MetLife Building: The Giant Behind Grand Central

The MetLife Building was originally called the Pan Am Building, an iconic New York skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, just north of famous Park Avenue.

It went up in 1963 on land belonging to Grand Central Terminal, which over the years kept giving ground to the city's expansion. That year it made history as the tallest office building in the world.

At 246 meters, it now ranks 34th among the tallest skyscrapers in New York, and since 2020 it has shared its prime location with One Vanderbilt, a recently opened building that will soon have an observatory where you can see the MetLife, Grand Central and the Chrysler Building from the air.

Why the MetLife Building matters

The design of the Pan Am Building, known as the MetLife since 1981, involved Pietro Belluschi, a figure of the modern movement, and Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus school, whose guiding principle is that form follows function.

That ideal comes through clearly in this octagonal-based structure with simple geometric lines, big glass surfaces and, above all, no ostentatious or purposeless detail.

So when you find yourself face to face with the MetLife-Pan Am Building, remember that it is a standout example of the International Style that grew out of the modern movement in architecture.

The 1977 accident

Another feature of this skyscraper is the large helipad on its roof. Helicopters used to fly from here to the three New York airports, a service that was suspended after a spectacular accident in 1977.

A helicopter tipped over while trying to land, killing four people on board plus a pedestrian on the street below who was struck by a rotor blade that broke off and was thrown down to the sidewalk.

The wind at those heights in New York does not help much (it also sank the fantasy of turning the top of the Empire State into a port for zeppelins).

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Transportation:
Subway 4, 5, 6, 7, S. Grand Central-42 St station
Address:
200 Park Avenue (4th Ave)

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