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CBS Building

The CBS Building, commonly known as Black Rock or 51W52, is a 38-story modernist skyscraper located at 51 West 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, that served as the longtime headquarters of the CBS broadcasting corporation.^[1] Designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen and completed posthumously in 1964 by his associates Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo, the 490-foot-tall structure is New York City's first major postwar reinforced concrete office tower, challenging the dominance of steel-framed glass curtain walls in mid-20th-century skyscraper design.^[2] Clad in dark Canadian granite with narrow V-shaped piers alternating with gray-tinted glass windows, its rectangular footprint and setback-free massing create a monolithic, fortress-like appearance that shifts dramatically when viewed from different angles, earning it landmark status for architectural innovation in 1997.^[1] Set within a sunken granite plaza that respects the surrounding street walls, the building's interior spaces, including executive suites and broadcast studios, were collaboratively furnished by Saarinen and designer Florence Knoll Bassett, featuring custom pieces like the Saarinen Executive Chair to evoke permanence and corporate prestige.^[3] As a pivotal work in Saarinen's oeuvre—his last completed project before his death in 1961—it has since been recognized as one of the city's premier post-World War II skyscrapers. Since CBS vacated the building in 2024, it has undergone a $128 million renovation and rebranding as 51W52 under ownership of Harbor Group International, now serving as a Class A office tower.^[4]^[5]^[6]

Site

Location and Surroundings

The CBS Building is located at 51 West 52nd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City.^[1]^[4] The site spans approximately 201 feet by 217 feet and is bounded by West 52nd Street to the south, West 53rd Street to the north, Fifth Avenue to the east, and Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) to the west.^[1] This positioning places the building within a compact urban block amid Midtown's dense commercial and cultural district, characterized by high-rise offices, theaters, and institutions that form the heart of New York City's business and media activities.^[1] Key neighboring landmarks include Rockefeller Center to the south, the Museum of Modern Art immediately to the north across 53rd Street, and St. Patrick's Cathedral to the southeast across Fifth Avenue.^[7]^[8]^[1] The area reflects Midtown's media corridor heritage, with the building's proximity to NBC's Rockefeller Center highlighting the concentration of broadcasting entities in the vicinity.^[1] Accessibility is excellent via New York City's public transit system, with the 47–50th Streets–Rockefeller Center subway station—serving the B, D, F, and M lines—a four-minute walk to the south, and the Fifth Avenue/53rd Street station for the E and M lines an equivalent distance to the east. Several bus routes provide additional connections, including the M5 and M7 north-south services along Sixth Avenue and the M50 crosstown route on 50th Street, all within a short walking distance.^[9] Street-level features include broad sidewalks supporting intense pedestrian flow and busy traffic patterns on the surrounding avenues and cross-streets, typical of this high-density urban zone.^[10]

Site Development History

Prior to the construction of the CBS Building, the site at 51 West 52nd Street formed part of Midtown Manhattan's evolving commercial landscape, occupied by low-rise structures in an area transitioning toward greater corporate presence.^[1] In 1960, CBS acquired the approximately 40,000-square-foot site on Sixth Avenue between 52nd and 53rd Streets, selected by chairman William S. Paley to accommodate the network's growth and replace its aging facilities at 485 Madison Avenue.^[1] This purchase reflected CBS's need for consolidated space amid expanding radio and television operations, rejecting alternative locations on Park and Madison Avenues due to spatial and aesthetic limitations.^[1] Site preparation commenced shortly after acquisition, involving the demolition of existing low-rise buildings in late 1960 to clear the way for groundbreaking in 1961.^[11] Midtown's underlying Manhattan schist bedrock and groundwater issues, common in the region's geology, required careful foundation techniques during excavation. The development adhered to the 1961 New York City Zoning Resolution, which facilitated higher densities in Midtown commercial districts like C6 by introducing floor area ratio (FAR) controls up to 15.0 and bonuses for incorporating public plazas, promoting plaza-set towers to enhance urban openness.^[12]

