The renovation of this platform is the third stage of a project which has four, started four and a half years ago, and the total cost of which has reached 165 million dollars.
The first two phases were to improve the quality of the visit and reduce as much as possible the queues that sometimes stretched outside the building.
Empire State Realty Trust, the company that owns the building, first created a dedicated entrance for visitors to the observatory, who previously entered through the same as office workers.
Second phase, a small museum has opened on the first floor, on the path between the entrance and the elevators, which makes it possible to disperse the visitors and to further reduce the queues.
The third stage began in January, with the closure of the 102nd floor observatory, located 351 m high, for several months of renovation, before reopening on Saturday.
“The strategy, explains Jean-Yves Ghazi, president of the Empire State Realty Trust Observatory, it was to remove as many obstructions as possible. “
A glass elevator
Walls over 1.10 m high which blocked part of the view all around the observatory have, for example, been replaced by large bay windows.
Another novelty, the elevator shaft is now also made of glass walls, which allow visitors to enjoy the view even before the doors open.
Once out, the transparency of this elevator also offers the possibility of sweeping the gaze of the 360 ° panorama, wherever you are.
It will cost 58 dollars for the 102nd floor, against 38 for the 86th floor observatory, which allows it to go outside the building.
The fourth and final stage will see the opening, on the 80th floor and by the end of the year, of an additional observatory, which will allow tourists to build the route of their visit to New York with the city at their foot. .
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