NEW YORK, June 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Empire
State Building (ESB), the World's Most Famous
Building, announced today that it has
lifted COVID-19 protocols for guests of its Observatory
Experience, in alignment with new state and city
guidelines. Masks are optional for visitors,
and the many interactive
exhibits and elements – including the iconic
86th Floor Observatory viewfinders – have fully
reopened.
"The Empire State Building is ready to welcome guests
to explore our newly reimagined Observatory
Experience in its entirety," said Jean-Yves Ghazi, president of the Empire State
Building Observatory. "Our touch installations, just completed
in November 2019, are now in full
operation for the first time since our shutdown in March 2020. To appreciate fully the International
Icon of New York City, you must
come inside and visit the Observatory, and we can't wait to
welcome you."
In November 2019, ESB completed its
$165 million overhaul that added a
dedicated entrance and lobby for Observatory
visitors on 34th Street; one dozen
immersive, tactile, and digital museum-quality exhibits that
document the building's history
from its construction to its current status
as pop culture icon; and industry-leading Indoor
Environmental Quality (IEQ) improvements that include bipolar
ionization, MERV 13 filters and increased ventilation that led
to ESB's achievement as the first building in
the U.S. to receive the WELL Health-Safety
Rating.
Popular exhibits throughout the experience include "Kong," which
brings visitors face to face with the famous primate featured in
the original 1933 film; "Construction," in which guests are placed
in the middle of life-like bronze sculptures and videos of iron
workers and masons as they build the iconic tower; "The Site in the
1920's," which allows guests to look through building surveyors to
see New York City streets in the
late 1920's; "Scenes of NYC," where visitors can see nine famed
New York locations through the
building's classic viewfinders from the 80th floor; and "World's
Most Famous Building," which depicts the Empire State Building as a
cultural icon in a sweeping 72-screen, 180-degree surround sound
theater. Even the world-famous viewfinders on the outdoor
observation deck on the 86th floor have been
uncovered for use, as recently announced on the
building's TikTok.
To maximize the experience, the number of visitors to the
Observatory at any one time are limited. Reservations are
recommended for visitors and can be made in
advance online. For more information about the Empire
State Building Observatory Experience and its new
offerings, please visit esbnyc.com.
About the Empire State Building
Soaring 1,454 feet
above Midtown Manhattan (from base to antenna top), the Empire
State Building, owned by Empire State Realty Trust,
Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), is the "World's Most Famous Building." 2021
marks the building's 90th anniversary as an iconic
landmark in the heart of New York
City.
With new investments in energy efficiency, infrastructure,
public areas and amenities, the Empire State Building has attracted
first-rate tenants in a diverse array of industries from around the
world. The Empire State Building is part of ESRT's 10.1 million
square feet portfolio. ESRT is a leader in energy efficiency in
the built environment and sustainability and is the first
commercial real estate portfolio in the U.S. to achieve the WELL
Health-Safety Rating, an evidence-based, third-party verified
rating for all facility types, focused on operational policies,
maintenance protocols, emergency plans and stakeholder education to
address a COVID-19 environment now and broader health and
safety-related issues into the future.
ESRT has earned the highest possible GRESB 5 Star Rating and
Green Star recognition, and score of 88, in the 2020 GRESB Real
Estate Assessment, an achievement that places ESRT in the top 20%
of all respondents. GRESB is recognized globally as a rigorous
standard widely recognized as one of the best measures of
sustainability performance of real estate companies and funds.
The Building was named the world's most popular travel
destination in a study conducted by Uber and was named America's
favorite building in a poll conducted by the American Institute of
Architects. Empire State Building was ranked the #1 New York City
Attraction on Lonely Planet's Ultimate Travel
List 2nd edition. For more information on the Empire State
Building,please visit www.empirestatebuilding.com,
www.facebook.com/empirestatebuilding,
https://twitter.com/empirestatebldg,
www.instagram.com/empirestatebldg,
http://weibo.com/empirestatebuilding, www.youtube.com/esbnyc,
https://www.tiktok.com/@empirestatebldg or
www.pinterest.com/empirestatebldg
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SOURCE Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.