Architecture

Overall Design and Philosophy

Eero Saarinen, a Finnish-American architect renowned for his modernist designs, brought a distinctive approach to the CBS Building, influenced by his heritage and prior works such as the expressive, bird-like TWA Flight Center at Idlewild Airport.^[13] Born in Finland in 1910 and trained under influences like Erich Mendelsohn and Alvar Aalto, Saarinen emphasized unique, site-specific solutions that integrated modern technology with sculptural form, moving beyond the International Style's uniformity.^[13] His firm, Eero Saarinen & Associates, collaborated closely with associates Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo, who completed the project after Saarinen's death in 1961, ensuring the vision's realization through a "systems approach" that analyzed functional needs holistically.^[1] The design philosophy for the CBS Building centered on creating a monolithic, vertically oriented structure that served as a "corporate monument" symbolizing CBS's dominance in the media industry, with an emphasis on expressive austerity over the era's glassy transparency.^[14] Saarinen envisioned a "soaring thing" that stood firmly on the ground and rose straight upward, rejecting flimsy materials for a dense, permanent presence clad in dark granite to evoke strength and gravitas.^[1]^[15] This integration of architecture with subtle artistry—prioritizing the building's pure form over ornate decoration—aligned with his belief that structures should enhance human experience while making bold statements about their institutional purpose.^[13] Key innovations included the building's status as New York City's first postwar reinforced concrete skyscraper, utilizing load-bearing concrete piers for structural efficiency and a novel aesthetic.^[1]^[2] The rectangular doughnut-shaped floor plan, with a central core and open perimeter, maximized natural light and views for office spaces, while the 38-story tower reached 490 feet in height on a 135-by-160-foot footprint, its sheer verticality uninterrupted by setbacks.^[3]^[11]

Facade and Materials

The facade of the CBS Building is defined by its extensive cladding of Canadian black granite, sourced from the Robitaille family quarry in Alma, Québec, and selected for its exceptional durability and ability to convey a monolithic, dark appearance.^[1]^[16] Approximately 282,000 square feet of two-inch-thick granite slabs cover the structure, applied to the exterior of 38 stories of triangular reinforced concrete piers.^[17] The granite undergoes thermal stippling and liquid honing to achieve a textured yet uniform dark gray surface, enhancing the building's imposing solidity while resisting environmental wear.^[1] The window system features narrow, vertical bays of gray-tinted plate glass, framed in bronze-finished aluminum and recessed behind the piers to integrate seamlessly with the stone cladding.^[1] These openings, measuring about five feet wide and nine feet high on upper floors, occupy only a limited portion of the facade—prioritizing the granite's dominance to minimize solar heat gain and reinforce the structure's fortress-like aesthetic.^[1] The design creates an optical illusion of a continuous granite slab when viewed obliquely, with the glass nearly invisible from certain angles.^[1] Granite panels are installed flush with minimal visible joints, thanks to the modular five-foot-wide piers that align precisely across the facade.^[1] At the corners, the V-shaped piers converge to form double-width chamfered edges, introducing a subtle sculptural bevel that softens the rectangular mass and adds depth to the overall form.^[1] Over the decades, the granite has shown signs of weathering, including panel cracking due to age and exposure, which were investigated and mitigated during subsequent building renovations to preserve the facade's integrity.^[4]

Structural System

The CBS Building features a pioneering reinforced concrete frame as its primary structural system, marking a significant departure from the steel-dominated construction prevalent in New York City skyscrapers of the era. Designed by structural engineer Paul Weidlinger in collaboration with architect Eero Saarinen, this approach utilized high-strength reinforced concrete for the entire 38-story superstructure above ground, with steel beams confined to the substructure below grade. At 490 feet tall, it was the tallest concrete-framed office building in the city upon completion in 1964, leveraging the material's compressive strength to achieve slender vertical proportions without the visual bulk of steel framing.^[2]^[1]^[11] Load-bearing elements consist of 52 triangular reinforced concrete piers arrayed around the perimeter, which function as vertical cantilevers supporting the building's weight from foundation to roof, while the central core houses elevators, utilities, and additional shear resistance. These exterior piers, continuous and uninterrupted, vary in thickness from base to top but are generally robust enough to bear significant vertical loads, with hollow sections above the first floor accommodating mechanical ducts for HVAC systems. The central core, also of reinforced concrete, integrates vertical circulation and stiffens the structure against lateral forces, creating a tube-like configuration that enhances overall stability. This perimeter-core system enables the building's distinctive "doughnut" footprint, with open floor plates free of intermediate columns.^[18]^[1]^[19] Floors are constructed with cast-in-place concrete slabs spanning approximately 35 feet from the core to the perimeter piers, supported on metal decking to provide flexible, column-free interiors optimized for office use. This span allows for expansive, adaptable spaces without compromising structural integrity, utilizing a concrete mix of 4,000 psi for durability. The system integrates polyurethane insulation within the frame to improve thermal performance.^[11]^[20]^[21] The structural design was engineered to withstand Midtown Manhattan's wind loads and low-to-moderate seismic activity, relying on the mass and ductility of the reinforced concrete to dampen vibrations and distribute forces effectively through the perimeter piers and core. No major structural retrofits were required for these hazards until the 21st century, when a comprehensive renovation focused primarily on mechanical and interior upgrades rather than foundational reinforcements.^[2]^[19]

