Socony-Mobil Building (New York City, New York)

 office building, skyscraper, 1956_construction, International style architecture

572-foot, 45-story International-style office building completed in 1956 for John W. Galbreath and Peter B. Ruffin on former Goelet-family owned land. Designed by Harrison & Abramovitz with John B. Peterkin (who had earlier designed the initial scheme), its exterior walls are clad in stainless steel. Mobil Oil Corporation, originally known as the Standard Oil Company of New York, was the anchor tenant, occupying half of the building from 1956 to 1987, when the company relocated its headquarters to Virginia.

It was first skyscraper to have its exterior wall completely clad with stainless steel. When opened, it was also the largest air-conditioned building in the world. The facade consists of approximately 750,000 pounds of 0.037 inch thick chromium nickel stainless steel Type 302, comprising approx. 7000 panels, pleated to enable the wind to keep it clean. The panels are embossed with pyramidal forms in high relief.

The 4-story base is clad in dark-blue opaque glass windows, above a light-grey granite water table. The base fills the whole block, with two entrances: the primary entrance is located on 42nd Street, and a smaller, secondary entrance faces Lexington Avenue. Both are reached by passing beneath dramatic stainless-steel eyebrow arches that enclose generous exterior vestibules; the arches are supported by broad, light-grey granite piers, and at highest point interrupt the windows at the 2nd floor. There is also a subway entrance built into the north side, to the east of the main entrance. The ground floor has numerous storefronts, as well as several large loading docks on 41st Street. The display windows figure prominently in the design and are set into brushed stainless-steel enframements. Above the base, the tower is oriented east-west, flanked by 13-story wings. The glass panels are framed by stainless-steel moldings and mullions in a grid-like pattern, providing striking contrast.

Above the base, the embossed stainless-steel-clad tower portion is arranged in an H-shaped configuration. The deepest setback is located on 42nd Street, between the 13-story wings. Nearly all of the 3,200 windows incorporate single panes and pivot vertically, the exceptions being the large horizontal windows at the 42nd floor, above which are the three mechanical floors, identified by vertical louvers that alternate with stainless-steel panels.

The uppermost floors are devoted to three floors of mechanical services and originally the Pinnacle Club of New York. Located on the 42nd floor and expressed by a series of large horizontal windows, it catered to a mostly corporate membership.

The ground floor is occupied by Sinigual restaurant, a CVS pharmacy, Foot Locker, a Starbucks coffee, LOFT women's clothing, Delmonico Gourmet Food Market, and De Janeiro clothing store. The building was declared a New York City landmark in 2003.

www.neighborhoodpreservationcenter.org/db/bb_files/2003...