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91-530: The Rockefeller Guest House is a building at 242 East 52nd Street in the East Midtown and Turtle Bay neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City . Situated on the southern sidewalk of 52nd Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue , it was designed by Philip C. Johnson and completed in 1950. The residence was constructed as a guest house for philanthropist Blanchette Rockefeller , who

182-547: A fire-resistance rating , for instance, if two buildings are very close together, to lower the likelihood of fire spreading from one building to another. In general, the façade systems that are suspended or attached to the precast concrete slabs will be made from aluminum (powder coated or anodized) or stainless steel . In recent years more lavish materials such as titanium have sometimes been used, but due to their cost and susceptibility to panel edge staining these have not been popular. Whether rated or not, fire protection

273-505: A Rockefeller family spokesperson, they wished to call the structure an "adjunct" rather than a guesthouse. According to the North American Newspaper Alliance , the guest house "precludes any Elks' convention type of invasion by the 47 Hookers and 48 Rockefellers who were listed as attending the couple's wedding in 1932". The Rockefeller Guest House was completed in 1950. The public was first invited to enter

364-433: A college education or higher. The percentage of Midtown Manhattan students excelling in math rose from 61% in 2000 to 80% in 2011 and reading achievement increased from 66% to 68% during the same time period. Midtown Manhattan's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is lower than the rest of New York City. In Midtown Manhattan, 19% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year , less than

455-461: A living and dining room facing 52nd Street, as well as a bedroom in the rear. These are separated by an outdoor garden with a pool, separated from either room by fully glazed walls. Johnson was hired to design the guest house in 1948 for Blanchette Rockefeller, who wanted a separate building to store her modern art collection, as her husband did not appreciate modern art. The house was constructed from 1949 to 1950 and initially hosted many functions for

546-515: A low population of residents who are uninsured . In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 11%, slightly less than the citywide rate of 12%. The concentration of fine particulate matter , the deadliest type of air pollutant , in Midtown Manhattan is 0.0113 milligrams per cubic metre (1.13 × 10  oz/cu ft), more than the city average. Eleven percent of Midtown Manhattan residents are smokers , which

637-419: A lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 81.2% between 1990 and 2022. The precinct reported 8 murders, 23 rapes, 653 robberies, 502 felony assaults, 660 burglaries, 2,375 grand larcenies, and 68 grand larcenies auto in 2022. The main part of midtown Manhattan, between 34th and 59th Streets from Lexington Avenue to Eighth Avenue, is served by five fire stations of

728-600: A major force in Midtown Manhattan's economy, and indeed the city's, as the total value of all New York City property was estimated at US$ 914.8 billion for the 2015 fiscal year . Manhattan has perennially been home to some of the nation's, as well as one of the world's, most marketable real estate, including the Time Warner Center , which had the highest-listed market value in the city in 2006 at US$ 1.1 billion, to be subsequently surpassed in October 2014 by

819-588: A number of private languages and music centers (e.g. Berlitz , American Language Communication Center, New York Language Center, Swan Music School, and the New York Youth Symphony ). The La Scuola d'Italia Guglielmo Marconi Italian international school moved to West Midtown in 2016. The New York Public Library (NYPL) operates the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (also the Main Branch),

910-966: A program aimed at creating "a 24/7, live-work, mixed-use neighborhood" in Midtown South though the conversion of commercial and office space to residential, as part of an effort to create 20,000 new residences citywide in a decade. According to The Broadway League , shows on Broadway sold approximately US$ 1.54 billion worth of tickets in both the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 seasons. Both seasons featured theater attendance of approximately 12.3 million each. Companies that used to have their headquarters in Midtown Manhattan include American Airlines , American Comics Group , American Overseas Airlines , Central Park Media , Eastern Air Lines , GoodTimes Entertainment , LJN , NewKidCo , Pan American World Airways , Philip Morris Companies (now Altria Group ), Trans Caribbean Airways , and Trans World Airlines . In 1997, Aer Lingus announced that it

1001-679: A reference branch at 476 Fifth Avenue. The four-story building, constructed in 1911, is known worldwide for its architecture and has several million items in its collections. There are also five circulating branches in Midtown: Two campuses of the City University of New York (CUNY)—the doctorate-granting CUNY Graduate Center and the Stella and Charles Guttman Community College —are located in Midtown, while Baruch College , also of