Interior Layout

The CBS Building features a rectangular doughnut-shaped floor plan, measuring 135 feet by 160 feet, which maximizes usable office space through an open layout with clear spans and no internal corridors, ensuring all workspaces are within 35 feet of a window.^[22] A central concrete core, positioned for structural and functional efficiency, houses the elevators and stairs, supporting the building's 38 stories while allowing flexible partitioning on typical office floors.^[22]^[14] Functional zoning divides the interior vertically: lower floors accommodate public areas such as lobbies and reception spaces, along with executive offices, while upper levels are dedicated to broadcasting studios and general offices tailored to CBS operations.^[23] The total rentable space encompasses approximately 872,000 square feet, with standardized layouts based on a 5-by-5-foot modular grid aligned to the exterior piers and windows.^[14] Circulation emphasizes vertical efficiency, with the central core's elevator system—refurbished in recent updates for modern standards—facilitating rapid movement across floors; original lobbies on West 52nd and 53rd Streets include escalators connecting to mezzanine levels for seamless access.^[19] Over time, the interior has adapted from CBS-specific configurations, including dedicated radio studios on floors 16 and 17 and executive suites near the top, to a generalized multi-tenant office environment; renovations in the 1990s and a $128 million overhaul completed in 2024 introduced flexible amenities like lounges and conference rooms to attract diverse occupants.^[23]^[19]

Plaza and Public Amenities

The plaza at the CBS Building consists of a sunken open space paved in gray granite, slightly lighter in tone than the building's facade, and spans the western portion of the block between West 52nd and West 53rd Streets.^[1] Accessed via wide steps—five from Sixth Avenue, six from West 52nd Street, and seven from West 53rd Street—the plaza slopes gently eastward and integrates landscaping through planters containing trees and bushes along its edges and parapets.^[1] This design creates a transitional zone that buffers the tower from surrounding streets while providing a public gathering area amid Midtown Manhattan's dense urban fabric.^[19] Public entry to the building occurs primarily through seven ground-level portals on each of West 52nd and West 53rd Streets, featuring a mix of revolving doors, single and double glass doors, and adjacent restaurant windows, all framed by bronze-finished aluminum light boxes for illumination.^[1] The steps incorporate bronze-finished aluminum railings to guide pedestrian circulation, enhancing the plaza's role in facilitating smooth flow toward the entrances and connecting to the interior lobby spaces.^[1] These features emphasize a restrained modernist aesthetic, with the light boxes providing subtle overhead lighting that supports evening use without overpowering the granite surfaces. Amenities in the plaza include the stepped areas themselves, which serve as informal seating zones, complemented by the original landscaping elements that introduce seasonal greenery through the trees and bushes in planters.^[1] The space functions as a hiatus plaza, accommodating brief pedestrian pauses and contributing to local foot traffic in the Theater District, though it lacks extensive fixed furnishings like dedicated benches.^[24] Lighting from the entrance light boxes and minimal additional fixtures ensures visibility for safe navigation. To improve accessibility, post-1970s modifications added a ramp on West 52nd Street and a dedicated wheelchair-access ramp at the plaza's east end, aligning with evolving standards for public spaces.^[1] These updates enable broader public engagement without altering the original sunken configuration.^[24]

