It’s not that New York lacks observatories. Before One Times Square we already had the newer ones, Edge and Summit, as well as the classics Top of the Rock, the Empire State Building, and One World Observatory. And, therefore, plenty of opportunities to enjoy memorable views of the Big Apple. But this new viewing platform, in the heart of Times Square, has a big advantage, as explained to Condé Nast Traveler by Michael Phillips, president of Jamestown, owners of the iconic building. “Most observatories are located above the city. But ours isn’t in the clouds, but atop the square, and it’s electrifying to have that hustle at your feet.”
We confirmed it on a recent visit to the lookout located in the historic One Times Square. The original building, then the headquarters of The New York Times, officially opened at the end of 1904 with fireworks that still mark the fall of the last page of the calendar. But, after multiple renovations, only its structure and the souvenir photos remain. Jamestown, which bought the property 30 years ago, has finally revived a building that has been almost empty in recent times.
The adrenaline starts right at the beginning of our experience as we take the crystal-walled elevator that climbs along the side of this New York icon. We lift off from the city’s asphalt, watching the neighboring office windows, to reach a room where the evolution of the New Year’s Eve ball is shown. One of the four on display is a replica of the first sphere that marked the date change, in 1907, made of wood and iron and just over one and a half meters in diameter. The humility of the ball, adorned with about a hundred bulbs, is striking as we watch its changes until we reach the Big Ball, which marked its centenary, and consists of 672 crystals and more than 9,000 LED lights.
