55 Water Street
40°42′12″N 74°00′33″W / 40.7032°N 74.0091°W
| 55 Water Street | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Office |
| Construction started | 1969 |
| Completed | 1972 |
| Owner | Retirement Systems of Alabama |
| Height | |
| Roof | 687 ft (209 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 53 |
| Floor area | 3.5 million square feet (325,000 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Emery Roth & Sons Lee S. Jablin |
| Developer | Uris Brothers |
| Structural engineer | The Office of James Ruderman |
55 Water Street is a 687 ft (209m) tall skyscraper in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, New York City, on the East River. It was completed in 1972 and has 53 floors. Emery Roth & Sons designed the building, which is tied with 277 Park Avenue as the 40th tallest building in New York City. When it was completed it was the largest office building in the world, and is still the largest in New York by floor area. In an arrangement with the Office of Lower Manhattan Development, it was built on a superblock created from four adjoining city blocks, suppressing the western part of Front Street.
On the north side of the tower is a 15-story wing with a sloping facade and terraces facing the river. In front of the wing is an elevated plaza, known as the "Elevated Acre", which is reachable by a high escalator ride. The 4,800 square metres (52,000 sq ft) plaza was designed by M. Paul Friedberg & Associates, and has same red brick tiles as his Jeannette Park to the south of the tower. The building, its plazas and Jeannette Park have been renovated and redesigned by Lee S. Jablin of Harman Jablin Architects.[1] It was originally planned as a series of high-level public spaces along East River, to be connected with walkways running above the street level.
On October 29, 2012, the building was among many along the Lower Manhattan waterfront that sustained damage related to Hurricane Sandy when 32+ million gallons flooded three underground levels and causing water to rise waist high in the lobby. On November 23, 2012, while repairs were being conducted a fire caused injuries to 27 people -- mostly those working on the lower levels.[2]
55 Water Street was the last major building built by Uris Brothers.[3]
Tenants
The building is the headquarters of EmblemHealth.[4] HIP Health Plan of New York, which became a part of EmblemHealth, moved there with 2,000 employees in October 2004. It was the largest corporate relocation in downtown Manhattan following the September 11 attacks.[5] Standard & Poor's, a corporate rating agency, is also headquartered in the building.[6] From 1973 to 1983 the Whitney Museum of American Art maintained a branch museum in the building. Space was rented for a token fee and the operating cost was being paid for by several Wall Street corporations.
See also
References
- ^ Dunlap, David W. "Putting a Shine on a Memorial Long Forlorn", New York Times (May 24, 2000)
- ^ http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/NYC-high-rise-fire-leaves-27-with-smoke-inhalation-4061604.php
- ^ http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=company&lng=3&id=103168
- ^ "Large Employer Group Application". EmblemHealth. Retrieved on August 12, 2011. "EmblemHealth, 55 Water Street, New York, New York 10041 HIP Insurance Company of New York, 55 Water Street, New York, NY 10041 Group Health Incorporated, 441 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY 10001"
- ^ "HIP Celebrates Opening of New Headquarters in Lower Manhattan; Relocation of 2,000 Employees to 55 Water Street Represents Largest Corporate Relocation to Lower Manhattan Since 9/11" HIP Health Plan. (October 12, 2004). Retrieved on August 12, 2011.
- ^ "Office Locations." Standard & Poor's. Retrieved on August 12, 2011. "Corporate 55 Water Street New York New York "
External links
Media related to 55 Water Street at Wikimedia Commons- Official website
- Emporis
- Skyscraperpage
