Rockefeller Center is one of New York’s most iconic landmarks—but it was never supposed to exist. Originally planned as a new home for the Metropolitan Opera, the project collapsed before it even began. The stock market crashed, investors fled, and John D. Rockefeller Jr. was left alone with a six-million-square-foot lease and no clear plan.
But instead of walking away, he built something bigger. In the depths of the Great Depression, Rockefeller Center rose from nothing—an audacious mix of office towers, broadcast studios, and underground infrastructure that would reshape Midtown Manhattan. In this episode, we uncover the improbable story of how one man’s gamble became a new blueprint for urban America.
via It's History
Matt Coneybeare
Editor in Chief
Matt enjoys exploring the City's with his partner and son. He is an avid marathon runner, and spends most of his time eating, running, and working on cool stuff.
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