General Electric Building

The General Electric Building is a historic 50-floor, Convert|640|ft|m|0|lk=on-tall, skyscraper in Midtown New York City, United States, at 570 Lexington Avenue (southwest corner of Lexington and 51st Street). [Cite web|title=570 Lexington Avenue|url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=570lexingtonavenuenue-newyorkcity-ny-usa|publisher=Emporis.com|accessdate=2008-07-12] Originally known as the "RCA Victor Building" when designed in 1931 by John W. Cross of Cross and Cross, and sometimes known by its address to avoid confusion with the later GE Building at 30 Rockefeller Center.

It backs up to the low Byzantine dome of St. Bartholomew's Church on Park Avenue and shares the same salmon brick color. But from Lexington, the building is an insistently tall 50-floor stylized Gothic tower with its own identity, a classic Art Deco visual statement of suggested power through simplification. The base contains elaborate, generous masonry, architectural figural sculpture, and at on the corner above the main entrance, a conspicuous corner clock with the curvy GE logo and a pair of silver disembodied forearms. The crown of the building is a dynamic-looking burst of Gothic tracery, which is supposed to represent radio waves, and is lit from within at night.

ee also

*List of tallest buildings in New York City

References

External links

* [http://www.thecityreview.com/lex570.html History of the building from the City Review]
* [http://www.waltlockley.com/architecturalsculpture/figuralamerica.htm Several photos of GE Bldg at 570 Lexington]
* [http://www.emporis.com/en/il/pc/?id=115512&aid=8 More photos from Emporis Buildings, a public database on architecture.]
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0356910/trivia Parts of the movie "Mr. and Mrs. Smith were filmed at 570 Lexington.]