Editing Rockefeller Center (section)

=== Post-World War II expansion ===
[[File:75 Rockefeller Plaza.jpg|thumb|[[75 Rockefeller Plaza]], built in 1947]]
Rockefeller Center Inc. had started working on plans to expand the complex during World War II, even though the outbreak of the war had stopped almost all civilian construction projects.{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|pp=102–103}} In 1943, the complex's managers bought land and buildings on three street corners near the complex.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1943/08/04/83933733.pdf|title=Rockefellers Buy 6th Ave. Buildings; Acquire 3 Valuable Corners Opposite Their Development, Besides Other Properties Deal Stirs Speculation Seen As Part Of Post-War Expansion Plans – Also Linked To Improvement Of Street|date=August 4, 1943|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 22, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Rockefeller Center unveiled plans for expansion to the southwest and north in 1944.<ref name="NYTimes-Plans-Buildings-1944"/>

[[Esso]] (now Exxon) was one of the tenants who wanted to expand, and the company signaled that it would build its own office tower if Rockefeller Center's managers did not construct a building for them.{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|p=103}} They were given land at the north end of Rockefeller Plaza.{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|p=104}}{{sfn|Okrent|2003|p=424}} In February 1947, the under-construction [[75 Rockefeller Plaza|Esso Building]], at the north end of the existing property, became part of Rockefeller Center after ownership of the building was transferred from the Haswin Corporation to Rockefeller Center, Inc.<ref name="NYTimes-Esso-Part-1947">{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1947/02/05/87505458.pdf|title=Esso Building Is Part Of Rockefeller Center|date=February 5, 1947|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 23, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The building was topped out the next month.<ref name="NYTimes-Esso-Toppedout-1947">{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1947/03/13/87509314.pdf|title=Old Glory 'Tops Out" A New Structure|date=March 13, 1947|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 23, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Hugh Robertson stepped down as manager the next year,{{sfn|Okrent|2003|p=425}} and he was replaced by Gustav Eyssell.{{sfn|Okrent|2003|p=429}}

Some tenants, such as the [[Sinclair Oil Corporation]], indicated that they wanted to leave the complex after their leases expired in 1962–1963 because the original complex's buildings did not have [[air conditioning]], while newer office buildings did. As Columbia University still owned the land underneath the complex, they were tasked with installing air conditioning in the buildings. The new building would add emphasis to any north–south views of the center, since the existing complex's building only formed west–east axes.{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|pp=106–107}} Another problem befell Rockefeller Center's key tenants, NBC and RCA, who were approached by other developers with the promise of more leasable space, a commodity that was scarce in the fully leased complex.{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|p=107}} These problems were pushed aside temporarily by the onset of the [[Korean War]] in 1950. By 1951, Columbia had acquiesced to reimbursing Rockefeller Center, Inc., for AC installation, while NBC and RCA were given permission to use the Center Theatre for extra broadcasting space.{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|p=107}}

