Editing Empire State Building (section)

=== 21st century ===
====2000s====
Following the destruction of the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks, the Empire State Building again became the [[List of tallest buildings in New York City|tallest building in New York City]], but was only the [[List of tallest buildings in the world|second-tallest building in the Americas]] after the [[Willis Tower|Sears (later Willis) Tower]] in Chicago.<ref name="CBS News 2012" /><ref name="Dunlap 2012" /><ref name="New York Daily News 2012" /> As a result of the attacks, transmissions from nearly all of the city's commercial television and FM radio stations were again broadcast from the Empire State Building.{{sfn|Guerrero et al.|2002|p=37}} The attacks also led to an increase in security due to persistent terror threats against prominent sites in New York City.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rashbaum |first=William K. |date=July 15, 2002 |title=Terror Makes All the World A Beat for New York Police |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/15/nyregion/terror-makes-all-the-world-a-beat-for-new-york-police.html |access-date=October 31, 2017 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107120009/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/15/nyregion/terror-makes-all-the-world-a-beat-for-new-york-police.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2002, Trump and Yokoi sold their land claim to the Empire State Building Associates, now headed by Malkin, in a $57.5&nbsp;million transaction.<ref name="Bagli 2013" /><ref name="Bagli 2002">{{Cite news |last=Bagli |first=Charles V. |date=March 19, 2002 |title=Partnership in Deal for Empire State Building |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/19/nyregion/partnership-in-deal-for-empire-state-building.html |access-date=September 21, 2017 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=January 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110127165316/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/19/nyregion/partnership-in-deal-for-empire-state-building.html |url-status=live }}</ref> This action merged the building's title and lease for the first time in half a century.<ref name="Bagli 2002" /> Despite the lingering threat posed by the 9/11 attacks, the Empire State Building remained popular with 3.5&nbsp;million visitors to the observatories in 2004, compared to about 2.8&nbsp;million in 2003.<ref>{{cite web |last=Collins |first=Glenn |date=August 14, 2004 |title=Making Sense of New York, From 86 Stories Up; Views From the Empire State Building, Mapped Out in Steel |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/14/nyregion/making-sense-new-york-86-stories-up-views-empire-state-building-mapped-steel.html |access-date=October 31, 2017 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107115209/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/14/nyregion/making-sense-new-york-86-stories-up-views-empire-state-building-mapped-steel.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Even though she maintained her ownership stake in the building until the post-consolidation IPO in October 2013, [[Leona Helmsley]] handed over day-to-day operations of the building in 2006 to Peter Malkin's company.<ref name="Bagli 2013" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=August 30, 2006 |title=Helmsley Caves In – Empire State Bldg. War Ends |work=New York Post |url=https://nypost.com/2006/08/30/helmsley-caves-in-empire-state-bldg-war-ends/ |access-date=September 21, 2017 |archive-date=September 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922051536/http://nypost.com/2006/08/30/helmsley-caves-in-empire-state-bldg-war-ends/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2008, the building was temporarily "stolen" by the ''[[New York Daily News]]'' to show how easy it was to transfer the deed on a property, since city clerks were not required to validate the submitted information, as well as to help demonstrate how fraudulent deeds could be used to obtain large mortgages and then have individuals disappear with the money. The paperwork submitted to the city included the names of [[Fay Wray]], the famous star of ''King Kong'', and [[Willie Sutton]], a notorious New York bank robber. The newspaper then transferred the deed back over to the legitimate owners, who at that time were Empire State Land Associates.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 2, 2008 |title=It Took 90 Minutes to 'Steal' the Empire State Building |newspaper=New York Daily News |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/money/90-minutes-daily-news-steal-empire-state-building-article-1.353477 |access-date=June 16, 2017 |archive-date=June 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607185902/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/money/90-minutes-daily-news-steal-empire-state-building-article-1.353477 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====2010s to present====
[[File:EmpireStateBuildingCU.jpg|thumb|alt=The Empire State Building as seen at night, illuminated in blue and white|The Empire State Building lit in blue and white annually for commencement at [[Columbia University]]]]
[[File:ESBandDowntown2015.jpg|thumb|alt=The Empire State Building at sunset looking south. Buildings can be seen in the distance, including One World Trade Center.|The current [[One World Trade Center]] (seen in the distance) surpassed the Empire State Building's height on April 30, 2012.]]

