Check out our books and merch at the LTV Press store

Views from the tallest building in Queens

Published on: January 13th, 2016 | Last updated: January 5, 2017 | Written by:

IMG_4524
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).

StJosephsLIC


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.

IMG_1352class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-23268″ />
5PTZ being demolished.

IMG_1359
LIRR & The 7 Train passing Hunterspoint Avenue LIRR stop. Also them stored M3 cars at Arch street

IMG_1361
Sunnyside Amtrak yard, with Honeywell Avenue Bridge crossing over.

IMG_1374
Williamsburg, and Lower Manhattan. The watertower at Greenpoint Terminal is in the foreground.

IMG_1394
The Montauk Cutoff

IMG_1398
Brooklyn.

IMG_1407
Court Square 7 train station

IMG_1411
The Queensboro Bridge

IMG_1415
Queens Blvd.

IMG_1430
The other Citibank building, plus 432 Park.

IMG_1431
Chrysler, MetLife, and UN buildings

IMG_1434
The Queensboro bridge again – star of many movies.

IMG_1439
Anable Basin

IMG_1444
Harlem, The Bronx, New Jersey

IMG_1448
Standard building, Northern Blvd, and the new-ish Amtrak Acela servicing building in sunnyside

IMG_1451
‘Harold’ interlocking, some of the busiest railroad tracks in the world.

IMG_1455
The Triboro, Hell Gate, The Bronx, and… North.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Comments

NOTE: It sometimes takes a short while for comments to be approved - unfortunately there's a lot of spam comments that come in. I absolutely love when y'all share personal stories of friends relatives etc who worked in these places. It really helps capture what these places were like before they closed up shop.

If you're feeling salty, argumentative comments completely devoid of facts (supply links to support your argument) will not be published. Got a case to state? come with the details.

One response to “Views from the tallest building in Queens”

  1. PegLegGuy says:

    .
    .
    Killer pics!

    .
    .

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • About The Author

    Joseph Anastasio

    Design & History nerd, open space & infrastructure advocate. 
  • Recent Comments

  • Newsletter: All Things Exploring

    Sign up for our weekly newsletter.
  • What is…

    LTVSquad.com is the blog of NYC's most notorious team of explorers. We bring you a unique roasted blend of content culled from the fringes and dark underbelly of this fine city. Consider us an Autodidact's guide to urban exploration, adventure and fringe art. Mixed with 2 part photography and video, 1 parts social commentary and (ill)legal mentality.

    All text and original photographs are copyrighted material. LTV Squad is fully staffed by a team of lawyers and we absolutely love to get our litigation on.

    Inquiries, private comments, etc: Contact Control{@}ltvsquad.com.

  • Calendar Ov Posts

    January 2016
    S M T W T F S
     12
    3456789
    10111213141516
    17181920212223
    24252627282930
    31  
  • -->