New York has a lot of tall buildings. You've got the sleek glass needles of Billionaires' Row and the heavy, somber presence of One World Trade. But honestly? Most of them feel like giant corporate filing cabinets. Then there’s the Chrysler Building NYC. Even after nearly a century, it just hits different. It’s got that weird, shimmering Art Deco crown that looks like a series of sunbursts or maybe a set of very expensive hubcaps. Which, funnily enough, is exactly what the architect was going for.
It's beautiful. It’s also kinda tragic.
People forget that for a brief, shining moment, this was the tallest building in the world. It held that title for exactly 11 months before the Empire State Building came along and snatched the crown. It was the peak of a "Race to the Sky" that felt more like a street fight between architects. If you’ve ever wondered why the Midtown skyline looks the way it does, it basically started here, with a guy named Walter Chrysler and a dream of building a giant monument to himself and his cars.
The Secret Spire and the 11-Month Reign
The story of how the Chrysler Building NYC actually got built sounds like a heist movie. William Van Alen, the architect, was in a bitter rivalry with his former partner, H. Craig Severance, who was building the 40 Wall Street tower at the same time. They kept adding floors to their plans, trying to outdo each other in real-time. Severance thought he’d won. He added a lantern and a flagpole to his building, bringing it to 927 feet. He even threw a party.
Van Alen had a trick up his sleeve, though. He secretly had his crew assemble a 185-foot stainless steel spire inside the building's fire shaft. On October 23, 1929, they hoisted the "vertex" through the roof in just 90 minutes. Suddenly, the Chrysler Building was 1,046 feet tall.
It was a total "gotcha" moment.
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But here’s the kicker: it happened right as the stock market crashed. The building was finished in 1930, just as the Great Depression was settling in. It stood as this shimmering, expensive middle finger to the economic collapse happening on the streets below. Critics at the time actually hated it. Some called it "stunt design" or "up-side-down-pirophobia." They thought the stainless steel was tacky. History, obviously, disagreed.
Why it Looks Like a Car (Seriously)
If you look closely at the ornamentation, you realize Walter Chrysler wasn't subtle. He wanted his headquarters to scream "Automobile Empire." The 31st floor has these massive brick patterns that look like radiator caps. On the 61st floor, instead of traditional gargoyles, you have giant steel eagles that are modeled after the 1929 Chrysler hood ornaments.
It’s weird. It’s bold.
The lobby is even more intense. It’s paved in Moroccan red flame marble and yellow Siena marble from the Old World. The ceiling features a massive mural by Edward Trumbull called Transport and Human Endeavor, showing the Chrysler assembly lines and the building itself. Back then, you could actually go to the 71st floor to the "Celestial" observation deck. It was themed like a planetarium with stars and planets painted on the walls.
Sadly, that deck closed in 1945. These days, if you want to see the inside of the Chrysler Building NYC, you’re mostly limited to the lobby. Unless you work there, you aren't getting past the security guards to see those famous wood-inlay elevators. Each of those elevators is a masterpiece of marquetry, using rare woods from around the world to create floral designs. There are 32 of them, and no two are exactly alike.
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The Mystery of the Empty Floors
One of the most surprising things about this landmark is how much of it is... well, kinda empty or underused. For years, the building has struggled with modernizing its infrastructure. Those beautiful, narrow tapering top floors? They're iconic from the outside, but they're tiny and awkward for modern office use. Some of the highest floors are actually filled with mechanical equipment or are just used for storage.
The ownership history is a bit of a mess, too. In 2019, the building sold for about $150 million. That might sound like a lot, but for a skyscraper in the heart of Manhattan, it was a fire sale. For comparison, the ground lease (the rent paid to the Cooper Union school, which actually owns the land) is incredibly expensive. It’s a classic New York real estate headache: a legendary building that costs a fortune to maintain but is restricted by its landmark status.
There have been talks for years about turning the top sections into a hotel or reopening an observation deck to compete with places like The Edge or Summit One Vanderbilt. So far, it’s mostly just talk. The Chrysler remains a private office building, standing tall while much taller, glassier neighbors sprout up around it like weeds.
How to Actually Experience It
Since you can’t just buy a ticket to the top anymore, you have to be a bit more strategic to appreciate it. You’ve got to know where to look.
First, the lobby is open to the public during normal business hours (usually 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday). It’s free. Walk in, look at the ceiling, and check out those elevator doors. Just don't try to sneak past the turnstiles; the security is tight and they've seen every "accidental" tourist move in the book.
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For the best exterior view, skip standing directly underneath it on 42nd Street. You’ll just get a neck ache. Instead, head to the corner of 44th Street and 3rd Avenue. The perspective from there lets you see the full taper of the spire without other buildings blocking the shot. Alternatively, the view from the Tudor City overpass (42nd Street between 1st and 2nd Ave) is the "classic" shot you see in movies.
What to Look for on the Exterior:
- The 31st Floor: Look for the white and dark brickwork that mimics the look of a car tire and the "radiator cap" ornaments at the corners.
- The 61st Floor: Bring binoculars. The eagles are massive—way bigger than they look from the sidewalk.
- The Nirosta Steel: The crown is made of Krupp KA2 steel. It’s "enduro" steel that doesn't rust, which is why it still shines after 90 years of New York rain and smog.
- The Triangles: The sunburst windows in the crown are actually triangular. At night, they’re lit with V-shaped fluorescent tubes.
The Future of a Legend
What happens next for the Chrysler Building NYC? It’s currently in a bit of a transition period. The rise of remote work has hit Midtown Manhattan hard, and older buildings—even the pretty ones—have to work twice as hard to keep tenants. There is a lot of pressure to renovate the interior to keep up with the tech-heavy offices being built at Hudson Yards.
But you can’t replicate the soul of this place. You can build a taller tower, but you can’t build another Art Deco masterpiece with radiator caps for gargoyles. It’s a symbol of an era when New York was obsessed with speed, steel, and showing off. Even if it stays as "just" an office building, it remains the soul of the city's skyline.
If you're planning a visit, here is the move:
- Visit on a weekday. The lobby is closed on weekends, and you’ll miss the best part of the interior if you show up on a Saturday.
- Combine it with Grand Central. They are right next to each other. Walk through the terminal, exit onto 42nd street, and look up.
- Go at Sunset. When the sun hits the Nirosta steel crown, the building literally glows. It’s the "Golden Hour" for a reason.
- Check out the cloud club history. While it's closed now, reading up on the old "Cloud Club"—a high-society lunch spot that used to occupy the 66th through 68th floors—gives you a sense of the Gatsby-style glamour this place once held.
It isn't just a skyscraper. It’s a 1,000-foot-tall car ornament. And that’s why it’s still the coolest thing in New York.
Next Steps for Your Visit:
To get the most out of your trip, check the official Chrysler Building lobby hours before heading over, as they can change during holidays. If you're looking for that perfect photo op, aim for the Tudor City Bridge around 20 minutes before sunset. This gives you enough time to catch the light hitting the steel spire before the city lights flicker on. After you've seen the lobby, walk one block west to Grand Central Terminal to see the "Whispering Gallery"—another free NYC architectural secret right in the same neighborhood.