Starting in 2009, the building's public areas received a $550&nbsp;million renovation, with improvements to the air conditioning and waterproofing, renovations to the observation deck and main lobby,<ref name="Barron 2009" /> and relocation of the gift shop to the 80th floor.<ref name="Cortese 2008">{{cite web |last=Cortese |first=Amy |date=October 5, 2008 |title=The Empire State Building Gets a Makeover |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/realestate/commercial/05sqft.html |access-date=October 27, 2017 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=October 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028044917/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/realestate/commercial/05sqft.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="esbnyc1">{{cite web |title=2009 ULI Fall Meeting & Urban Land Expo&nbsp;– Green Retrofit: What Is Making This the Wave of the Future? |url=http://www.esbnyc.com/sustainability_energy_efficiency.asp |publisher=Empire State Realty Trust |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122082831/http://esbnyc.com/sustainability_energy_efficiency.asp |archive-date=November 22, 2010 |access-date=October 11, 2010 |format=PDF }}</ref> About $120&nbsp;million was spent on improving the [[efficient energy use|energy efficiency]] of the building, with the goal of reducing energy emissions by 38% within five years.<ref name="esbnyc1" /><ref name="Navarro 2009" /> For example, all of the windows were refurbished onsite into film-coated "superwindows" which block heat but pass light.<ref name="Navarro 2009" /><ref name="fa2012">{{cite magazine |last=Lovins |first=Amory |date=March–April 2012 |title=A Farewell to Fossil Fuels |url=http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/137246/amory-b-lovins/a-farewell-to-fossil-fuels |magazine=Foreign Affairs |access-date=September 12, 2013 |archive-date=July 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120707031832/http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/137246/amory-b-lovins/a-farewell-to-fossil-fuels |url-status=live }}</ref>{{sfn|Tauranac|2014|p=368}} [[Air conditioning]] operating costs on hot days were reduced, saving $17&nbsp;million of the project's capital cost immediately and partially funding some of the other retrofits.<ref name="fa2012" /> The Empire State Building won the [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design|Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)]] Gold for Existing Buildings rating in September 2011, as well as the [[World Federation of Great Towers]]' Excellence in Environment Award for 2010.{{sfn|Tauranac|2014|p=368}} For the LEED Gold certification, the building's energy reduction was considered, as was a large purchase of [[carbon offset]]s. Other factors included low-flow bathroom fixtures, green cleaning supplies, and use of recycled paper products.<ref>{{cite web |title=Empire State Building Achieves LEED Gold |url=https://www.usgbc.org/articles/empire-state-building-achieves-leed-gold |access-date=June 29, 2020 |publisher=U.S. Green Building Council |archive-date=July 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731210032/https://www.usgbc.org/articles/empire-state-building-achieves-leed-gold |url-status=live }}</ref>

On April 30, 2012, [[One World Trade Center]] topped out, surpassing the Empire State Building as the city's tallest skyscraper.<ref name="New York Daily News 2012"/> By 2014, the building was owned by the Empire State Realty Trust (ESRT), with Anthony Malkin as chairman, CEO, and president.<ref>{{cite web |title=Empire State Realty Trust |url=http://www.empirestaterealtytrust.com/properties |access-date=March 7, 2014 |archive-date=October 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131008135213/http://www.empirestaterealtytrust.com/properties |url-status=live }}</ref> The ESRT was a public company, having begun trading publicly on the New York Stock Exchange the previous year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yousuf |first=Hibah |date=October 2, 2013 |title=Empire State Building IPO Disappoints |url=https://money.cnn.com/2013/10/02/investing/empire-state-building-ipo/index.html |access-date=January 18, 2017 |website=CNNMoney |archive-date=January 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131194056/http://money.cnn.com/2013/10/02/investing/empire-state-building-ipo/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In August 2016, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) was issued new fully diluted shares equivalent to 9.9% of the trust; this investment gave them partial ownership of the entirety of the ESRT's portfolio, and as a result, partial ownership of the Empire State Building.