The car-centric amendments that Chrysler requested his architect make to the building’s design were many. These included the aforementioned wing ornaments modeled after Chrysler car radiator caps on the corners of the 31st floor, steel eagle gargoyles on the 61st floor, and plenty of wheel motifs inside and out. This level of ornamentation is typical of Art Deco architecture.
Interior Design
The Art Deco style of the building’s exterior is very much present in the building’s lobby too. A mural, Transport and Human Endeavor, covers the entire ceiling and red African granite lines the walls, creating a moody entrancing atmosphere that’s far from the modern monochrome lobbies of many 21st century office buildings.
Unfortunately, the building’s interior is rather worse for the wear at present, according to reporting by the The New York Times. Cracks in the lobby’s ceiling have been covered in duct tape and the revolving doors “frequently jam and get stuck,” per the Times.
Chrysler Building Uses and Tenants
Since its completion in 1930, the Chrysler Building has been an office building, with select retail at its base, though most of these spaces are empty at present. As reported by The New York Times in July 2024, one of the Chrysler Building’s primary tenants is Spaces, which is a WeWork-like office rental provider. A number of investment management firms have offices in the building, as well as Creative Arts Agency.
How to Visit the Chrysler Building
A number of iconic New York buildings like One World Trade or the Empire State Building welcome visitors inside to an observation deck or a ticketed tour, but the Chrysler Building has no such options. Tourists can enter the building’s lobby for a quick glimpse of the Art Deco interior for no cost and without a need for a ticket. It should be noted, though, that visitors are not allowed to linger in the space, so you shouldn’t expect anything more than a quick look when you visit. Some tourists opt to simply view the building from afar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Chrysler Building?
The Chrysler Building is located at 405 Lexington Avenue between 42nd Street and 43rd Street, near Grand Central Terminal in midtown Manhattan.
How tall is the Chrysler Building?
The Chrysler Building is 1,046 feet tall, with 77 floors. For a little less than a year, the building was the tallest in the world. The Empire State Building stole the top spot when it was completed in 1931.
Is there a restaurant in the Chrysler Building?
From 1930 to 1979, there was a restaurant in the Chrysler Building on the 66th, 67th and 68th floors. Known as the Cloud Club, the restaurant was an exclusive spot for executives to dine. “For many years the Cloud Club was the outpost for such movers and shakers as Mr. Chrysler; E. F. Hutton; Juan Trippe, the founder of Pan American World Airways; and Condé Nast, the publisher,” Edwin McDowell wrote in the Times in 2000. “The club’s elite reputation lasted another four decades, as evidenced by a roster that as late as 1971 comprised 300 members from 180 corporations.” According to the Times, the Cloud Club had a humidor, a stock ticker, a bar, and a Tudor-style lounge, in addition to the restaurant itself.