Landmarks Preservation Corrrnission April 23, 1985, Designation List 179 LP-1448 RCA BUILDING, ground floor interior consisting of the Rockefeller Plaza entrance lobby, the corridors extending westward from the entrance lobby on either side of the elevator hallways to the western wall of the westernrrost double staircase, the elevator hallways, the stairways adjacent to the entrance lobby leading up to the mezzanine, and the stairways adjacent to the elevator hallways leading up to the mezzanine and down to the concourse; mezzanine interior consisting of the upper part of the Rockefeller Plaza entrance lobby, the upper part of the cnrridors extending westward fran the entrance lobby on either side of the elevator hallways to the western wall of the westernmost double staircase, the upper part of the elevator hallways, and the mezzanine corridors; and the fixtures and interior components of these spaces, including but not limited to, wall surfaces, ceiling surfaces, floor surfaces, wall and ceiling murals, marble piers, metal waste receptacles attached to the piers, metal trim, lobby shop windON enframements, lobby shop doorways, service doors, vent grilles, railings, decorative glass panels, revolving doors, light fixtures, information desk, directory boards, indicator signs, elevator doors, elevator indicator lights, and elevator bank indicators; 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Borough of Manhattan. Built 1931-33; architects The Associated Architects. Landmark Site: Borough of Manhattan Tax Map Block 1265, Lot 1 in part consisting of the land on which the described building is situated. On September 20, 1983, the landmarks Preservation Corrrnission held a public hearing on the proposed designation as an Interior landmark of the RCA Building, ground floor interior consisting of the Rockefeller Plaza entrance lobby, the corridors extending westward fran the entrance lobby on either side of the elevator ha.llways to the western wall of the westernmost double staircase, the elevator hallways, the stairways adjacent to the entrance lobby leading up to the mezzanine, and the stairways adjacent to the elevator hallways leading up to the mezzanine and down to the concourse; mezzanine interior consisting of the upper part of the Rockefeller Plaza entrance lobby, the upper part of the corridors extending westward from the entrance lobby on either side of the elevator ha.llways to the western wall of the westernrrost double staircase, the upper part of the elevator hallways, and the mezzanine corridors; and the fixtures and interior components of these spaces, including but not l imited to, wall surfaces, ceiling surfaces, floor surfaces, wall and ceiling murals, marble piers, metal waste receptacles attached to the piers, metal trim, lobby shop window enframernents, lobby shop doorways, service doors, vent grilles, railings, decorative glass panels, revolving doors, light fixtures, information desk, directory boards, indicator signs, elevator doors, elevator indicator lights, and elevator bank indicators, and the proposed designation of the related landmark Site (Item No. 3). The hearing had been duly advertised in accordance with the provisions of law. Nineteen witnesses spoke in favor of designation. There were no speakers in opposition to designation. The representatives of Rockefeller Center, Inc., expressed support for a limited designation. 1
DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS The ground floor and mezzanine floor interior of the RCA Building, built in 1931-33, is one of the major corrponents of what is the largest and most important buildings constructed at Rockefe 11 er Center. As the RCA Building in its form and siting is the focus of the major east-west axis running through the Center from Fifth to Sixth Avenues, so is its ground floor and mezzanine floor interior an important continuation of that axis. The double-height entrance lobby symbolically welcomes visitors, drawing them fran the Rockefeller Plaza entrance, past the information desk, in
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