Editing Chrysler Building (section)

==== Basement ====
<span class="anchor" id="Subway entrance"></span>On the 42nd Street side of the Chrysler Building, a staircase from the street leads directly under the building to the [[New York City Subway]]'s {{NYCS trains|Grand Central}} at [[Grand Central–42nd Street station]].<ref>{{Cite NYCS map|neighborhood|Midtown East}}</ref> It is part of the structure's original design.{{sfn|Stern|Gilmartin|Mellins|1987|p=609}}<ref>{{Cite news|issn=0362-4331|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1929/11/24/317430812.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122191228/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1929/11/24/317430812.pdf |archive-date=November 22, 2019 |url-status=live|title=Subway Construction Planned For the Chrysler Building|date=November 24, 1929|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 2, 2017}}</ref> The [[Interborough Rapid Transit Company]], which at the time was the operator of all the routes serving the 42nd Street station, originally sued to block construction of the new entrance because it would cause crowding,<ref>{{cite news|title=I.R.T. Fights Passage To Chrysler Building|work=The New York Times|date=January 3, 1930|issn=0362-4331|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/01/03/96016116.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106152134/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/01/03/96016116.pdf |archive-date=January 6, 2021 |url-status=live|access-date=November 4, 2017}}</ref> but the [[New York City Board of Transportation]] pushed to allow the corridor anyway.<ref>{{cite web|title=Transit Board To Test I.R.T. Bar On Passage|work=The New York Times|date=January 13, 1930|issn=0362-4331|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/01/13/92060547.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811211728/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/01/13/92060547.pdf |archive-date=August 11, 2021 |url-status=live|access-date=November 4, 2017}}</ref> Chrysler eventually built and paid for the building's subway entrance.{{sfn|Landmarks Preservation Commission|1978|p=4}} Work on the new entrance started in March 1930<ref>{{Cite news|issn=0362-4331|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/03/22/96077616.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126174139/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/03/22/96077616.pdf |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |url-status=live|title=TO Begin Chrysler Tunnel; To Connect Skyscraper With Grand Central Terminal and Subway.|date=March 22, 1930|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref> and it opened along with the Chrysler Building two months later.<ref>{{Cite news|issn=0362-4331|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/05/29/96136569.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811212226/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/05/29/96136569.pdf |archive-date=August 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=New Building Linked to Subway.|date=May 29, 1930|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref>

The basement also had a "hydrozone water bottling unit" that would filter tap water into drinkable water for the building's tenants. The drinkable water would then be bottled and shipped to higher floors.<ref>{{cite news|work=The New York Times|title=Answers About the Chrysler Building|first=David|last=Stravitz|date=December 11, 2009|url=https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/answers-about-the-chrysler-building-part-3/|access-date=November 3, 2017}}</ref>