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1092-683: A residence in the city. When the Rockefeller Guest House was commissioned, Johnson was not yet a licensed architect in New York state, but he was already a noted proponent of the International Style of architecture. Frederick C. Genz, an architect with Johnson's firm, was the associate architect. Murphy-Brinkworth Construction Corp was the general contractor, and the Eipel Engineering Company was

1183-577: A selection from the collection of Walter Bareiss in 1958 and a showing of the Hames Thrall Soby collection in 1961. In April 1962, MoMA agreed to sell the Rockefeller Guest House to Robert C. Leonhardt and his family for $ 100,000. The sale was not publicized until February 1964, when The New York Times reported that the Leonhardt family planned to move into the house in May. The completion of

1274-415: A single floor. The roof of the guest house has a metal fence, which runs from west to east and is slightly set behind the roofline on 52nd Street. There are also pipes, a ventilation unit, and a chimney on the roof. Johnson placed a living and dining room on 52nd Street and a bedroom in the rear. These are separated by an outdoor atrium garden, separated from either room by fully glazed walls. The guest house

1365-418: A strip of metal on either side, separating the main facade from the west (right) and east (left) walls, which are mostly composed of plain brick walls. At the center of the 52nd Street facade is a wooden door that is as tall as the surrounding brick wall. This door is composed of seven vertical planks, an eyehole, and a mailbox slot. The door is surrounded by a frame made of wood. There are brass digits "2 4 2" on

1456-471: Is 41% in Midtown Manhattan, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 45% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018 , Midtown Manhattan is considered to be high-income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying . Midtown Manhattan is patrolled by two precincts of the NYPD . Midtown North is patrolled by the 18th Precinct, located at 306 West 54th Street, while Midtown South

1547-492: Is also a growing financial and fintech center. Many of New York City's skyscrapers , including its tallest hotels and apartment towers , are located in Midtown Manhattan. The neighborhood hosts commuters and residents working in its offices, hotels, and retail establishments, tourists and students. Times Square, the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway Theater District , is a major center of

1638-651: Is also growing in Midtown Manhattan based upon the city's strength in academic scientific research and public and commercial financial support. By mid-2014, Accelerator, a biotech investment firm, had raised more than US$ 30 million from investors , including Eli Lilly and Company , Pfizer , and Johnson & Johnson , for initial funding to create biotechnology startups at the Alexandria Center for Life Science, which encompasses more than 700,000 square feet (65,000 m ) on East 29th Street and promotes collaboration among scientists and entrepreneurs at

1729-468: Is always a design consideration. The melting point of aluminum, 660 °C (1,220 °F), is typically reached within minutes of the start of a fire. Fire stops for such building joints can be qualified, too. Putting fire sprinkler systems on each floor has a profoundly positive effect on the fire safety of buildings with curtain walls. The extended use of new materials, like polymers , resulted in an increase of high-rise building façade fires over

1820-493: Is at 242 East 52nd Street in the East Midtown and Turtle Bay neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City . It is along the southern sidewalk of 52nd Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue . The land lot has an area of 2,500 square feet (230 m), a frontage of 25 feet (7.6 m) along 52nd Street, and a depth of 100 feet (30 m). Nearby buildings include 312 and 314 East 53rd Street one block northwest and 303 East 51st Street one block southeast. In

1911-554: Is considered to be the busiest transportation hub in the Western Hemisphere , servicing around 650,000 people per day. The Port Authority Bus Terminal , located at Eighth Avenue and 41st Street at the western edge of Midtown, is the city's main intercity bus terminal and the world's busiest bus station, serving 250,000 passengers on 7,000 buses each workday. The building opened in 1950 and had been designed to accommodate 60,000 daily passengers. A 2021 plan announced by

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2002-727: Is higher than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 86% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", more than the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Midtown Manhattan, there are 11 bodegas . The nearest major hospitals are Mount Sinai West in Hell's Kitchen ; Beth Israel Medical Center in Stuyvesant Town ; the Bellevue Hospital Center and NYU Langone Medical Center in Kips Bay ; and NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital in

2093-505: Is higher than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are adults: a plurality (45%) are between the ages of 25 and 44, while 22% are between 45 and 64, and 13% are 65 or older. The ratio of youth and college-aged residents was lower, at 7% and 12% respectively. As of 2017, the median household income in Community Districts 4 and 5 (including Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen )

