Graybar building is one of the bigger, yet lesser known New York City skyscrapers. Located at 420 Lexington Avenue, it leans against and over Grand Central Terminal. In fact, I walked by it many times thinking that it was a part of Grand Central.
The understated Art Deco design helps to hide the huge bulk of the building. Some of the sparse embellishments are striking and very unusual.
The cables that hold the rain canopy in place are in the shape of ship’s mooring ropes, complete with rats and anti-rat devices. I did not notice this at first, but the rosettes from which the ropes emanate are decorated with rat heads. Freaky, huh?
Bas relieves to the side of the entrances are rather conventional allegorical representations of communication – a dude holding an old-timey (but maybe slightly out of date in In 1927) phone with lightning bolts around his head and stuff and transportation – similar looking dude holding a truck. The other two relieves are of Deco-Assyrian looking Prometheus with fire.
There’s an antenna at the top of the building. I could not find any information about it.
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Yep, you are right. It’s the original WQXR antenna on the Chanin building.
the picture of the antenna you have is actually on the nearby chanin building, not the graybar.
I am proud to say that I am an employee-owner of Graybar. I found the pictures and description quite interesting. For the most park, the background given on Graybar , Elsiha Gray, and Enis Barton are the stories that we employee-owners are proud to tell. There are a few more tidbits of info that are also quite interesting. I love this company and have had the pleasure of working for Graybar for 25 years!! I’ll stay there as long as they let me, or until I die, whichever comes first!
I ATTENDED BERKELEY BUSINESS SCHOOL IN THE GRAYBAR BUILDING . IT WAS LOCATED AT THE TOP. WE WENT OUT ON THE ROOF FOR LUNCH AND THE CHRYSLER BUILDING WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.
Thanks for this info…I’ve passed this building several times and never even noticed….the details….
The Graybar Building was originally the corporate headquarters of the employee owned Graybar Electric Company. Graybar’s headquarters is now in Clayton, Missouri. Graybar is named in honor of Elisha Gray and Enos Barton. Elisha Gray, an inventor, also submitted a patent for the telephone on the same day as Alexander Graham Bell and to this day there is still controversy as to which patent arrived at the patent office first. The relieves on the building reflect the electrical and telecomunications products that Graybar distributed.
Enos Barton joined forces with Elisha Gray, with Gray as the senior partner and formed Gray and Barton. In 1872 the company was incorporated as the Western Electric Company. In 1926 a seperate entity was formed to handle distributions and equipment needs of a growing industry of electricity and communications. The new entity was called Graybar in honor of Gray and Barton. In 1929 the employees purchased the company and it is still one of the largest employee owned companies in the United States.
Thanks for a great site and great photographs of a wonderful New York City building landmark. Art Deco architectural style is, after all, the height of accomplishment. The detail regarding the ship mooring ropes, complete with the horn shaped rat guards and crawling rat, holding up the external sidewalk canopy, is a great touch. It reminds me of my days in Navy MSC when we were moored to the wharf or dock in port.
My sister works at this building, and I’m sending her these pictures. It’s quite interesting. Thank you
My Aunt worked in this building 1939 to 1943 I found the name Graybar Bldg on the back of her picture working at Iron Fireman office…Thank you for the information