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 23, 2016 |title=Empire State Realty Trust Announces $622 Million Investment by Qatar Investment Authority |url=http://www.empirestaterealtytrust.com/news/post/empire-state-realty-trust-announces-622-million-investment-by-qatar-investment-authority |access-date=January 29, 2019 |website=Empire State Realty Trust – ESRT |language=en |archive-date=January 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190130000315/http://www.empirestaterealtytrust.com/news/post/empire-state-realty-trust-announces-622-million-investment-by-qatar-investment-authority |url-status=live }}</ref> The trust's president John Kessler called it an "endorsement of the company's irreplaceable assets".<ref name="Egan 2016">{{Cite web |last=Egan |first=Matt |date=August 24, 2016 |title=Qatar Buys Chunk of Empire State Building |url=https://money.cnn.com/2016/08/24/investing/empire-state-building-opec-qatar/index.html |access-date=January 18, 2017 |website=CNNMoney |archive-date=January 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170119052821/http://money.cnn.com/2016/08/24/investing/empire-state-building-opec-qatar/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The investment has been described by the real-estate magazine ''[[The Real Deal (magazine)|The Real Deal]]'' as "an unusual move for a sovereign wealth fund", as these funds typically buy direct stakes in buildings rather than real estate companies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Putzier |first=Konrad |date=August 25, 2016 |title=Qatar's Empire State Building Investment Is Rare Move for Foreign Fund |url=https://therealdeal.com/2016/08/25/qatars-empire-state-building-investment-is-rare-move-for-foreign-fund/ |access-date=January 18, 2017 |website=The Real Deal New York |archive-date=January 31, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131184719/https://therealdeal.com/2016/08/25/qatars-empire-state-building-investment-is-rare-move-for-foreign-fund/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Other foreign entities that have a stake in the ESRT include investors from Norway, Japan, and Australia.<ref name="Egan 2016" />

A renovation of the Empire State Building was commenced in the 2010s to further improve energy efficiency, public areas, and amenities.<ref name="am New York 2018" /> In August 2018, to improve the flow of visitor traffic, the main visitor's entrance was shifted to 20 West 34th Street as part of a major renovation of the observatory lobby.<ref name="New York 2018">{{cite web |date=August 23, 2018 |title=New York's Empire State Building Gets a Surprising Upgrade |url=https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/new-york-empire-state-building-surprising-upgrade |access-date=October 10, 2018 |archive-date=October 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011053509/https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/new-york-empire-state-building-surprising-upgrade |url-status=live }}</ref> The new lobby includes several technological features, including large LED panels, digital ticket kiosks in nine languages, and a two-story architectural model of the building surrounded by two metal staircases.<ref name="am New York 2018" /><ref name="New York 2018" /> The first phase of the renovation, completed in 2019, features an updated exterior lighting system and digital hosts.<ref name="New York 2018" /> The new lobby also features free Wi-Fi provided for those waiting.