It’s the sheer verticality. The Art Deco lines make it look like it’s reaching for the clouds. There are no setbacks after the 86th floor. It’s just a rocket of steel and limestone.
The Book of Reed Richards (Visionary) | Heroscapers
Plus, the observation deck at 381 meters (1,250 feet) gives you vertigo. You can see five states on a clear day—New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Delaware. But only if you squint.
Fun fact: It’s struck by lightning about 23 times a year.
That’s nearly twice a month. Each strike is a 100 million volt kiss. The building has a lightning rod system, so it’s fine. But imagine being inside during a storm—you’d feel like a human light switch.
One time, a photographer captured a strike hitting the very tip. The photo is epic. The building basically said: “I am 443.2 meters of electric cool.”
