One Vanderbilt, Skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, United States
One Vanderbilt is a glass and terracotta skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan measuring 427 meters (1401 feet) with 62 floors above ground. The facade shows alternating materials that start near the base and continue to the top, where terracotta panels recall traditional architecture.
Construction began in October 2016 after several properties were acquired to make space for the new building. Completion followed in September 2020, while offices and the observation platform opened in the months that followed.
The building stands next to Grand Central Terminal and shows floor-to-ceiling windows that open views toward the city and the train station below. Visitors experience the contrast between the high office floors and the observation platform, where reflective surfaces expand the sense of space.
Access to the observation platform is through a separate entrance or via Grand Central Terminal, with opening hours typically starting in the morning and continuing late into the evening. Visitors should expect queues, especially on weekends and during clear weather.
The observation deck, Summit One Vanderbilt, occupies three levels above the 90th floor, with interiors by the firm Snøhetta. Two glass-floored balconies called Levitation project from the facade at 340 meters above Madison Avenue, and two glass exterior elevators, Ascent, climb about eight stories with no exit at the top.
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