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Does anyone here know when exactly the observation deck on the 54th floor of the Chanin Building was closed to the public. From what I understand, it was open to the public from when the building opened in 1929 until at least 1961, but was closed in the mid 20th century as a result of the building being dwarfed by taller skyscrapers. I also understand that the Chanin Building was one of three public observation decks in Manhattan to remain open after World War 2, though several more were open before the war. So, does anyone here know what year or the exact date the Chanin Building was closed to the public and why it remained open longer than several of the higher observation decks in the city, including the nearby Chrysler Building that closed in 1945. https://untappedcities.com/2018/03/3...anin-building/https://www.nytimes.com/1947/08/31/a...yscrapers.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanin_Buildinghttps://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news...sler-building/
Chrysler Building Observation Deck to be re-opened (report from 2021)
It’s been discussed for a long time, and now it has finally become reality: the Chrysler Building will be getting an observation deck! It’s set to be built on the 61st floor, and it will transform the current northern and southern terraces into an observation deck with a view that overlooks Midtown, the East River and One Vanderbilt Summit.
Last edited by Kefir King; 11-09-2022 at 05:31 AM..
Chrysler Building Observation Deck to be re-opened (report from 2021)
It’s been discussed for a long time, and now it has finally become reality: the Chrysler Building will be getting an observation deck! It’s set to be built on the 61st floor, and it will transform the current northern and southern terraces into an observation deck with a view that overlooks Midtown, the East River and One Vanderbilt Summit.
Sometime in late 1960's or during 1970's. Most probable cause was insistence of insurers
How do you know that the observation deck was closed in the late 1960's or early 1970's. Also, were the decks at 40 Wall Street and 70 Pine Street closed around the same time.
How do you know that the observation deck was closed in the late 1960's or early 1970's. Also, were the decks at 40 Wall Street and 70 Pine Street closed around the same time.
From reading online research, it's all out there.
No one can give an exact date when observation deck was closed, but it was open in early 1960's then closed sometime in 1970's.
There isn't an official announcement, nor does NYC news media seem to have taken note.
For record yes, many skyscrapers that went up prior to WWII had observation decks. Most were closed during WWII, but some reopened afterwards. However as decades wore on in post war years many of those observation decks were closed to public. This includes 40 Wall and 70 Pine. Empire State building almost shut theirs as well, but instead installed beefed up gate/wiring/fencing.
Most common explanation given is that by 1970's insurance companies simply felt those observation decks were huge liabilities.
No one can give an exact date when observation deck was closed, but it was open in early 1960's then closed sometime in 1970's.
There isn't an official announcement, nor does NYC news media seem to have taken note.
For record yes, many skyscrapers that went up prior to WWII had observation decks. Most were closed during WWII, but some reopened afterwards. However as decades wore on in post war years many of those observation decks were closed to public. This includes 40 Wall and 70 Pine. Empire State building almost shut theirs as well, but instead installed beefed up gate/wiring/fencing.
Most common explanation given is that by 1970's insurance companies simply felt those observation decks were huge liabilities.
Where is the source that the Empire State Building almoat shut down their observation deck. The fence on the Empire State Building observation deck was installed in 1947 after an infamous suicide. The decks at the Empire State Building and RCA Building actually stayed open during World War 2 while the United States was at war after Pearl Harbor until 1945.
No one can give an exact date when observation deck was closed, but it was open in early 1960's then closed sometime in 1970's.
There isn't an official announcement, nor does NYC news media seem to have taken note.
For record yes, many skyscrapers that went up prior to WWII had observation decks. Most were closed during WWII, but some reopened afterwards. However as decades wore on in post war years many of those observation decks were closed to public. This includes 40 Wall and 70 Pine. Empire State building almost shut theirs as well, but instead installed beefed up gate/wiring/fencing.
Most common explanation given is that by 1970's insurance companies simply felt those observation decks were huge liabilities.
I doubt that insurance has much to do with it. For a skyscraper insurance for an observation deck would be a drop in the bucket.
Many US cities, even if they have skyscrapers, don't have any observation decks at all were someone could get a view of the city, if they don't work in an office. I have found that probably most of those cities had at least one observation deck until the 1960s, and in most cases there is no record of when they closed.
Here is my theory why. When a new building opens up there are probably a lot of people who are curious about it. Many people might even pay to visit the observation deck to see what the view looks like. But would anybody do it a second time? Maybe one person would, but I think for the vast majority of people it would be a one time thing. Been there, done that, don't need to do it again. Which means that unless the building has major tourism appeal, such as the Empire State Building or something, visitation to the observation deck is going to start dropping from the day it opens, and keep dropping until nobody is interested anymore.
I don't know if anybody else remembers it, but until the 1970s most airports had plane viewing rooms, where you would put 25 - 50 cents in a turnstile to get in. There you could sit in nice comfortable theater style seating and watch the airplanes taxiing and taking off. I loved those places, because it was a comfortable place to wait an hour or two for my flight, and watching the airplanes made the time go faster. It was way better than sitting with the crowds at the gate. But I think I was one of the few. Because I never saw more than a handful of people in those places. The turnstiles were probably collecting about $5 and hour, and for what? It was taking up primespace in the airports. Eventually that disappeared because it was just not economically feasible to maintain those spaces for so little money. I suspect the same thing happened to the observation decks in skyscrapers.
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