Citibank building in 2015 (on the left), the top gets lost in the clouds on rainy days…
I watched this building rise while growing up, and as the years passed, the itch to get to the top of it grew stronger.
History
Construction this building began in the late 1980s and was completed in 1990. Most people simply know it as the ‘Citibank building’, though it is officially known as One Court Square.
The land here was originally St. Joseph’s hospital, as seen on this historic map. (Also note ‘Ely Avenue’ – a street name that is completely gone today except for within the MTA 23 street Ely avenue E & M subway station).
IN
As with most office buildings, this one is well secured. It is covered in cameras and has security personnel who won’t let anyone in who doesn’t have business in the building.
Long story short, I had business, so I got in. And I brought my camera.
This building offers a very rare, uninterrupted view of Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. Nevermind Manhattan – you can see as far as Long Island to the east, and the New Jersey palisades to the Northwest. To the south, you can see the top of the Verrazano bridge.
The only sad thing about being in this amazing space is how off limits it is to the general population, and how those who work here seem to take it for granted. I’m sure many who work here enjoy it, but most of them just seemed to work all day never once stopping to look out at an amazing view found literally in no other NYC building.
If this were my office, I’d stop at least once a day to take it all in.
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5PTZ being demolished.
LIRR & The 7 Train passing Hunterspoint Avenue LIRR stop. Also them stored M3 cars at Arch street
Sunnyside Amtrak yard, with Honeywell Avenue Bridge crossing over.
Williamsburg, and Lower Manhattan. The watertower at Greenpoint Terminal is in the foreground.
Brooklyn.
Court Square 7 train station
Queens Blvd.
The other Citibank building, plus 432 Park.
Chrysler, MetLife, and UN buildings
The Queensboro bridge again – star of many movies.
Anable Basin
Harlem, The Bronx, New Jersey
Standard building, Northern Blvd, and the new-ish Amtrak Acela servicing building in sunnyside
‘Harold’ interlocking, some of the busiest railroad tracks in the world.
The Triboro, Hell Gate, The Bronx, and… North.
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Killer pics!
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