<ref name="am New York 2018" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Quito |first1=Anne |date=August 23, 2018 |title=How Designers Keep You Calm in Long Queues (It Sometimes Involves Elephants) |url=https://qz.com/quartzy/1367021/the-empire-state-building-debuts-a-new-observatory-entrance-designed-to-improve-its-very-long-queue/ |access-date=June 4, 2019 |website=Quartz |publisher=Quartzy |archive-date=June 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604053237/https://qz.com/quartzy/1367021/the-empire-state-building-debuts-a-new-observatory-entrance-designed-to-improve-its-very-long-queue/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A {{Convert|10,000|ft2|m2|adj=on}} exhibit with nine galleries opened in July 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ricciulli |first=Valeria |date=July 29, 2019 |title=See Inside the New Empire State Building Mini Museum Showcasing Its History |url=https://ny.curbed.com/2019/7/29/8934703/empire-state-building-exhibit-observatory-history-nyc |access-date=July 30, 2019 |website=Curbed NY |archive-date=July 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729173022/https://ny.curbed.com/2019/7/29/8934703/empire-state-building-exhibit-observatory-history-nyc |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=July 30, 2019 |title=King Kong Returns To The Empire State Building Inside New Immersive Museum |url=https://gothamist.com/2019/07/30/empire_state_building_museum_photos.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730212352/https://gothamist.com/2019/07/30/empire_state_building_museum_photos.php |archive-date=July 30, 2019 |access-date=July 30, 2019 |website=Gothamist |language=en }}</ref> The 102nd floor observatory, the third phase of the redesign, reopened to the public on October 12, 2019.<ref name="Wallace 2019" /><ref name="Russell 2019" /><ref name="CBS News 2019a" /> That portion of the project included outfitting the space with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a brand-new glass elevator.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=Lois |date=October 9, 2019 |title=Empire State Building to Open New Observatory on 102nd Floor |url=https://nypost.com/2019/10/08/empire-state-building-to-open-new-observatory-on-102nd-floor/ |access-date=November 5, 2019 |website=New York Post |language=en |archive-date=November 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104005506/https://nypost.com/2019/10/08/empire-state-building-to-open-new-observatory-on-102nd-floor/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The final portion of the renovations to be completed was a new observatory on the 80th floor, which opened on December 2, 2019.<ref name="Ricciulli 2019" /><ref name="CBS News 2019" /> In total, the renovation cost $160 million<ref name="CBS News 2019a" /> or $165&nbsp;million and took four years to finish.<ref name="Ricciulli 2019" /><ref name="CBS News 2019" />

A comprehensive restoration of the building's mooring and antenna masts also began in June 2019. Antennas on the mooring mast were removed or relocated to the upper mast, while the aluminum panels were cleaned and coated with silver paint.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Londono |first=Vanessa |date=September 28, 2020 |title=Empire State Building Spire Restoration Nears Completion in Midtown |url=https://newyorkyimby.com/2020/09/empire-state-building-restoration-nearly-complete.html |access-date=March 4, 2022 |website=New York YIMBY |language=en-US |archive-date=March 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304041855/https://newyorkyimby.com/2020/09/empire-state-building-restoration-nearly-complete.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Gannon 2020">{{cite web |last=Gannon |first=Devin |date=September 25, 2020 |title=Empire State Building's Art Deco Spire Returns in All Its Glory After Restoration |url=https://www.6sqft.com/empire-state-buildings-art-deco-spire-returns-in-all-its-glory-after-restoration/ |access-date=March 4, 2022 |website=6sqft |archive-date=March 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304041854/https://www.6sqft.com/empire-state-buildings-art-deco-spire-returns-in-all-its-glory-after-restoration/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Marani 2020">{{cite web |last=Marani |first=Matthew |date=October 16, 2020 |title=Restoration of the Empire State Building's Art Deco Crown Nears Completion |url=https://www.archpaper.com/2020/10/facades-empire-state-building-nears-completion-of-art-deco-crown-restoration/ |access-date=March 4, 2022 |website=The Architect's Newspaper |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408162402/https://www.archpaper.com/2020/10/facades-empire-state-building-nears-completion-of-art-deco-crown-restoration/ |url-status=live }}</ref> To minimize disruption to the observation decks, the restoration work took place at night. The project was completed by late 2020.<ref name="Marani 2020" />