History

Planning and Commissioning

In the late 1950s, as the post-World War II television boom fueled rapid expansion of CBS's operations, the network required a centralized headquarters to consolidate its administrative functions, which were then dispersed across more than a dozen locations in New York City. Under the leadership of chairman William S. Paley and president Frank Stanton, CBS commissioned the project to create a prestigious structure rivaling NBC's Rockefeller Center, symbolizing the company's growing influence in broadcasting. The initial budget was established at $40 million to cover the development of a modern office tower housing corporate offices, television and radio network divisions, news operations, and Columbia Records, while excluding on-site broadcasting studios and production facilities.^[1] In 1960, Eero Saarinen & Associates was selected as the architect, with Stanton particularly impressed by Saarinen's innovative design for the General Motors Technical Center, which demonstrated a blend of artistic vision and functional practicality. The firm was chosen to deliver a building that would embody strength and simplicity, aligning with CBS's desire for a landmark presence in the evolving media landscape. Concurrently, the site—a nearly full-block parcel of 47,696 square feet on Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) between 52nd and 53rd Streets—was acquired for $7 million, valued for its strategic centrality in Midtown Manhattan's emerging business and media district, adjacent to key competitors like NBC.^[1]^[25]^[26] Regulatory approvals posed challenges due to the site's location in a dense urban area, necessitating zoning variances for the proposed height and setbacks under New York City's evolving building codes. Saarinen actively collaborated with city planners, including figures like Gordon Bunshaft, contributing to the 1961 zoning resolution that incentivized public plazas to offset tower bulk and address community concerns over Midtown overcrowding and density. This process incorporated input from urban stakeholders to balance development with public space benefits.^[1] The design brief emphasized flexible, column-free office layouts on a 5-foot modular grid to support adaptable workspaces for CBS's diverse divisions, prioritizing efficiency for 35-foot-deep interiors across 38 stories. It also required a symbolic architectural statement of solidity and modernity, using reinforced concrete as the structural system—the first such skyscraper in New York—to project the enduring power of the broadcasting industry, while integrating public amenities like a plaza to enhance urban integration.^[25]^[1]

Construction and Completion

Construction of the CBS Building began in 1961, following the finalization of Eero Saarinen's design earlier that year.^[14] The George A. Fuller Company served as the general contractor, overseeing the erection of the 38-story tower at 51 West 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan.^[22]^[11] Saarinen's sudden death in September 1961 posed a significant challenge, prompting his firm—Eero Saarinen & Associates—to complete the project under the leadership of partners Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo.^[1] Groundbreaking occurred that year, with the structure reaching its full height and being topped out in 1964.^[1]^[11] The initial phases allowed for partial occupancy, as CBS executives began moving into the lower floors in late 1964.^[1] The building achieved full completion in May 1965, marking the end of a four-year construction period that established it as New York City's first postwar reinforced concrete skyscraper.^[14]^[2] The total cost reached an estimated $40 million, surpassing the original budget primarily due to escalations in material prices during the early 1960s economic conditions.^[1] Innovations in the construction process included on-site fabrication of precast concrete components to support the building's distinctive triangular piers and load-bearing frame, enabling efficient assembly despite the project's ambitious scale.^[4] Additional hurdles arose from seasonal weather impacts on concrete work and intermittent labor disruptions common to large-scale urban projects of the era, though these did not significantly derail the timeline.^[1] The dedication ceremony took place on June 1, 1965, featuring a live CBS broadcast event that highlighted the building's role as the network's new headquarters.^[15] This milestone not only celebrated the physical completion but also underscored the structure's integration of advanced concrete techniques for stability and aesthetics.

Early Operations and 20th-Century Use

Upon its completion in 1965, the CBS Building immediately became the corporate headquarters for CBS, with staff beginning to occupy the structure by the end of 1964. The 38-story tower housed extensive offices and executive suites essential to the network's administrative functions, supporting its position as one of America's leading radio and television broadcasters.^[1] During the late 1960s and 1970s, the building facilitated CBS's daily operations amid the network's influential era in television programming, coordinating content development, news production, and corporate decision-making. Facilities within the building, such as the sixteenth floor dedicated to WCBS Newsradio 880, enabled ongoing radio broadcasts until the operations relocated in 2000. By 1966, CBS employed over 17,000 people across its operations, with the New York headquarters accommodating a substantial portion of the executive and support staff.^[1]^[23] In the 1980s, the building remained fully occupied by CBS, underscoring the stability of its ownership and use as the media conglomerate's central hub through the close of the 20th century. Minor maintenance challenges, including issues with window seals, arose in the 1970s but were addressed through internal repairs to ensure operational continuity. By the early 1990s, CBS began leasing portions of the space to external tenants while retaining core functions.^[27]

