After a drizzly Saturday – no, let’s face it, a wet Saturday – we all assembled on a sunny Sunday afternoon in the foyer of the funky Freehand Hotel, expertly located on Lexington Avenue between 23rd and 24th.
Strolling uptown towards the gleaming Chrysler Building we headed off on the first of our walking tours for the week. One Vanderbilt is New York’s newest skyscraper.
The top of its spire is 428 metres high, designed by Kohn Peterson Fox for SL Green Realty.
Ninety-three storeys, next door to Grand Central Station on 42nd Street.
It’s the fourth tallest building in New York City.
Whilst primarily a commercial office tower, with the ubiquitous star-chef restaurant included, One Vanderbilt includes a lux new observation deck – SUMMIT.
With plastic shoe covers firmly over our ‘outdoor’ shoes, the Study Tour delegates boarded the super-fast elevators (40 seconds to the top) and stepped out on level 91 where the view takes your breath away.
But this is not just an observation deck – it’s an art installation, a digital immersion and a sky-high food and beverage experience.
After spending time in a very 2023 ‘hall of mirrors’ we moved through insta-worthy art and a balloon filled room for a fabulous (but chilly) cocktail on the outdoor terrace.
As the sun went down over NYC there was great excitement amongst the group for the week to come.
After silently returning to solid ground we spent the first free evening in the city that never sleeps…
If you are feeling jealous and want the chance to take part in a Property Council Study Tour in the future, check out next year’s trip to Japan, with expressions of interest currently open.
Follow Property Council of Australia on LinkedIn to make sure you keep up to date with some of our exciting adventures over the coming week.