2184-639: Is less clear, and variously taken to be 34th Street , 23rd Street , or even 14th Street . Midtown spans the entire island of Manhattan along an east–west axis, bounded by the East River on its east and the Hudson River to its west. The Encyclopedia of New York City defines Midtown as extending from 34th Street to 59th Street and from 3rd Avenue to 8th Avenue. In addition to its central business district , Midtown Manhattan encompasses many neighborhoods, including Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea on

2275-470: Is less than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 297 per 100,000 people is lower than that of the city as a whole. The 18th Precinct has a lower crime rate than it did in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 82.1% between 1990 and 2022. The precinct reported 1 murder, 22 rapes, 154 robberies, 185 felony assaults, 205 burglaries, 2,065 grand larcenies, and 116 grand larcenies auto in 2022. The 14th Precinct also has

2366-407: Is less than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Midtown Manhattan, 10% of residents are obese , 5% are diabetic , and 18% have high blood pressure —compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively. In addition, 9% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Ninety-one percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which

2457-496: Is located at 421 8th Avenue. The post office stopped 24-hour service in 2009 due to decreasing mail traffic. Midtown Manhattan generally has a higher rate of college-educated residents than the rest of the city as of 2018 . A majority of residents age 25 and older (78%) have a college education or higher, while 6% have less than a high school education and 17% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 64% of Manhattan residents and 43% of city residents have

2548-941: Is located in Midtown Manhattan. Haier operates its United States offices in the Haier Building at 1356 Broadway, formerly the headquarters of the Greenwich Savings Bank . Haier held the opening ceremony on March 4, 2002. Sumitomo Corporation operates its New York Office, the headquarters of the corporation's United States operations, at 600 Third Avenue, 10016 in the Murray Hill neighborhood. El Al 's North American headquarters are in Midtown. The Air France USA regional headquarters are in 125 West 55th Street in Midtown Manhattan. Hachette Book Group USA has its headquarters in 237 Park Avenue . In 1994 Alitalia considered moving its USA headquarters from Midtown to Lower Manhattan , but decided to keep

2639-1277: Is one of the world's leading financial centers. Midtown Manhattan is the one of the world's largest central business district , with 400 million square feet (37.2 million m ) of office space in 2018. Midtown contains the headquarters of major companies, including 4Kids Entertainment (formerly), Barnes & Noble , Bloomberg L.P. , Ernst & Young , Calvin Klein , Cantor Fitzgerald , CBS Corporation , Citigroup , Colgate-Palmolive , Cushman & Wakefield , DC Comics , Deloitte , Duane Reade , Estée Lauder Companies , Foot Locker , Frederator Studios , JPMorgan Chase , Hess Corporation , Kroll Inc. , L-3 Communications , Marsh & McLennan Companies , Marvel Entertainment , MetLife , MidOcean Partners , Morgan Stanley , Nasdaq, Inc. , NBCUniversal , The New York Times Company , NexCen Brands , Paramount Global , Pfizer , Polo Ralph Lauren , Saks Incorporated ( Saks Fifth Avenue ), The Sharper Image , Simon & Schuster , Six Flags , TBWA Worldwide , Thomson Reuters , Warner Bros. Discovery , Time Warner Cable , The Travelers Companies , and Univision Communications . The New York Institute of Finance

2730-490: Is part of 10001. Other areas between 14th and 34th Streets are covered by ZIP Codes 10003, 10009, 10010, and 10011, though these are generally not considered to be part of Midtown proper. There are also thirty-three ZIP Codes assigned to individual buildings or building complexes. The United States Postal Service operates six post offices in Midtown: The James A. Farley Station , the city's main post office,

2821-430: Is patrolled by the 14th Precinct, located at 357 West 35th Street. The precincts ranked 69th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. The high per-capita crime rate can be attributed to the low population of the area, as well as the high number of crimes committed against tourists. As of 2018 , with a non-fatal assault rate of 25 per 100,000 people, Midtown Manhattan's rate of violent crimes per capita