21st-Century Ownership Transitions

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, CBS Corporation explored multiple options to sell the building amid financial pressures and strategic shifts. An initial attempt occurred in 1998, followed by another in 1999 when the property was listed but withdrawn after bids fell short at around $300 million.^[28] The 2000 merger with Viacom, which created ViacomCBS and valued the building at approximately $370 million, added layers of complexity to ownership decisions, including integration challenges and the property's landmark status granted in 1997, ultimately leading to retention rather than divestiture.^[29]^[27] During the 2010s, the CBS Building remained a stable anchor for CBS Corporation's operations as its New York headquarters, housing key media functions even as the company navigated industry disruptions like cord-cutting, which reduced traditional broadcast revenues and prompted modest space adjustments.^[30] Portions of the 878,000-square-foot tower were leased to non-media tenants, including law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and financial services provider Computershare, allowing CBS to optimize occupancy while maintaining primary control.^[31] This partial diversification reflected broader trends in media real estate, where broadcasters sought to offset declining linear TV demand through supplementary income streams.^[32] The ownership landscape shifted decisively in the early 2020s following the 2019 Viacom-CBS merger. ViacomCBS listed the building for sale in late 2019, targeting over $1 billion, but paused the process in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on commercial real estate.^[33]^[34] The effort resumed, culminating in an agreement on August 16, 2021, to sell the property to Harbor Group International for $760 million, marking the first transfer of ownership since its 1964 completion.^[35]^[36] Post-sale, Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS) initiated a phased exit, vacating significant portions starting in 2021 and completing relocation of its remaining 53,000 square feet by November 2024 to a new facility at 1515 Broadway.^[32] Harbor Group quickly repositioned the tower as premium multi-tenant office space, securing leases with diverse occupants and achieving nearly 90% occupancy by early 2024 through targeted marketing to professional services firms.^[37] This transition underscored the building's evolution from single-occupier media hub to a versatile commercial asset in Midtown Manhattan.^[38]

Renovation and Rebranding

In 2023, Harbor Group International launched a $128 million renovation project at the CBS Building, aimed at updating the structure for modern office needs while honoring Eero Saarinen's original architectural vision.^[39] The effort, led by design firms Vocon and MdeAS Architects, focused on enhancing operational efficiency and tenant appeal without altering the building's landmark status.^[39] This initiative followed the property's acquisition by Harbor Group in 2021, marking a shift toward diversified commercial use.^[40] Key components of the renovation included upgrades to the HVAC systems for improved energy efficiency, thorough cleaning and restoration of the dark granite facade to revive its original luster, and the overhaul of interior spaces such as the lobbies.^[39] The main lobby on 52nd Street was restored to its traditional character, while the 53rd Street entrance was reimagined as a hospitality-inspired "Club 53" with custom furnishings.^[40] Additional enhancements encompassed modernized elevators, integrated technology infrastructure for contemporary workflows, and new wellness amenities in a dedicated cellar-level suite, featuring a fitness center with yoga room and Pelotons, locker rooms, tenant lounges, a conference room, and a tenants-only cafe.^[39] The landmarked plaza and rooftop garden were also restored to provide serene public and tenant spaces.^[40] The project concluded in April 2024, coinciding with the rebranding of the property as 51W52 to better position it in the competitive Midtown Manhattan office market and draw high-profile tenants.^[39] Sustainability measures, including energy-efficient retrofits and low-profile convectors at the windows, earned the building LEED Gold certification.^[39] As of late 2024, occupancy stood at approximately 77%, reflecting leasing momentum post-renovation despite the departure of long-term tenants like CBS; no significant changes have been reported through 2025.^[41]

Significance and Legacy

Architectural Influence

The CBS Building, designed by Eero Saarinen and completed in 1964, pioneered the use of reinforced concrete as the primary structural material for high-rises in New York City, marking it as the city's first postwar concrete skyscraper with its 38 stories rising 490 feet.^[1]^[4] This innovation shifted architectural practice away from traditional steel frames toward concrete for its cost efficiencies and aesthetic potential, enabling slender, load-bearing triangular piers that integrated mechanical systems like ducts within hollow cores, thus influencing the modular efficiency of subsequent urban towers.^[1]^[2] The building's sunken plaza and vertical emphasis also contributed to the 1961 New York City zoning resolution, which incentivized open spaces at building bases to promote slimmer profiles and public amenities in skyscraper design.^[1] Critics lauded the structure for its minimalist elegance and bold presence amid Midtown Manhattan's glass-and-steel landscape, with Ada Louise Huxtable describing it in 1966 as "a first-rate work of architecture" and "an extraordinarily impressive structure" that set "the shape and standard for New York building today."^[1] The design earned the Architectural League of New York's medal in 1964 for high architectural standards and the Municipal Art Society's Bronze Plaque in 1965 for outstanding architecture, underscoring its role in advancing corporate modernism.^[1] Saarinen's associates, particularly Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo, who finalized the project after his 1961 death, carried forward its principles of exposed concrete and site-specific massing into their later works, such as the Ford Foundation Building (1963–1968), which echoed the CBS tower's use of concrete for sculptural form and integrated plazas.^[1]^[42] This legacy extended to post-1960s New York facades, promoting textured concrete exteriors sheathed in materials like granite for a sense of solidity and verticality in corporate high-rises.^[1]

