Design Reserach Project
Page 9
Public Contribution in High-Rise Building Design
@ New York City
Rockefeller Center : The City within the City
 
History of Rockefeller Center
(continue)
 
December 27, 1932 the spectacular "Radio City" portion of Rockefeller Center was fully opened. And by July 1933, the international section was either complete or under construction with 75,000 people on site.
Picture: Radio City Music Hall at Night
By this time, the center is not a joke for the public anymore. It attracts many tenants to come from around the world. In November 1934, the issue in Architecture Forum gave an honor to the center as "an inspiring spectacle to New Yorkers and a respectable monument to Mr. Rockefeller." As John Todd remarked "The center's success depended on its having a personality of it's own.
December 1936, there are the modification of the commercial problem of some spot. Luxury shop that lined in sunken plaza were fail and was substituted by 2 restaurants. Two entrances of the plaza that lead to underground street was closed. Lower plaza lost it's commercial function, nobody can solve the problem.
Picture: (Above) Ice Skating Rink in Christmas - Making the sunken plaza become out door stage.
MC. Carpenter asked Rockefeller Center if it interest in the Ice-skating rink proposal. The management team ready to try anything. Therefore in Christmas 1936, the ice-skating rink was open. It was instant and overwhelming success. There was something wonderful gliding in the heart of the city. It is become the climax of the meaning "Personality of it's own" and by this time, Rockefeller is strong enough to triumph the depression of economic. They spend about 100$ million for construction, rent, taxes.
In 1939, the management team was lead by Nelson Rockefeller. At Gala Dinner John D., Jr Drove the last rivet into the fourteenth and last building of Rockefeller Center. It is probably one of the project in the history that proof the strength and faith of the mankind in the modern economic era, that the economics can be lead and triumph by human, not human only have to follow it.