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2912-781: The Oxford English Dictionary is 1656. It was quite common in the Georgian period for existing houses in English towns to be given a fashionable new façade. For example, in the city of Bath , The Bunch of Grapes in Westgate Street appears to be a Georgian building, but the appearance is only skin deep and some of the interior rooms still have Jacobean plasterwork ceilings. This new construction has happened also in other places: in Santiago de Compostela

3003-653: The Chrysler Building , the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project , the headquarters of the United Nations , Grand Central Terminal , and Rockefeller Center , as well as several prominent tourist destinations, including Broadway , Times Square , and Koreatown . Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan is the busiest transportation hub in the Western Hemisphere . Midtown Manhattan is the largest central business district in

3094-651: The Ladies' Mile , along Fifth Avenue from 14th to 23rd Street; and the Tenderloin , from 23rd to 42nd Street and from Fifth Avenue to Seventh Avenue . Important streets and thoroughfares The border of Midtown Manhattan is nebulous and further confused by the fact that the term "Midtown Manhattan" can be used to refer either to a district or a group of neighborhoods and districts in Manhattan: Midtown Manhattan, along with Lower Manhattan ,

3185-601: The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), for which Blanchette Rockefeller was a patron. The house was donated to MoMA in 1955 and was then occupied by several residents, including Johnson himself between 1971 and 1979. The Rockefeller Guest House was sold in 1989, becoming the first house to be sold at an art auction in New York City. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Rockefeller Guest House as an official landmark in 2000. The Rockefeller Guest House

3276-575: The New York City Fire Department (FDNY): The greater Midtown area between 14th Street and 59th Street contains seven additional fire stations. As of 2018 , preterm births and births to teenage mothers in Midtown Manhattan are lower than the city average. In Midtown Manhattan, there were 67 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 4 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Midtown Manhattan has

3367-560: The Upper East Side . Midtown Manhattan is located within six primary ZIP Codes . West of Fifth Avenue, Midtown is located in 10018 between 34th and 41st Streets, 10036 between 41st and 48th Streets, and 10019 between 48th and 59th Streets. East of Fifth Avenue, Midtown is located in 10016 between 34th and 40th Streets, 10017 between 40th and 49th Streets, and 10022 between 49th and 59th Streets. The area southwest of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street, sometimes considered to be in Midtown,

3458-723: The Waldorf Astoria New York , which became the most expensive hotel ever sold after being purchased by the Anbang Insurance Group, based in China, for US$ 1.95 billion . In the same year, six of the top ten most expensive zip codes in the United States by median housing price were located in Manhattan, underscoring the borough's dominant position in the real estate market. When 450 Park Avenue

3549-480: The 1970s: 'The top of the house doesn't exist for me." The interior arrangement was patterned after Ludwig Mies van der Rohe 's unbuilt designs for "court houses" in the 1930s. Johnson was likely also influenced by Mies's designs for buildings on the Illinois Institute of Technology campus. The previous coach house and residence on the site inspired the house's outdoor garden, which is placed between

3640-693: The City University of New York, is located in Midtown South. Mercy College is situated at Herald Square . Pennsylvania Station and Grand Central Terminal are the two major railroad stations located in Midtown Manhattan. Penn Station serves Amtrak , NJ Transit , and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), while Grand Central serves the Metro-North Railroad and also serves the LIRR at Grand Central Madison . Penn Station

3731-485: The Founders Room at MoMA's main campus had, by then, made the Rockefeller Guest House unnecessary for MoMA functions. The Leonhardt family used the guest house as a pied-à-terre , with their main house on Long Island . Robert Leonhardt died in 1971, and his wife Lee Sherrod wished to find a tenant for the house. The same year, Johnson and his partner David Whitney leased the house. Johnson and Whitney moved into

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3822-615: The Lescaze House. When the house was sold in 1964, the Times described it as "one of Mr. Johnson's most striking designs". Despite this, the Rockefeller Guest House was relatively nondescript; in 2017, the New York Times Magazine described it as "the best preserved—and yet least known—of Johnson's New York works". Some observers described the design as having East Asian design motifs. Architectural Forum described

3913-626: The Port Authority would spend $ 10 billion to expand capacity and modernize the facility. The New York City Subway and MTA Regional Bus Operations each operate several routes that go through Midtown. Additionally, the PATH train to New Jersey terminates at 33rd Street and Sixth Avenue in Midtown. Traffic congestion is common, especially for crosstown traffic. In 2011, a new system of traffic light control, known as "Midtown in Motion"