Cultural and Media Impact

The CBS Building, affectionately known as Black Rock for its imposing dark granite facade reminiscent of the 1955 film Bad Day at Black Rock, emerged as a potent symbol of American media power and prestige upon its 1965 completion.^[23] Commissioned by CBS chairman William S. Paley, the structure embodied the network's self-proclaimed identity as the "Tiffany network," evoking elegance, reliability, and dominance in broadcasting during the mid-20th century.^[43] Its stark, monolithic presence amid Midtown Manhattan's evolving skyline underscored CBS's transition from radio to television supremacy, associating the building indelibly with the era's journalistic icons like Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite, the latter dubbed the "Sage of Black Rock."^[30]^[44] Throughout its tenure as CBS headquarters, Black Rock hosted pivotal cultural events that amplified its media resonance, including decades of live news broadcasts and high-profile press conferences that broadcast the network's influence to national audiences.^[44] From the 1960s onward, the building served as the backdrop for announcements of groundbreaking programs and coverage of landmark events, reinforcing CBS's role in shaping public discourse on issues like civil rights and space exploration. In one notable instance, WCBS Newsradio 880 aired its final transmission from the site in 2000, marking the end of an era in on-site media production.^[44] These gatherings not only facilitated operational efficiency but also cultivated Black Rock's aura as a hub of information and entertainment innovation. As an emblem of 1960s corporate modernism, the building's innovative use of concrete and granite departed from the glass-dominated International Style, influencing the design ethos of later media headquarters by prioritizing bold, contextual materiality over uniformity.^[30]^[14] Its location on the historic "Broadcast Row" along Sixth Avenue further cemented its significance, positioning it as a visual anchor for the concentration of media enterprises that defined New York's creative economy.^[30] In public perception, Black Rock endures as an iconic fixture of New York City lore, its brooding silhouette frequently captured in photographs and skyline views as a quintessential Midtown landmark synonymous with the city's broadcasting heritage.^[30] This visibility has perpetuated its status beyond corporate use, embedding it in the collective imagination as a steadfast symbol of media evolution amid urban transformation.

Preservation Efforts and Recognition

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the CBS Building as a city landmark on October 21, 1997, recognizing its significance as a premier post-World War II skyscraper and a key work of modern architecture by Eero Saarinen. This designation protects the building's exterior, including its dark granite cladding, tinted glass curtain walls, and sunken plaza, from alterations without commission approval, ensuring the preservation of its minimalist form and innovative concrete structure.^[1] The building has received notable architectural recognition for its enduring design. In 1964, the Architectural League of New York cited the building as one of eight outstanding projects in CBS's nationwide facilities program, highlighting its high architectural standards. Additionally, in 1966, Eero Saarinen and Associates earned an Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects for the CBS Building's design, acknowledging its structural and aesthetic innovations. Architectural Record featured the structure in its July 1965 issue as "Saarinen's Skyscraper," praising its bold simplicity amid New York's skyline.^[1]^[1]^[1] Preservation efforts in the 1990s focused on the landmark designation process, which included public hearings and detailed documentation to safeguard the exterior while allowing flexibility for interior modifications, as the interiors were not designated. The 2024 renovation by Harbor Group International, costing $128 million and completed in March, adhered strictly to historic preservation guidelines by cleaning and repairing original features such as the black granite surfaces, bronze railings, and travertine walls, while restoring the plaza to its mid-1960s configuration by removing later additions like 1990s planters.^[1]^[19] Challenges in these efforts centered on balancing modernization with the building's protected modernist integrity, particularly in integrating post-pandemic amenities like a tenant lounge, fitness center, and enhanced lobbies without compromising Saarinen's vision. The design team employed reversible alterations, such as subtle lighting and material echoes, to add functionality while deferring to the original aesthetic, ensuring the structure's historical value was maintained amid contemporary office demands.^[19]