In 1949, in the face of a shrinking congregation, the St. Nicholas Church leased the church building to the [[Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company]], who then leased three contiguous plots from Rockefeller Center for a proposed 28-story building.{{sfn|600 Fifth Avenue Landmark Designation|1985|p=2}}{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|p=108}} The congregation was dispersed to other churches, and the old church building at Fifth Avenue and 48th Street was subsequently demolished.<ref name="NYTimes-Church-Razed-1949">{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1949/04/01/84203520.pdf|title=St. Nicholas Church to Be Razed To Make W ay for Office Building; To Be Erected On Church Site Long Lease Closes St. Nicholas Fight|date=April 1, 1949|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 22, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Construction commenced on 600 Fifth Avenue in 1950, and the tower was completed by 1952.{{sfn|600 Fifth Avenue Landmark Designation|1985|p=2}}{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|p=108}} The building was named after the Sinclair Oil Company, who leased eight floors.<ref>{{cite news | title=Sinclair Is Moving to Skyscraper On Side of Old St. Nicholas Church; Leaving Rockefeller Center, Oil Concern Leases Eight Floors for 21 Years at a Reported Rental of $16,000,000 | work=The New York Times | date=August 4, 1950 | url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1950/08/04/305943872.pdf | access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref> As a result of Sinclair's relocation to 600 Fifth Avenue, as well as Esso's relocation to 75 Rockefeller Plaza, NBC and RCA could expand into the space that Sinclair and Esso formerly occupied in the original complex, and they moved out of the Center Theatre shortly after the Sinclair Oil Company moved into its own tower.{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|p=108}} In mid-1953, Columbia bought all of the land along Sixth Avenue that had been owned by the Underel Corporation at a cost of $5.5 million. Rockefeller Center leased the land back from Columbia until 1973 for $200,000 a year.{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|pp=108–109}}<ref name=p1322504709>{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|1322504709}} |title=Columbia Buys Another Rockefeller Center Plot |date=August 13, 1953 |page=8 |work=New York Herald Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Cooper|first=Lee E.|date=August 13, 1953|title=Columbia Adds $5,500,000 Land To Its Rockefeller Center Holding; Area Is Bought, Then Rented Back to Sellers, Who Also Get a Longer Lease|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1953/08/13/archives/columbia-adds-5500000-land-to-its-rockefeller-center-holding-area.html|access-date=February 14, 2022|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> This allowed Columbia to install air conditioning, passing the costs on to the remaining tenants in return for lease extensions.{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|pp=108–109}}

The small Center Theatre was deemed redundant to the Radio City Music Hall, and in its final years, had been used as an NBC and RCA broadcasting space.{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|p=107}} After NBC and RCA expanded into the floor area formerly occupied by Sinclair, the U.S. Rubber Company indicated that it wanted to expand its office building into the space that was taken up by the underused theater.{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|p=108}} In October 1953, it was announced that the theater would be demolished.<ref>{{cite web | last=Cooper | first=Lee E. | title=Center Theatre to Be Torn Down; Office Building Set for Radio City; 19-Story Office Building to Replace Center Theatre RADIO CITY LOSING CENTER THEATRE | website=The New York Times | date=October 22, 1953 | url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1953/10/22/83822791.pdf | access-date=November 15, 2017}}</ref> It was demolished in 1954.{{sfn|Okrent|2003|p=424}}<ref name="NYTimes-Skyscraper-Stilts-1954"/>

Time-Life also wanted to expand, as its existing space in 1 Rockefeller Plaza was also becoming insufficient.{{sfn|Okrent|2003|p=417}}<ref name="NYTimes-Block-Sold-1953"/> In August 1953, Rockefeller Center, Inc., bought a tract of land on the west side of Sixth Avenue between 50th and 51st streets.<ref name="NYTimes-Block-Sold-1953">{{cite web | title=Midtown Block Is Sold; Rockefeller Center Adds '6th' Ave. Land to Holdings | website=The New York Times | date=August 10, 1953 | url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1953/08/10/84418200.pdf | access-date=November 27, 2017}}</ref> In 1956, two years after the demolition of the Center Theatre, officials announced the construction of a new tower, the Time-Life Building, on that plot. The {{convert|500|ft|m|adj=on}}, $7 million building would include connections to the existing passageway system and to Roxy's Theater directly to its west.<ref name="NYTimes-Rockefeller-Skyscraper-1956">{{cite news | last=Ennis | first=Thomas W. Jr. | title=Rockefeller Center To Add Skyscraper; 47-Story Building On 6th Ave. Is Set | work=The New York Times | date=December 14, 1956 | url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1956/12/14/86966875.pdf | access-date=November 16, 2017}}</ref> Time Inc. and Rockefeller Center formed a [[joint venture]], Rock-Time Inc., which would share the tower's rent income between Time Inc. and Rockefeller Center.{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|p=112}} Construction on the Time-Life Building's steelwork started in April 1958,<ref>{{cite news | title=Time-Life Building Gets First Steel | work=The New York Times | date=April 4, 1958 | url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1958/04/04/82682657.pdf | access-date=December 4, 2017}}</ref> and the structure topped out in November of that year.<ref name=NYTimes-Tops-Out-1958/> The building officially opened in December 1959.<ref name="NYTimes-Time-1959">{{cite web | title=Time's Tenants Begin Moving In; Finishing Touches Are Put on 48-Story Structure, Rising 587 Feet | website=The New York Times | date=December 22, 1959 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1959/12/22/archives/times-tenants-begin-moving-in-finishing-touches-are-put-on-48story.html | access-date=December 4, 2017}}</ref>