4004-477: The Rockefeller Guest House on the site. At the time, the lot was occupied by a four-story house. Johnson demolished most of the existing structure except for the brick walls on either side of the lot. In December 1948, plans for an alteration to the existing building were filed with the New York City Department of Buildings . Frederick C. Genz was listed as the architect for the renovation, which

4095-415: The Rockefeller Guest House was a viable candidate for official landmark status. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) had held hearings in 1993 for designating the guest house as a landmark, but the designation was not accorded at that time. In the mid-1990s, the building was purchased by Anthony d'Offay . When he owned the house, d'Offay mounted some Warhol pieces on the walls. D'Offay

4186-493: The Rockefeller Guest House's structural engineer. Numerous other engineers and contractors were involved in the building's construction. The two-story facade on 52nd Street is made of dark red brick, black metal, and plate glass. According to Johnson, he built the second floor only to give the impression of height, since he felt "there is no point to doing a one-story house in New York—it would look all wrong". As Johnson said in

4277-440: The Rockefeller Guest House. Toward the end of that decade, Blanchette began collecting modern art for her house. Abby's and Blanchette's enthusiasm for modern art was not shared by either John III or his father John D. Rockefeller Jr. While Abby had converted the top floor at her house at 10 West 54th Street into a private salon, Blanchette wanted a standalone structure for displaying artwork and receiving guests. Philip Johnson, who

4368-540: The United Nations, and consulates-general accredited to the United States, in Midtown Manhattan. In addition, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office of the Republic of China ( Taiwan ) is in Midtown Manhattan. Facade In architecture , the façade of a building is often the most important aspect from a design standpoint, as it sets the tone for the rest of the building. From the engineering perspective,

4459-433: The United States achieved completion in Midtown Manhattan, at a selling price of US$ 238 million, for a 24,000 square feet (2,200 m ) penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park at 220 Central Park South . The COVID-19 pandemic and hybrid work models have prompted consideration of commercial-to-residential conversion within the neighborhood's real estate sector. In August 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced

4550-666: The West Side, and Murray Hill , Kips Bay , Turtle Bay , and Gramercy Park on the East Side. It is sometimes broken into "Midtown East" and "Midtown West", or north and south as in the New York City Police Department 's Midtown North and Midtown South precincts. Neighborhoods in the Midtown area include the following: Midtown is the original district in the United States to bear the name and included historical but now defunct neighborhoods such as

4641-558: The bedroom. The waterfall was fed by a pipe over the patio, and a lotus tree was also planted in the pool. The garden was patterned after Mies's "court houses", as well as George Nelson 's design of the Sherman M. Fairchild residence on 17 East 65th Street, but differed from both Mies's "court houses" and the Fairchild residence in that the garden was outdoors. Johnson's design also drew from ancient Roman motifs. Blanchette Ferry Hooker

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4732-399: The brick wall right of the door. The upper section of the first floor, as well as the entire second floor, is made of six panels of translucent windows, divided into three bays by four vertical steel beams. The two outer beams on either end of the facade rise from the ground to the roof, while the two inner beams rise from the top of the brick wall to the roof. Above the first story, each of

4823-401: The buildings are only façade, which are far cheaper than actual buildings, and not subject to building codes (within film sets). In film sets, they are simply held up with supports from behind, and sometimes have boxes for actors to step in and out of from the front if necessary for a scene . Within theme parks, they are usually decoration for the interior ride or attraction, which is based on

4914-426: The ceiling. The living room is designed as a 36-by-23-foot (11.0 by 7.0 m) space with a large fireplace. A walnut storage cabinet was placed in the front of the main entrance, and a stair to the second floor was to the right. The house originally had a kitchenette in the living room, immediately right of the main doorway, behind a screen that could be folded shut when the kitchenette was not being used. The kitchen

5005-401: The center and with nearby academic, medical, and research institutions. The New York City Economic Development Corporation 's Early Stage Life Sciences Funding Initiative and venture capital partners, including Celgene , General Electric Ventures, and Eli Lilly, committed a minimum of US$ 100 million to help launch 15 to 20 ventures in life sciences and biotechnology. Real estate is

