National Historic Landmark

McGraw-Hill Building

New York, New York County, New York
Listed
March 27, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80002701

About this property

330 West 42nd Street (also known as the McGraw-Hill Building and formerly as the GHI Building) is a 485-foot-tall (148 m), 33-story skyscraper in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Designed by Raymond Hood and J. André Fouilhoux in a mixture of the International Style, Art Deco, and Art Moderne styles, the building was constructed from 1930 to 1931 and originally served as the headquarters of the McGraw-Hill Companies. The building's massing, or shape, consists of numerous setbacks facing 41st and 42nd streets; these were included to comply with the 1916 Zoning Resolution. The facade is made of blue-green terracotta ceramic tile panels alternating with green metal-framed windows, with a strongly horizontal orientation. The facade was intended to blend in with the sky regardless of the atmospheric conditions. The entrance and the original lobby were decorated with light blue and dark green panels. Most of the upper stories had similar floor plans, except for their widths, which varied due to the setbacks on the facade. At the time of its completion, 330 West 42nd Street was controversial for the use of horizontal emphasis on its facade, which its contemporaries lacked. In subsequent decades, architectural critics recognized the building as an early example of the International Style. McGraw-Hill Companies bought the land in early 1930 to replace smaller headquarters; the company originally took three-quarters of the space, renting out the other stories. As the surrounding neighborhood became more decrepit, McGraw-Hill moved in 1972 to 1221 Avenue of the Americas. The building subsequently became the headquarters of Group Health Insurance (GHI). Since then, ownership of 330 West 42nd Street has changed several times. Deco Towers, which has owned the building since 1994, began considering converting it into condominiums in 2018. Moed de Armas and Shannon completely renovated the building (including the lobby) in 2021, and the upper stories were converted into apartments starting in 2023. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) has designated 330 West 42nd Street as a city landmark, and the structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) as a National Historic Landmark.

Location

326 W. 42nd St.
New York, New York County, New York
40.75745, -73.99150

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Battles

Battle of Kip's Bay
1776Revolutionary War
1.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was McGraw-Hill Building listed on the National Register?

McGraw-Hill Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 27, 1980.

What type of historic resource is McGraw-Hill Building?

McGraw-Hill Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is McGraw-Hill Building a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. McGraw-Hill Building has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for McGraw-Hill Building?

The period of significance for McGraw-Hill Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near McGraw-Hill Building?

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