Around 1960, Rockefeller Center, [[Uris Buildings Corporation]], and [[Webb and Knapp]] formed another joint venture, Rock-Uris Corp. Originally, the venture wanted to construct a hotel to the west of 75 Rockefeller Center, but ultimately, a glass-and-concrete 43-story office building was built on the site.{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|p=114}} In 1961, the building was named after [[Sperry Corporation]], who leased eight floors in the future building.<ref>{{cite news | title=Building Is Named For Sperry Rand; Office Structure on 6th Ave. Will Be Called After Principal Lessee | work=The New York Times | date=March 13, 1961 | url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/03/13/101451043.pdf | access-date=November 27, 2017}}</ref> The hotel, [[New York Hilton Midtown|New York Hilton at Rockefeller Center]], was built two blocks north{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|p=114}} in 1963.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1963/06/26/81817110.pdf|title=New Hilton Hotel Will Open Today; 46-Story Building Added to Changing Midtown Face Other New Hiltons Opened|date=June 26, 1963|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 29, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
[[File:New York 2015 - panoramio (4).jpg|thumb|[[1251 Avenue of the Americas]] (1965). [[1221 Avenue of the Americas|1221]] (1966) and [[1211 Avenue of the Americas|1211]] (1968) are visible to the left and far left, respectively.]]
600 Fifth Avenue was sold to Rockefeller Center's managers in 1963, thus officially becoming part of Rockefeller Center.<ref name="NYTimes-Sinclair-Sold-1963">{{cite web | title=Sinclair Building on 5th Ave. Sold; Rockefeller Center Buys Structure for 9 Million | work=The New York Times | date=May 16, 1963 | url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1963/05/16/84796606.pdf | access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref> The same year, officials from Esso (later renamed [[Exxon]]) proposed a new building for the complex because the company had outgrown the space in the buildings it already occupied.<ref>{{harvnb|ps=.|Krinsky|1978|p=116}}</ref> Rockefeller Center's managers hired the architectural firm [[Harrison & Abramovitz]] to design three new towers on the west side of Sixth Avenue, with one tower on each block between 47th and 50th streets.{{sfn|Krinsky|1978|p=117}} The Exxon Building, at [[1251 Avenue of the Americas]] between 49th and 50th streets, was formally announced in August 1967.<ref name="NYTimes-Rockefeller-Skyscraper-1967">{{cite web | title=Rockefeller Center To Add Skyscraper; Rockefeller Center to Get Skyscraper | work=The New York Times | date=August 30, 1967 | url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1967/08/30/90399002.pdf | access-date=November 23, 2017}}</ref> Three months later, officials also announced plans for a tower housing [[S&P Global|McGraw-Hill]], located one block south at [[1221 Avenue of the Americas]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1967/11/28/140510322.pdf|title=McGraw-Hill Plans a 48-Story Tower; Razing Progresses A Publishing Giant|date=November 28, 1967|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 29, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Plans for a tower anchored by [[Celanese]], to be located at [[1211 Avenue of the Americas]] between 47th and 48th streets, would not be revealed until 1970.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/09/16/archives/celanese-to-build-skyscraper-in-rockefeller-center-complex.html|title=Celanese to Build Skyscraper In Rockefeller Center Complex|last=Fowler|first=Glenn|date=September 16, 1970|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 29, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The Exxon Building opened in 1971, followed by the McGraw-Hill Building in 1973 and the Celanese Building in 1974.{{sfn|Nash|McGrath|1999|p=127}} By the time all three of the new buildings were opened, Rockefeller Center contained 7% of [[Manhattan]]'s {{Convert|250,000,000|ft2|m2}} of leasable office space.<ref name=NYTimes-Expansion-1974/>