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Pamela, symbolism is why we are in trouble now...suggested reading or viewing for you would be Dan Brown's Angels and Demons sweetie

Whether the building is a bit smaller or taller is, for me, besides the point. The Empire State Building is similar in symbolic meaning to Paris' Eiffel Tower. By law, no building can be as tall as or taller than that structure because it symbolizes Paris, even France itself. There should be some buildings that should remain apart and have nothing to obscure its "symbolic" image.

This really is my comment: It is about time for a change, change happens and if this building is blocking your view is too much for you to handle...move!

Dear imposter: they can track you by your IP address idiot! I did not post the message with the link below.

BEWARE: some coward is posting comments using other people's name today to get their own personal message across.

Ruin every neighborhood? That area of town is not a neighborhood that can be ruined --- it's not a neighborhood.

People think the status quo is the way it's always been. This is crazy. Buildings go up, buildings come down. New York would be ruined if we try to lock the city into a configuration. Think about what the city would look like if the government had chosen to freeze the skyline 100 years ago (like DC).

FYI I DID NOT POST THE COMMENT BELOW imposter on this board today!!

I completely agree with mayor Bloomberg. The Empire State Building is out of date, decrepit, and small (in terms of office space).

My problem is it's an ugly block of a building. and they are going over their allowed office space. build something innovative and then more power to you. this is just an eyesore.

New Building May Ruin Iconic NYC Skyline
Look at Manhattan from afar, and the first thing you notice is the Empire State Building, spiking like a needle above the carpet of skyscrapers that coats Manhattan. Now a proposal for a nearby office tower may ruin the famous skyline. . http://www.newslook.com/videos/244359-new-building-may-ruin-iconic-nyc-skyline?autoplay=true

"One guy wants to run for a third mayoral term, I'm sorry, that's not the real world."

As I understand it, the highest floor of the proposed building is something like 34 feet below the highest floor of the ESB. The antenna will still "tower" over the "new" building.

The new skyscraper could fit if it were no taller or even somewhat below the masonry top of the Empire State Building, keeping the iconic tower still highest.

HJS - agreed.

we are a nation of whiners

Maybe since this is going to be a topic of conversation for a while it is timely to return to enunciating correctly the name of the Empire State BUILDING (stress on the 3rd word), since it honors the Empire State. We do not say Time-WARNER Center or General ELECTRIC Building, so we should not say Empire STATE Building.
Many do unfortunately too often say Madison SQUARE Garden, which is properly Madison Square GARDEN, across the street from the intended competitor for the Empire State BUILDING.

Just curious... Did people complain that the Empire State Building would also ruin the skyline, when it was first being planned?

Brian:

I hope somewhere in your discussion there is mention of the example of the Woolworth Building and how it is blocked by the silver foil like apartment building. It was a stunning sight seeing the Woolworth Building over the arches of the Brooklyn Bridge. That is gone. I am for urban renewal but losing the ability to appreciate a building from afar is unfortunate. If the buildings can't be seen, what is the point?