5096-411: The citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 92% of high school students in Midtown Manhattan graduate on time, more than the citywide average of 75%. There are no public elementary or middle schools in Midtown. The New York City Department of Education operates the following public high schools in Midtown, serving grades 9–12: Private schools include The Beekman School , Rebecca School , and

5187-598: The early 20th century, a large portion of Turtle Bay's population was involved in the arts or architecture, and structures such as the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design and the residential Turtle Bay Gardens and Beaux-Arts Apartments were constructed for this community. William Lescaze 's renovation of an existing brownstone townhouse on 48th Street, and its subsequent conversion into the Lescaze House , inspired similar renovations to other structures in

5278-529: The façade is also of great importance due to its impact on energy efficiency . For historical façades, many local zoning regulations or other laws greatly restrict or even forbid their alteration. The word is a loanword from the French façade , which in turn comes from the Italian facciata , from faccia meaning 'face', ultimately from post-classical Latin facia . The earliest usage recorded by

5369-488: The garden as a design feature "that might have appealed to Lao Tse the philosopher". According to Russell Lynes, a historian for MoMA, the garden may have been included to cater to the "Rockefellers' taste for things Japanese". Though John III had not liked modern art, he had founded the Asia Society in 1956 (after the Rockefeller Guest House was completed) and amassed 300 works of Asian art in his lifetime. Conversely,

5460-413: The garden by full-height sheets of glass. The garden between the living/dining area and the bedroom consists of an outdoor pond, which occupies the lot's full width. Three rectangular travertine "stones" in the pond serve as a walkway. This walkway, lit by underwater fixtures during the night, was meant to inspire "a sense of adventure". A waterfall in the garden served to screen the living/dining area and

5551-486: The house in 1954, when an exhibition of young artists' work was displayed to benefit MoMA's Junior Council. Afterward, the house became a popular destination among the public. The guest house was informally used as an extension of MoMA's operations, hosting parties as well as staff and trustee committees. The house was maintained by "a butler named Charles", who organized the MoMA's events. John Rockefeller III attended several of

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5642-427: The house in 1979. According to Symes's friend Christo Michailidis, they had "fallen in love" with the house and found it to be a good place for storing their Art Deco furniture collection. Symes furnished the guest house with works by Pierre Legrain , Eileen Gray , and Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann . By March 1989, Symes was only living in the house for twenty days a year, and he sought to sell the house. Auctioneer Sotheby's

5733-532: The house itself, which had a projected price of $ 1.5–2 million. The house was ultimately sold for $ 3.5 million to a "foreign buyer", while the collection netted $ 4.3 million. The auction drew nine bidders, including one who was crossing the Holland Tunnel while placing his bid and found that the house was already sold when he emerged. The buyer was subsequently revealed as MoMA trustee Ronald Lauder . By 1996, architect Robert A. M. Stern had suggested that

5824-506: The house the same year, residing there until 1979. Johnson repainted the walls from green to white, removed the original goat's hair curtains, and bought movable furniture. In addition, the couple put up contemporary works by artists like John Chamberlain , Roy Lichtenstein , and Frank Stella . Whitney's friend Andy Warhol described the couple's dwelling as being akin to "loft living". Robin Symes , an antiquities dealer from London, bought

5915-473: The house was described by Robert A. M. Stern as "distinctly Classical in inspiration" but reflective of Mies's style. Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan , serving as the city's primary central business district . Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building ,

6006-403: The house's patron, Blanchette Ferry Rockefeller . The black-and-white color scheme was intended to complement the owner's art collection rather than compete with it. The lack of plastering on the walls, though unusual when the house was constructed, subsequently became commonplace in Manhattan townhouses. Recessed lighting fixtures, designed by lighting consultant Richard Kelly , were installed in

6097-464: The indoor living/dining room at the front and the bedroom at the rear. Much of the first story along 52nd Street is clad with red brick in Flemish bond and tan mortar . This material was used to complement the school building immediately to the east, which was demolished after 2019. The guest house's brick wall is about 9 feet (2.7 m) high and extends to the lot line. The brick wall is flanked by

6188-534: The landmark designation, regarding the house as a "work of art", according to his lawyer. Lauder was reported in The New Yorker to be the buyer of the house. Lauder sold the house in December 2023 for an estimated $ 20 million to Ludo USA, a limited liability company . The Rockefeller Guest House was covered extensively in media such as Architectural Review , Interiors , and The New York Times when it

