10118: The Empire State Building

Legend has it that the 200-foot tower at the top of the building was meant to double as a docking port for blimps. An airship would maneuver alongside the tower and tether itself to a winch. Passengers would then use an open-air gangplank to exit the airship onto the tower before heading to the customs office. And the kicker? They’d be down on the ground (as in out the front door of the Empire State Building) in about seven minutes. Uh-huh.

Never mind that the massive vertical winds near the top of the building prohibited airships from successfully docking. Even if the winds were calm enough, each docking would require a decent number of ground crew and a lot of rope — and brave passengers willing to venture out onto a gangplank so high up. Supposedly, one small Goodyear blimp managed to tether itself for a few minutes, but it has been said that the building’s owners soon abandoned the absurd docking plan.

The truth is, in this case, much more believable: The building’s spire was erected to ensure that the Empire State Building would still be (at the time, anyway) the tallest building in the world. And the image with the dirigible hovering by the spire? As New Yorker Elaine from “Seinfeld” would say, “Fake, fake, fake, fake.”

As of July 2018, the Empire State Building held the rank of the tallest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified building in the United States. It was awarded the LEED Gold certification for LEED for Existing Buildings: Operation and Maintenance in 2011. The iconic building is also carbon-neutral. Anthony Malkin, the chief executive officer and chairman of Empire State Realty Trust, agreed to buy carbon offsets totaling 55 million kilowatt hours per year of renewable energy.

Not for the faint of heart, the Empire State Building Run-Up (ESBRU) tests both the physical and mental endurance of those who attempt to run the 86 flights — 1,576 stairs — each May. That equates to about 1/5 of a mile vertically.

The fastest course records belong to Paul Crake of Australia, who finished in 9:33 in 2003, and Andrea Mayr of Austria, who ran it in 11:23 in 2006.

Who “gets” to participate in this fun run? Elite runners (men and women), members of the media, celebrities, NYC real estate brokers, employees of Turkish Airlines (the presenting sponsor of the 2019 ESBRU), members of the NYPD and FDNY, lottery winners and athletes associated with the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) — the official charity of the Run-Up.

How does one of the world’s most famous races logistically take place in one of the world’s most recognizable and heavily trafficked buildings? The race doesn’t start till 8 PM — giving the throngs of sightseers and regular working folks enough time to exit the building before the mad rush up begins.

One of the most famous ZIP codes around is 10118. Why? Because it belongs to the Empire State Building — and only the Empire State Building. Since it is home to so many businesses, it has garnered its own ZIP code. Some well-known tenants include Bulova, Chipotle, Coty, Expedia, HNTB, Shutterstock and Walgreens, and many (such as LinkedIn) have renovated their spaces to accommodate their particular brand.

Empire State Realty Trust Inc. (ESRT) owns and manages the Empire State Building. ESRT focuses on giving its tenants an exceptional environment in which their employees are satisfied and, in turn, more productive. The Urban Campus includes such tenant-only services as a 15,000-square-foot fitness center and conference center, STATE Grill and Bar serving breakfast, lunch, business express lunch, happy hour and dinner, plus a private dining room and catering. The building also offers eight in-building dining options and an array of lobby services — bank, ATM and currency exchange, restaurants, retail and courier.

While the idea of napping at work hasn’t yet caught on across mainstream America, the Empire State Building gave it a shot: From 2004 to 2008, the entire 24th floor was dedicated to the quick nap. Providing space-age-looking nap pods, employees who worked in the building could pay about $14 for a 20-minute snoozefest. These “EnergyPods” were the brainchild of MetroNaps (now Restworks in the U.S.), which continues today to implement installations in forward-thinking offices, hospitals, universities and fitness centers around the world.

As grand as the Empire State Building is both inside and out, you can’t hang out forever in either of the Observation Decks, and you’ll get a kink in your neck if you stare up at it too long from street level.
Archer Hotel New York, around the proverbial corner on 38^thStreet between 5^thand 6^thAvenues, has one of the best views around of the iconic building. From Archer’s industrially elegant lobby, take an elevator up to the 22nd floor and step out into Spyglass Rooftop Bar. Designed and refreshed with the bygone era of the Garment District’s heyday in mind, its vibe complements the art deco style of the Empire State Building.

In the recently spiffed-up yet still classically elegant Spyglass, you’ll be treated to an up-close-and-personal vantage point with the iconic building just begging to be the background in your next selfie. Cap off your rooftop experience with a crafted cocktail and a sharable bite from AVA Social (on Archer’s ground floor and served in Spyglass).