Citigroup Center Building
New York skyscraper notable for its raised stilts design.
Midtown Manhattan skyscraper at Lexington Avenue and 53rd - notable for its 45-degree-sloped roof and engineering solution with corner stilts and a tuned-mass damper; architecture buffs photograph it amid nearby St. Peter's Church.
Citigroup Center at a Glance#
Address: 601 Lexington Avenue (between 53rd & 54th Streets), Midtown Manhattan, New York, NY, USA
About Citigroup Center#
Citigroup Center (601 Lexington Avenue) is a distinctive Midtown Manhattan skyscraper completed in 1977. The tower rises 59 storeys and is known for its angled roof and the unusual placement of support columns set mid-face to accommodate a church at one corner.
Architecturally the building is noted for its 45-degree slanted roof plane and reflective curtain wall. A raised public plaza and the presence of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church at one corner are prominent features at street level.
During 1978 engineers discovered a structural vulnerability related to wind loads; an emergency retrofit was implemented to strengthen the building’s connections and address the issue.
The tower stands on Lexington Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets in Midtown Manhattan, close to Rockefeller Center and other major corporate and cultural institutions.
- Height and engineering: The building is 59 storeys tall and was completed in 1977; a major engineering retrofit was carried out in 1978 after a wind-load vulnerability was discovered and repaired.
What to See#
- Plaza and St. Peter’s Church: A raised public plaza at the base of the tower includes St. Peter’s Lutheran Church occupying one corner beneath the tower’s stilts.
- Structure and roof: The tower’s distinctive slanted roof and reflective facade mark it out on the Midtown Manhattan skyline; the structure is supported on four mid-face stilts rather than at the corners.
How to Get to Citigroup Center#
In Midtown Manhattan near the intersection of Lexington Avenue and 53rd Street. Subway: E or M to 53rd Street/7th Avenue and transfer to Lexington Avenue lines, or walk from nearby Lexington Avenue/53rd Street stations.
Tips for Visiting Citigroup Center#
- Seating is private office space-visitors can view the building from the plaza but internal access is restricted.
- See the tuned mass damper (the '68 engineering fix') on guided architecture tours around midtown skyscrapers; it's simpler to learn about the 1978 crisis than to see it.
- Photograph the building from across Lexington Avenue to capture the unusual 45‑degree slanted crown.
Best Time to Visit Citigroup Center#
No public tours-view from the street or nearby plazas for best angles.
Weather & Climate near Citigroup Center#
Citigroup Center's climate is classified as Humid Subtropical - Humid Subtropical climate with warm summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -4°C to 29°C. Abundant rainfall (1215 mm/year), wettest in July, distributed fairly evenly throughout the year.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | -4° - 4° | -5° | 96 mm | partly cloudy | 87% | 4.8 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.5h |
| February | Poor | -3° - 5° | -4° | 78 mm | partly cloudy | 85% | 4.9 m/s | 0.4 low | 10.5h |
| March | Acceptable | 1° - 10° | 1° | 107 mm | partly cloudy | 82% | 5.0 m/s | 0.7 moderate | 11.8h |
| April | Good | 6° - 15° | 10° | 105 mm | partly cloudy | 79% | 4.8 m/s | 1.2 high | 13.1h |
| May | Very Good | 11° - 22° | 16° | 112 mm | partly cloudy | 80% | 4.2 m/s | 1.5 very high | 14.3h |
| June | Excellent | 16° - 26° | 21° | 93 mm | partly cloudy | 79% | 4.0 m/s | 1.8 very high | 14.8h |
| July | Excellent | 19° - 29° | 24° | 114 mm | some cloud | 74% | 3.7 m/s | 1.8 very high | 14.6h |
| August | Excellent | 19° - 28° | 24° | 109 mm | some cloud | 73% | 3.5 m/s | 1.6 very high | 13.6h |
| September | Excellent | 15° - 24° | 20° | 104 mm | some cloud | 74% | 3.8 m/s | 1.2 high | 12.3h |
| October | Very Good | 9° - 18° | 14° | 94 mm | partly cloudy | 78% | 4.0 m/s | 0.7 moderate | 11.0h |
| November | Acceptable | 4° - 12° | 6° | 107 mm | partly cloudy | 82% | 4.5 m/s | 0.3 low | 9.8h |
| December | Poor | -1° - 7° | -1° | 96 mm | partly cloudy | 86% | 4.6 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.2h |