6279-510: The neighborhood was 64.1% (18,351) White , 4.6% (1,310) African American , 0.1% (34) Native American , 20.8% (5,942) Asian , 0% (8) Pacific Islander , 0.3% (92) from other races , and 2% (569) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 8.1% (2,324) of the population. The entirety of Community District 5, which comprises Midtown Manhattan, had 53,120 inhabitants as of NYC Health 's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 84.8 years. This

6370-468: The neighborhood. The specific site of the Rockefeller Guest House had previously been occupied by two structures built around 1870. According to the guest house's architect Philip Johnson , there was a small house in the rear and a coach house in the front, separated by "a gap and a weed patch". The Rockefeller Guest House, designed by Philip Johnson and completed in 1950, was one of the architect's first designs in New York City, as well as his only design of

6461-720: The offices where they were at the last minute. Global Infrastructure Partners has an office in Midtown Manhattan. Silicon Alley , the common metonym for New York City's high tech sector, is based in Midtown South , specifically the Flatiron District . Prominent Silicon Alley companies in Midtown include AppNexus , Blue Apron , Gilt , Betterment , Oscar , SoFi , Rent the Runway , Warby Parker , and WeWork . The technology sector has been expanding across Midtown Manhattan since 2010. The biotechnology sector

6552-428: The parties and once stayed overnight with the couple's children, even though he did not like modern art. John III came to express remorse over letting Blanchette spend so much time operating the guest house. The Rockefellers agreed to donate the guest house to MoMA in 1955. The house was donated by 1958, and the original furniture was donated to MoMA. Under MoMA's operation, the Rockefeller Guest House hosted events such as

6643-452: The past few years, since they are more flammable than traditional materials. Some building codes also limit the percentage of window area in exterior walls. When the exterior wall is not rated, the perimeter slab edge becomes a junction where rated slabs are abutting an unrated wall. For rated walls, one may also choose rated windows and fire doors , to maintain that wall's rating. On a film set and within most themed attractions, many of

6734-602: The three-metre-deep Casa do Cabido was built to match the architectural order of the square, and the main Churrigueresque façade of the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral , facing the Plaza del Obradoiro , is actually encasing and concealing the older Portico of Glory . In modern high-rise building, the exterior walls are often suspended from the concrete floor slabs. Examples include curtain walls and precast concrete walls. The façade can at times be required to have

6825-404: The vertical beams has a projecting H-section, to which horizontal metal spandrels are welded. The clerestory windows of the first floor are below the spandrels while the second-floor windows are above. The second floor windows are about 10 feet (3.0 m) tall. Heavy drapes were mounted inside the second floor, and identical drapes on the first floor gave the impression that the windows spanned

6916-401: The world's entertainment industry. Sixth Avenue also has the headquarters of three of the four major U.S. television networks . Midtown is part of Manhattan Community District 5 . It is patrolled by the 14th and 18th precincts of the New York City Police Department . Geographically, the northern boundary of Midtown Manhattan is commonly defined to be 59th Street ; its southern boundary

7007-465: The world, and has been ranked as the densest central business district in the world in terms of employees, at 606,108 per square mile (234,020/km ). Midtown also ranks among the world's most expensive locations for real estate; Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan has commanded the world's highest retail rents and is the most expensive shopping street in the world. Midtown Manhattan is the country's largest commercial, entertainment , and media center, and

7098-403: Was $ 101,981, though the median income in Midtown individually was $ 120,854. In 2018, an estimated 11% of Midtown Manhattan residents lived in poverty, compared to 14% in all of Manhattan and 20% in all of New York City. One in twenty residents (5%) were unemployed, compared to 7% in Manhattan and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent,

7189-515: Was announced, with the aim of reducing traffic congestion. Approximately 750,000 vehicles enter Midtown Manhattan on a fall business day. According to the 2011 Traffic Data Report for New York State, 777,527 vehicles a day went through select toll facilities into Manhattan. The New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division , First Department, is located at the Appellate Division Courthouse at 25th Street and Madison Avenue

7280-449: Was assigned to sell the house, even though it had never previously sold a house at an art auction. The Rockefeller Guest House was also the first to be sold at an art auction in New York City. Sotheby's agreed to sell the house because, according to Sotheby's president Diana D. Brooks, "it is a Philip Johnson redesigned town house". Symes also wanted to sell the furnishings in the house, which were expected to sell for $ 2–3 million, compared to

