You’ve seen it. Even if you haven't walked the pavement of Midtown Manhattan, you have definitely seen the Art Deco masterpiece at 220 East 42nd Street. It was the Daily Planet in the 1978 Superman movie. Christopher Reeve literally walked through those doors. But for New Yorkers, it’s just the Daily News Building. It’s a massive, striped slab of limestone and brick that kind of anchors the whole stretch of 42nd Street between Second and Third Avenues. Honestly, it’s one of those buildings that makes you stop walking and just look up, which is saying a lot in a city where everyone is usually staring at their shoes or a subway map.
The Architecture of 220 East 42nd Street
Raymond Hood was the guy behind the design. He’s a legend. He did the Chicago Tribune Tower and played a huge role in Rockefeller Center, but there is something uniquely gritty yet elegant about what he did here in 1929. The building doesn't have the fancy spires of the Chrysler Building nearby. Instead, it uses vertical stripes of white brick and reddish-brown windows to trick your eyes into thinking it’s even taller than it actually is. It’s 37 stories of "get to work" energy.
The entrance is where the real magic happens. There is this huge bronze bas-relief right over the door. It shows a sunburst and a bunch of people just living their lives under the phrase "He made so many of them." It’s a quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln about the common people. It fits. The Daily News was always the paper for the regular person, the straphanger, the guy buying a nickel coffee.
Inside the lobby, things get weirdly cool. There is a massive, rotating globe. It’s 12 feet wide. It sits in a pit in the floor, surrounded by black glass that reflects everything like a dark mirror. Back in the day, the lobby was basically a public weather station. There are charts and clocks on the walls showing wind speed, barometric pressure, and time zones across the world. It’s vintage tech at its finest. You can still walk in and see it. Most people think it’s a private office lobby you can't enter, but the lobby is generally open to the public during business hours. It’s one of the best free "museums" in the city.
A News Hub That Defined an Era
From 1930 until the mid-90s, this was the heartbeat of New York tabloid journalism. If you've ever seen those old movies where guys with fedoras are screaming "Stop the presses!", that was actually happening here. The printing presses were located in the lower floors. The vibration of the machines used to shake the whole building. Can you imagine trying to type a column while the floor is literally humming under your feet?
The Daily News eventually moved out to 450 West 33rd Street, and then later to downtown and New Jersey, but the soul of the building stayed behind. It’s a landmark now. You can't just tear it down or turn it into a sterile glass box. It’s protected by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. That’s a big deal. It means the lobby and that iconic exterior are going to stay exactly how they are.
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What is Inside 220 East 42nd Street Today?
Nowadays, it’s a mix of big-name tenants. It isn't just a relic. It’s prime real estate. SL Green Realty Corp owns it, and they’ve put a lot of money into keeping it modern without ruining the Art Deco vibes.
The United Nations is right down the street, so you get a lot of international organizations and non-profits in the area. WPIX-TV (Channel 11) is probably the most famous current tenant. They’ve been there for decades. If you watch the local news in NYC, you’re looking at a broadcast coming straight out of 220 East 42nd Street. Other tenants include media companies, travel agencies, and Pfizer has had a significant presence in the neighborhood for years too.
It’s a "Class A" office space. That’s industry speak for "expensive and high-end." It has over 1.1 million square feet of space. That is a lot of cubicles. But despite the corporate vibe, the building still feels like a piece of history.
The Superman Connection
We have to talk about Clark Kent. When the producers of the 1978 Superman movie were looking for a location for the Daily Planet, they didn’t build a set. They just walked into 220 East 42nd Street. The lobby was perfect. It looked grand, global, and slightly intimidating—exactly where a superhero would want to hide in plain sight.
Even today, fans of the movie show up just to take a picture with the globe. It’s a pilgrimage site. There is something really cool about the fact that a building designed for a tabloid newspaper became the symbol of truth and justice in cinema.
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Navigating the Neighborhood
If you’re heading there, you’re in the heart of Turtle Bay/Midtown East. It’s a busy spot.
- Grand Central Terminal: It’s a five-minute walk west. If you’re coming from out of town, just take the 4, 5, 6, 7, or the S shuttle.
- The Food Scene: It’s a bit of a "power lunch" area. You’ve got the classic Sparks Steak House nearby (where Paul Castellano famously met his end, if you’re into mob history).
- The Vibe: It’s professional. During the week, it’s all suits and coffee cups. On the weekends, it gets surprisingly quiet, which is actually the best time to go look at the architecture.
Why You Should Care
A lot of people think NYC is turning into a giant shopping mall. And yeah, parts of it are. But 220 East 42nd Street is a reminder of when the city was built on industry and information. It wasn't built by a tech conglomerate; it was built by a newspaper.
It represents a time when buildings were meant to tell a story. The globe in the lobby wasn't just decoration. It was a statement that the news happening in New York mattered to the whole world. It’s a bit arrogant, sure, but that’s very New York.
Actionable Tips for Visiting
If you want to experience the building correctly, don't just snap a photo of the outside and leave.
First, check the weather before you go. The lobby’s instruments are still fun to read, especially on a windy day when you can see the gauges jumping.
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Second, enter through the main 42nd Street entrance. Some of the side entrances are for tenants only and won't give you that "wow" factor of the rotating globe.
Third, respect the security guards. It is a working office building. You can’t wander into the elevators or go up to the offices unless you have an appointment. But usually, they’re cool with you spending five or ten minutes in the lobby looking at the maps and the globe.
Fourth, combine it with a trip to the Chrysler Building (just a block away) and the Ford Foundation Building (a block east). The Ford Foundation has a massive indoor garden that is also open to the public. It’s a great little "Art Deco and Architecture" walking tour you can do in under an hour.
Finally, look at the floor. The compass rose and the brass lines embedded in the terrazzo are all part of the original 1930 design. It’s rare to see a lobby that hasn't been "updated" into oblivion. This one is the real deal.
The building at 220 East 42nd Street is more than just a piece of the skyline. It’s a survivor. It survived the Great Depression, the decline of print media, and the changing face of Midtown. It stays relevant because it’s beautiful and functional. It’s a must-see for anyone who actually wants to understand the grit and glamour of New York City history.
Go see the globe. It still spins, and the world it represents is still just as chaotic as it was when the building opened its doors.