Items tagged with 'Corning Tower'

Big lift

Here's video from Sunday of the helicopter lifting equipment to the roof of the Corning Tower. It was posted by the state Office of General Services.

The work is part of a process to replace the maintenance rig that sits atop of the tower allows crews to maintain the exterior of building, including replacing pieces of the facade and washing windows. The new system will be a replacement for a rig installed (also by helicopter) during the construction of the building almost 50 years ago.

Here's why a helicopter will be lifting equipment to the roof of the Corning Tower this weekend

Corning Tower looking up, close up

A handful of roads will be closed near the southeastern end of the Empire State Plaza this Sunday because crews will be using a helicopter to lift materials to the top of the Corning Tower. (The road closures list is below.)

The crews will be moving equipment for a new maintenance rig for the Corning Tower. Joseph Brill, a spokesman for the state Office of General of Services, said the process is planned to include a series of nine lifts, starting at approximately 9 am, which will include more than 11 tons of equipment. The schedule is dependent on the weather.

Why the need for the equipment? Well, in short, it makes it possible to maintain the exterior of the 42-floor building. As Brill explained in an email:

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The Corning Tower's salute to Derek Jeter

Corning Tower Derek Jeter salute

The Corning Tower saluted Derek Jeter Thursday night by lighting up his number on the building. The Yankee captain's last home game was also screened beneath The Egg -- and a few hundred people were there to watch. It turned out OK.

A few more large-format night photos from around the ESP and Capitol are after the jump.

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What is that structure atop the Corning Tower?

box structure atop Corning Tower

Updated

AR emailed us to ask:

[W]hat the heck are they doing on the roof of the Corning Tower?

AR was referring to the box-like structure that's been built atop the tower. It's noticeable from a bunch of different angles.

So we asked. From Heather Groll, a spokesperson for the state Office of General Services, which operates the Empire State Plaza:

The 25 foot high structure being built on top of the Corning Tower is an enclosure that will protect the equipment on the roof that we use to conduct building maintenance that includes repairs to the marble, window replacement, and washing. When it's finished the outside will be very similar in color to the building.

Groll said via email the structure is a permanent addition.

Here's a pic with a wider perspective, from Delaware Ave.

NYS OGS's At the Plaza series advertises on AOA.

The view from (near) the top

corning tower view 2014-04-01

A larger version, for gawking.

While at the ESP today we took the opportunity to head up to the Corning Tower observation deck for a few minutes. We always forget how fun it is to gawk at everything from up there.

A handful of years ago check-in was required for the the observation area. But now it's just walk right in at the tower's base, head to the back of the bank of elevators (there's a sign), and take the quick (a bit wobbly) ride up.

The downside: the observation deck is only open week days from 10 am to 3:45 pm. If you have the chance sometime, though, it's worth the quick side trip.

Corning Tower stair climb 2012

Thumbnail image for corning tower looking upThe annual Corning Tower stair climb for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Northeastern NY is March 8. The climb includes a few subdivision: individuals, a relay race (four person teams), a 13-floor climb for individuals, and most impressive -- a firefighter's climb (yep, firefighters going up all those steps while wearing their gear).

Hey, it's only 42-floors (809 steps). Easy, right? Heh. Liz -- who we're sure has a level of fitness and athleticism to which we could only hope for -- did the stair climb last year. She felt the burn.

Registration is now $40 (there's also a $125 pledge minimum). Check in begins at 4 pm, and the climbing starts at 6 pm.

9 observations from climbing Corning

Climb Tower

I'll never be able to look at that building in the same way.

By Liz Clancy Lerner

I've wanted to see the city from top of the Corning Tower for quite some time now, but I'd always planned on getting there by elevator.

Then I heard about yesterday's climb for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

As tall towers go, the Corning - at 42 stories - is not one of the greats. That title goes to the big guns: The Sears Willis Tower, the Empire State Building and John Hancock Center. At 100+ floors each, my legs thank me for not attacking those.

Here's some of what I learned in my 7:40:00 climb.

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That's tall

corning burj khalifa comparison

The buidling heights should be roughly to scale. The widths not at all.

The world's tallest building -- the Burj Khalifa (also known as the Burj Dubai) -- officially opened today in Dubai. It's 2,717 ft tall at the tip of its spire.

We decided it would be fun to compare to the height of the Corning Tower -- and to use the Corning Tower as a unit of measurement (Cornings). Thus, the Burj Khalifa is... 4.61 Cornings tall.

Here are a few other extraordinarily tall buildings, as measured in Cornings:

(all building heights at spire tip)

Earlier on AOA: The Corning Tower observation deck

Burj Khalifa outline by Wikipedia user Greyengine5

Is the Corning Tower trying to tell us something?

corning tower flip

Yeah, well, you're... you're... you're a pale imitation of Brasilia! Yeah, take that!

TJ sent us this picture yesterday with the message:

"I saw this outside my house tonight, and i could swear that the Corning Tower was giving me the middle finger. I'm sure its just my crazy eyes and a strange coincidence, but the image made me laugh."

(Thanks!)

The Corning Tower observation deck

a photo of the Corning Tower observation deck

Ever wish you could just rise above it all? Try looking down on your friends and neighbors from the observation deck of The Corning Tower. (It's the reallllly tall building at the end of the capital mall.) You can see the Adirondacks, The Catskills, The Berkshires, The Empire Plaza, even The Governor's Mansion (Is that a tiny steamroller?).

corning_tower_looking_up.jpgIf you live downtown you can walk. Otherwise, park under the plaza. Just bring your photo id. Getting into the tower isn't hard, but you have to jump through a few post 9-11 security hoops. If you enter from the plaza level, you'll have to take the escalator down, present your id and get your picture taken. The guard will print an unflattering photo of you on a name badge.Stick it on and head back up to the plaza level to wait for the express elevator to the 42nd floor.

It's really not as much trouble as it sounds, and on a clear day, it's well worth the view. There are signs below the windows with tips on what there is to see, and a representative from the NYS tourism department is on hand to answer questions. Fun, informative and oh yeah, free.

The Scoop

For a decade All Over Albany was a place for interested and interesting people in New York's Capital Region. It was kind of like having a smart, savvy friend who could help you find out what's up. AOA stopped publishing at the end of 2018.

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