7371-526: Was born in 1909 to Elon Huntington Hooker and Blanche Ferry, and she became part of the Rockefeller family in 1932 after marrying John D. Rockefeller III . Blanchette then became a patron of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), which had been cofounded by Abby Aldrich Rockefeller , her mother-in-law. By the 1940s, Blanchette and John III lived at One Beekman Place in Turtle Bay, several blocks from

7462-602: Was completed in 1900 by architect James Brown Lord , who used a third of the construction budget to decorate the building with statues and murals. The Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration operates its New York office on the 22nd floor at 135 West 50th Street . Several countries, including Algeria , Argentina , The Bahamas , China , Costa Rica , Germany , Ireland , Israel , Jamaica , Japan , Luxembourg , Mexico , Morocco , Saudi Arabia , Singapore , South Africa , South Korea , United Kingdom , and Ukraine , have Permanent Missions accredited to

7553-465: Was completed. House and Home magazine, in 1955, described the living room as a "masterpiece of restraint", which in its understated form helped to show off John III's wealth. In a 1961 guide published by MoMA, the house was characterized by Ada Louise Huxtable as "a handsome, unconventional house designed within the limitations of the conventional narrow city lot", whose materials remained "familiar and urban" in contrast to other modernist structures like

7644-403: Was equipped with a heating system in the floors and ceiling, and the furniture was designed to match the character of the house. Johnson designed many of the original pieces of furniture. The interior was minimalist in design, with linoleum floors and plain brick walls. The plaster was removed from the existing brick walls, which were then painted white, serving as a background for the collection of

7735-414: Was married to John D. Rockefeller III . It was the only private residence in New York City that Johnson designed. The two-story building contains a symmetrical facade of brick at ground level and glass above. The first story is made of dark red brick in Flemish bond . The second story is made of six translucent glass panels divided by four steel bars. Johnson designed the interior of the guest house with

7826-523: Was moving its North American headquarters from Midtown to Melville , New York , in Suffolk County on Long Island . Based on data from the 2010 United States Census , the population of Midtown Manhattan was 28,630, a change of 2,823 (9.9%) from the 25,807 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 692.81 acres (280.37 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 41.3 inhabitants per acre (26,400/sq mi; 10,200/km ). The racial makeup of

7917-459: Was planning to sell the building by May 2000. The next month, auctioneer Christie's sold the house to a high bidder who paid $ 10.1 million. The LPC designated the Rockefeller Guest House as a city landmark on December 5, 2000. Simultaneously, the buyer closed on the house for $ 11.16 million, or $ 3,985 per square foot ($ 42,890/m), making it the most expensive real estate transaction per square foot in New York City history. The anonymous buyer supported

8008-408: Was sold on July 2, 2007, for US$ 510 million, about US$ 1,589 per square foot (US$ 17,104/m ), it broke the barely month-old record for an American office building of US$ 1,476 per square foot (US$ 15,887/m ) based on the sale of 660 Madison Avenue . In 2014, Manhattan was home to six of the top ten zip codes in the United States by median housing price. In 2019, the most expensive home sale ever in

8099-399: Was subsequently moved to the basement. Outside the living room, facing the garden, is a patio underneath a glass awning. Two smaller bedrooms and two bathrooms are placed above the living/dining room. The second-floor bedrooms are positioned to face the garden. The rear of the house contains the master bedroom, dressing room, and bathroom. The front rooms and rear bedroom are both separated from

8190-463: Was the unofficial architect for MoMA during his career, also happened to live in Turtle Bay, having resided there for over three decades since at least 1930. The Empire Mortgage Company, agent for the Rockefeller family , purchased the 25-by-100-foot lot at 242 East 52nd Street in June 1948. The lot was about halfway between Blanchette Rockefeller's house and MoMA. Blanchette commissioned Johnson to build

8281-467: Was to cost $ 64,000. The project was labeled as an alteration because the outer walls of the existing structure were to remain. Work started on the Rockefeller Guest House in early 1949. In its design and construction process, the project was referred to as the O'Hare House. By September of that year, The New York Times reported the guest house was almost completed. Blanchette and John III intended to continue residing at One Beekman Place and, according to

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