10 East 40th Street

Office skyscraper in Manhattan, New York August 2019 August 2025 10 East 40th Street Mercantile Building Completed 10 E 40th St New York City 2024.jpg Aerial view, July 2024 Renaissance Revival Manhattan, New York United States yes 40.751592 -73.981323 region:US-NY dms it 1929 2002 632 ft m 0 48 350000 sqft m2 on Ludlow and Peabody 1892 10 East 40th Street or the Mercantile Building is a skyscraper on 40th Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is located in the middle of the block between Fifth and Madison avenues, extending south to 39th Street. Designed by Ludlow and Peabody and built by Jesse H. Jones, it was finished in 1929 and is an example of Renaissance Revival architecture. When it was built, it was the fourth-tallest tower in the world.World's tallest buildings in 1930 http://www.ctbuh.org/Portals/0/Tallest/CTBUH_Tallest_1930.pdf Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat https://web.archive.org/web/20101226042600/http://www.ctbuh.org/Portals/0/Tallest/CTBUH_Tallest_1930.pdf dead 2010-12-26 It is 632 ft m 0 high, with 48 floors, and contains 350000 sqft m2 on of office or mixed-use space.Mercantile Building http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=mercantilebuilding-newyorkcity-ny-usa https://web.archive.org/web/20070224014721/http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=mercantilebuilding-newyorkcity-ny-usa usurped February 24, 2007 Emporis.com 2008-07-12 History thumb|left|200px|10 East 40th Street from the New York Public Library Main Branch It was previously known as the Chase Tower, after its first tenant, Chase Brass & Copper. Its owner until his death in 1938 was Frederick William Vanderbilt. During the 1970s, the building housed part of the Mid-Manhattan Library.Tomasson Robert E. 1975-03-07 Library to Move Central Office en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1975/03/07/archives/library-to-move-central-office-plans-shift-to-its-building-at-5th.html 2020-06-30 0362-4331 In September 2002, the building's lobby was renovated, restoring the 15 ft m on ceilings. Current tenants include the Moroccan consulate. Last building on the direct current grid On November 14, 2007, the building became the final site to be removed from Thomas Edison's original direct current grid in New York City. Lee Jennifer 8. Jennifer 8. Lee Off Goes the Power Current Started by Thomas Edison The New York Times 2007-11-14 http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/off-goes-the-power-current-started-by-thomas-edison/ 2009-09-04 The building was completed in 1929 when 90 percent of the electricity in lower Manhattan was direct current.Cunningham Joseph J. May–June 2013 http://magazine.ieee-pes.org/mayjune-2013/history-8/ History IEEE Power & Energy Magazine In that year New York Edison announced plans that it was going to convert the entire system to alternating current. The last 2 rotary converter substations generating direct current (at West 26th and West 39th Street) were retired in 1977 and the DC conversions were handled by solid-state rectifier units. The 2007 event shifted the responsibility for providing the conversion from Con Edison to the building via a local converter. Many of the buildings built in 1929 and before still use direct current with the local converter – most notably for elevators. The New York City Subway's third rail electric system is still direct current (with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority providing the local converters from AC to DC.Blalock Thomas J. November–December 2013 http://magazine.ieee-pes.org/novemberdecember-2013/history-10/ History IEEE Power & Energy Magazine See also List of tallest buildings in New York City References External links Article in Architecture Week https://web.archive.org/web/20140427034654/http://www.architectureweek.com/2002/1016/culture_1-1.html April 27, 2014 Building's leasing site Category:1920s architecture in the United States Category:1929 establishments in New York City Category:Bryant Park buildings Category:Office buildings completed in 1929 Category:Renaissance Revival architecture in New York City Category:Skyscraper office buildings in Manhattan