The very distinct 45 degree angle of the roofline of this 59 story tower located on Lexington between 53rd and 54th Streets is that of Lexington, formerly known as the Citigroup Center and originally known as the Citicorp Center when it opened in Sometimes circumstances dictate the crossing of paths per se, coincidence or being at the right place at the right time; such is the case with the Citicorp Center.
The growing and powerful First National Bank of New York which would eventually become Citibank, then Citicorp and finally Citigroup moved into 39 story tower at Park Avenue back in It was about the same time that financially struggling St. After five years, patient and persistent bargaining, some interesting deals, the acquisitions were complete.
The one caveat from St. The architect of the Citicorp Center was Hugh Stubbins, but the principal credit is given to the buildings chief structural engineer, Mr. William LeMessuir who stated that he came upon the idea for its design in a Greek restaurant sketching on a napkin. So when it opened in , 59 stories, feet it was the seventh tallest building in the world, within its triangular top housing much of buildings mechanical equipment including window-washing gear that is cleverly concealed behind doors above the highest office floor Such towers, sometimes known simply as Martellos, were small defensive forts, mostly coastal , that were built across the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the French Revolutionary Wars onwards.
The Pembroke Dock version was constructed in and was designed to be operated by one officer and 33 men whose job it was to defend the dockyard using the roof-mounted guns and pound brass howitzers. The area was once the largest flying boat station in the world with 99 Sunderland Flying Boats stationed there.
Although the gun tower was manned in the midth Century, it never fired a shot and was eventually disarmed in In World War I, it became an observation post and later, during World War II, it was manned by members of the RAF Regiment and used as a machine gun position hosting three twin lewis guns in brick compounds.