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[28]
CBS's 'Black Rock' Building Is Said to Be for Sale - The New York ...
Aug 30, 2000 · The 36-year-old building was placed on the market last year, but was taken off because the bids, which were about $300 million, were too low.Missing: attempts 1998-2001
[29]
ViacomCBS to sell landmark Black Rock headquarters in Manhattan
Dec 9, 2019 · Viacom considered a sale of the building back in 2000. At that time, it was worth $370 million, The New York Times estimated. Located at ...
[30]
CBS Eyes Sale Of Landmark Black Rock Corporate Headquarters
Dec 17, 2019 · The CBS Building. After the CBS-Viacom re-merger, the network is ... CBS's $25 billion re-merger with Viacom brings a reported $500 million ...Missing: cost | Show results with:cost
[31]
51 West 52nd Street New York, NY | tenants & CRE data
New York City · Sixth Avenue. CBS Building. 51 West 52nd Street, New York, NY. 51 West 52nd Street is located in New York, NY. Built in 1963, this 36 story ...Missing: exact | Show results with:exact
[32]
Landmarked Black Rock tower downgraded amid surge of vacancies
Dec 11, 2023 · The network is to move out of its remaining 53,000 square feet by November 2024. In 2026 Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe could leave when the law ...
[33]
CBS Pulls $1B Black Rock Listing - The Real Deal
Mar 19, 2020 · CBS pulled its Black Rock tower building off the market, which had been aiming for a price north of $1 billion.
[34]
CBS wants to sell its NYC headquarters for more than $1B
Feb 24, 2020 · CBS is looking to sell its 38-story headquarters in New York for more than $1 billion as a result of the company's merger with Viacom, ...
[35]
Harbor Group to Acquire CBS Building in Midtown Manhattan
It has entered an agreement to acquire 51 West 52 nd Street, a premier office tower in Midtown Manhattan, for a purchase price of $760 million.
[36]
CBS Building Sells to Harbor Group for $760 Million - Variety
Aug 16, 2021 · Harbor Group International has entered an agreement with ViacomCBS to purchase the CBS Building in New York City for $760 million.
[37]
Black Rock Nearly 90% Leased After Amenity-Filled Transformation
Apr 7, 2024 · All the changes helped generate 325,000 square feet in new and renewal leases that brought the tower's 900,000 square feet to nearly 90% leased ...
[38]
Former CBS home Black Rock nearly 90% leased after amenity ...
Apr 7, 2024 · Asking rents range from $90 per square foot on lower floors to $140 psf on higher ones. ... cbs · leases · midtown · office buildings · realty ...Missing: interior zoning studios
[39]
Behind the New 51W52, a $128M Skyscraper Restoration
Jul 8, 2024 · Harbor Group International kicked off a $128 million renovation program at the property in 2023, intending to preserve Saarinen's original design and vision.
[40]
Renovation of Eero Saarinen's modernist Midtown skyscraper ... - 6sqft
Apr 9, 2024 · The building at 51 West 52nd Street was built in the early 1960s as the headquarters for CBS. Eero Saarinen, the Finish-American architect ...
[41]
Morningstar DBRS Confirms Credit Ratings on All Classes of DBGS ...
Apr 3, 2025 · Inclusive of the CBS vacancy, occupancy was most recently reported at 77.0% as per the December 2024 rent roll, approximately 20.0% below the ...
[42]
Kevin Roche: NYC masterpieces of the modernist architect
Mar 4, 2019 · ” (Other Saarinen works that Roche completed include the CBS Building, aka “Black Rock,” and the IBM Pavilion at the 1964 World's Fair.) The ...
[43]
A Shrinking CBS Begins To Rent a Piece of the Rock
Oct 8, 1992 · Black Rock, the elegant granite-clad skyscraper that William S. Paley built to symbolize CBS's view of itself as the "Tiffany network" ...Missing: nickname | Show results with:nickname
[44]
Newscasters Leave Black Rock, the House Edward R. Murrow Built
Oct 21, 2000 · A New York City landmark, the imposing tower at 51 West 52nd Street near the Avenue of the Americas was built to embody CBS's image of itself as ...