Walk up to the corner of 58th and Fifth. You’ll see it immediately. It’s that massive, shimmering slab of white Georgia marble that seems to hold up the sky. Officially, it’s the General Motors Building, but most people just know it by its address: 767 5th Ave NY. It is, quite literally, some of the most expensive dirt on the planet.
Why?
Because it’s the intersection of old-school corporate power and new-age tech dominance. It’s where the high-ceilinged boardrooms of the 1960s met the glass-cube obsession of the 21st century. If you’ve ever bought an iPhone in Manhattan, you’ve been here. If you’ve ever wondered where the world’s most powerful hedge funds hide their desks, this is the place.
The Architecture of Pure Ego
When Edward Durell Stone designed this thing in the late 60s, he wasn't trying to be subtle. The building takes up an entire city block. That’s rare in New York. We’re talking about nearly 2 million square feet of prime real estate. The marble on the exterior isn’t just for show—it gives the tower a verticality that makes it look even taller than its 50 stories.
Honestly, the design was kind of controversial at the time. Critics thought it was too flashy, too "General Motors" for a neighborhood that prided itself on the refined elegance of the Sherry-Netherland or the Plaza Hotel right across the street. But money talks. And 767 5th Ave NY has always had a very loud voice.
The layout is smart. The tower is set back from Fifth Avenue, creating that wide-open plaza that has become one of the most photographed spots in the city. You have to remember, before the Apple Cube arrived in 2006, that plaza was a bit of a dead zone. It was just a big, empty space in front of a big, white building.
The Apple Effect and the Glass Cube
You can’t talk about 767 5th Ave NY without talking about Steve Jobs.
In the early 2000s, the building was owned by Harry Macklowe. He’s a legendary—and sometimes polarizing—figure in NY real estate. Macklowe knew he needed a "hook" to make the retail space at the base of the building work. He basically pitched Jobs on the idea of a subterranean store.
Think about how risky that sounded back then. Putting a flagship store underground? It seemed crazy. But Jobs loved it. He wanted a landmark. The 32-foot glass cube that sits in the plaza today isn't just an entrance; it’s a piece of structural art. It changed the entire energy of the building. Suddenly, a stodgy office tower became a global tourist destination.
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The cube was actually redesigned around 2011. They went from using 90 panes of glass to just 15. Why? Because Jobs wanted it to look seamless. It’s that kind of perfectionism that defines the tenants at this address. They don't just want office space; they want a statement.
Who Actually Works Inside 767 5th Ave NY?
It’s a "who’s who" of high finance. We're talking about firms like Perella Weinberg Partners and BAM (Balyasny Asset Management). For a long time, it was the headquarters of Estée Lauder.
The rents here are astronomical. You aren't just paying for the square footage. You’re paying for the view of Central Park, which is unobstructed because the building sits right at the southeast corner of the park. You’re also paying for the prestige of the zip code.
- The Law Firms: Huge names like Weil, Gotshal & Manges have called this place home for decades.
- The Finance Titans: Icahn Enterprises (Carl Icahn’s firm) was a long-term tenant. When you’re a billionaire, this is the kind of place you keep an office.
- Retail Giants: Besides Apple, you’ve got high-end names nearby, but Apple is the undisputed king of the plaza.
Ownership Dramas and Billion-Dollar Stakes
The history of who owns 767 5th Ave NY reads like a soap opera for the ultra-wealthy. General Motors built it, obviously. Then it went through a series of hands.
Donald Trump owned it for a minute in the late 90s with Conseco. Then Harry Macklowe bought it for a record-breaking $1.4 billion in 2003. He famously put up a massive amount of his own equity and took on huge debt to get it. When his empire hit a rough patch during the 2008 financial crisis, he had to sell it to Boston Properties.
Today, Boston Properties (BXP) remains the primary owner, alongside some sovereign wealth funds from the Middle East. It’s currently valued at well over $3 billion. That makes it one of the most valuable office buildings in the United States.
Why This Address Still Matters in a Hybrid World
You might hear people say office buildings are dead. That everyone is working from home.
That’s not true for "Trophy" buildings.
767 5th Ave NY is a trophy. In the real estate world, there’s a massive flight to quality. Companies are downsizing their "average" office space but spending more to be in the "best" buildings. They want the amenities. They want the marble. They want the proximity to the park.
The building has adapted. It’s not just desks and cubicles anymore. There are high-end fitness centers, revamped lobbies, and tech upgrades that you’d expect from a building that houses some of the most successful companies on Earth.
What You Should Know Before Visiting
If you're just a tourist or a local looking to see what the fuss is about, here's the deal.
The Apple Store is open 24/7. It’s one of the only places in the city where you can get a phone charger at 3 AM while looking at the reflection of the moon on a glass cube. But the actual office tower is strictly secured. You aren't getting past the lobby without an appointment.
The lobby itself is worth a peek, though. It’s massive. It feels like a cathedral of capitalism. The Georgia marble continues inside, and the scale of the ceiling heights is genuinely impressive.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Visit
If you find yourself near 767 5th Ave NY, do more than just snap a photo of the Apple Store.
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- Check the Plaza Seating: BXP has done a great job making the plaza more "human-scale" with seating and greenery. It’s a great spot to people-watch.
- Look Up at the "Fins": Notice the vertical marble pillars. They are designed to look like they never end. It's a classic mid-century trick to create a sense of awe.
- Visit at Night: The lighting on the building and the Apple Cube is spectacular. It’s much quieter than Times Square but feels just as "New York."
- Explore the Concourse: The area beneath the plaza connects to more than just the Apple Store. There’s a whole network of high-end retail and food options that many people miss because they’re staring at their phones.
The General Motors Building isn't just a relic of the 60s. It has successfully reinvented itself for the digital age. By blending luxury retail with high-stakes finance, 767 5th Ave NY remains the gold standard for what a Manhattan skyscraper should be. Whether the market goes up or down, this white marble tower isn't going anywhere.