Located at 52nd and Park is the Seagram Building built in 1958. The Frommer's guide book I was using describes it as a building that "straddled the line between the too-American Frank L. Wright and the too-European Le Corbusier."
It continues, "This building is such a success because of its meticulous attention to detail: dark bronze window mullions; a lobby that seamlessly blends interior space with the adjoining plaza; and a sheer facade of amber glass made possible by hiding all the building's 'guts' away from the street."
The open plaza was controversial at first because of the possible loss of tax revenue, but it became so popular that new zoning regulations encouraged similar designs. This one was designed to discourage people sitting, whereas future plazas would welcome people with areas to rest.
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