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Construction of Rockefeller Center started in 1931, and the first buildings opened in 1933. The core of the complex was completed by 1939. Described as one of the greatest projects of the Great Depression era, Rockefeller Center became a New York City designated landmark in 1985 and a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
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The first edifice was opened in September 1932, and most of the complex was completed by 1935. The final three buildings were built between 1936 and 1940, although Rockefeller Center was officially completed by November 2, 1939.
- Breaking Ground
- Changing Names
- Establishing Territory
- Family Business
- International Inspiration
- WWII
- From Debt to Profit
- Making Moves
- From Profit to Debt
- Rockefeller’s Mark
Before this center became what it is today, Columbia University owned the land that was leased to John D. Rockefeller Jr. in 1928. Originally, it was to build a new Metropolitan Opera house. However, this could no longer be afforded due to the stock market crash in 1929. As a result, plans changed after Rockefeller negotiated with Radio Corporation...
Rockefeller Center certainly came a long way since 1801 when twenty acres of this land were owned by a physician named David Hosack. It was originally opened as Elgin Botanic Garden that ran for ten years before Columbia University assumed ownership of the land in 1923. Originally, David Jr. did not want his family’s name associated with this comme...
The first completed building belonging to the center was the RKO, which was ready for move-in in September 1932. Next was the Music Hall which opened in December. In April 1933, it was the British Empire Building, then the RCA Building in May after a brief delay due to a controversial painting that was displayed in its lobby. Diego Rivera’s Man at ...
Going into 1938, Nelson Rockefeller became president of this newly developed center. His first move was changing its management, as well as moving into the 56th floor of the RCA building. Over time, the family business took up three floors of space inside its sixty-six-foot tower. Even though November 1, 1939, marked the ceremonial date of the fina...
Going into the autumn season of 1934, there were three buildings in development that focused on establishing an international flavor. There were two retail outlets, as well as a thirty-eight-story complex, on the way. One of these buildings was already rented out to Italian tenants. At one point, Germany was interested in renting but was rejected d...
Due to rising tensions that led to World War II, New York City was already facing foreign-related issues. After Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941, whatever lease agreements were in place with Germans, Italians, and Japanese tenants at that time were terminated for security reasons. There were also office relocations and evictions among ...
Upon the completion of Rockefeller Center in 1940, it was in debt by nearly forty million dollars. However, the debt didn’t last for long, thanks to so many tenants filing up all the rental space it had available at the time. In fact, it was so popular there was a waiting list just to rent space in the center. As for the Music Hall, this was a favo...
As newer offices throughout New York City were erected that came with upgrades such as air conditioning and improved spacing, some of the existing tenants seeking to relocate. At this time, Columbia University still technically owned the land underneath all this development. As renters themselves, the Rockefeller Center put in the request to have a...
Despite Rockefeller Center’s success, they also had a landlord of their own. Columbia University was still technically a landowner of all the property involved in this urban development. While New York’s economy was thriving, developers were able to cash in. When the 1970s saw a skid that included a proliferation of closed-captioned foreign films, ...
The Rockefellers and Columbia University agreed the center’s buildings were already symbolic landmarks. Also, the university felt it wasn’t making enough lease money from the center. Going into 1983, Columbia looked into selling land underneath the buildings to outside investors. It wound up selling to the Rockefeller Group for $400 million USD. In...
The center was open to the public three years later on Christmas day. Mr. Rockefeller found it challenging to bring his tenants to the sunken plaza to shop. Fortunately, a skate salesman gave him the idea to set up a rink after seeing a skate salesman skating on the frozen Rockefeller Plaza fountain.
- An investment. First conceived in 1927, Rockefeller Center was intended as a mixed use complex that would house the Metropolitan Opera and assorted retail establishments.
- Cool, unfussy elegance. Raymond Hood’s RCA building (since renamed the GE building and popularly known as 30 Rock) dominates Rockefeller Center. This skyscraper exudes a cool, unfussy elegance.
- Streamlined moderne. The building was as efficient as it was elegant, with floor plans designed to maximize rental values. Proximity to windows was important—tenants demanded daylight and ventilation in their office spaces.
- Art and architecture. The architects did, however, welcome the addition of sculpture and paintings to their buildings, both inside and out. To name but a few examples, Lee Lawrie’s rich Art Deco panels on the RCA building depicted allegorical figures of light and sound; Hildreth Meiere’s panels on Radio City Music Hall rendered stylized theatrical muses in bold colors.
Mar 6, 2024 · The Rockefeller Center is the largest private building project of modern times, undertaken at the height of the Great Depression. Construction of the original 14 Rockefeller Center complex buildings began in 1930 and was completed in 1939.
First conceived in 1927, Rockefeller Center was intended as a mixed use complex that would house the Metropolitan Opera and assorted retail establishments. The opera later withdrew, and was replaced with the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) and its fledgling subsidiary, NBC.
