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While the exterior of Philip Johnson’s iconic AT&T awaits its fate in an upcoming New York City landmarks designation hearing, demolition of its granite-clad interior lobby has already begun.
Citing the fact that the lobby had already been altered in the 1990s – including the removal of the “Golden Boy” statue – when the building switched tenants from AT&T to the Sony Corporation, the Landmarks Preservation Commission decided last month that the interiors were not deserving of landmark status.
Interior landmark designations are awarded much less frequently than exterior designation in New York. The city currently contains 1,405 individual landmarks, but just 120 interiors.
“In our evaluation the lobby does not hold the same level of broad significance,” explained LPC Director of Research Kate Lemos McHale in a letter from the LPC to preservation advocate Thomas Collins. “[With] the removal of ‘Golden Boy‘ as a focal point, alterations within the lobby itself, and its diminished relationship to the overall design of the base, we have determined that it does not rise to the level of an interior landmark.”
Learn more about the battle between developer and preservationists, here and find our earlier coverage of the plans below.
Facing Major Renovations, Philip Johnson's AT&T Building Gets Hearing for Landmark Designation
Facing plans for a major renovation that would significantly alter the street presence of the building, Philip Johnson's Postmodern icon, 550 Madison (formerly AT&T Building) has now cleared the first stage in the process of becoming a designated New York City landmark.
Snøhetta to Transform 550 Madison, Philip Johnson's Iconic Postmodern New York Skyscraper
One of New York's most iconic Postmodern skyscrapers, the Philip Johnson-designed 550 Madison (formerly AT&T Building) is set to receive a major renovation that will completely transform how the building base interacts with the street. Designed by Snøhetta, the project centers on improving the transparency of its street presence.
