:36 PM**

no skyline, past, present or future, will ever beat the lower/midtown manhattan skylines of the 1930s-1940s.

Alliance · #**639** Posted **Jan 17, 2011, 9:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

no skyline, past, present or future, will ever beat the lower/midtown manhattan skylines of the 1930s-1940s.

Well, lets not say that, but certainly the downtown skyline in the 1930s was a singular achievement in human history.

Obey · #**640** Posted **Jan 17, 2011, 10:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

no skyline, past, present or future, will ever beat the lower/midtown manhattan skylines of the 1930s-1940s.

Agreed, fantastic structures.