A New View from the Rainbow Room

The Rainbow Room reopened Sunday in its historic perch atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza after a five-year absence from the New York City skyline.

Two years ago, the city granted landmark status to the iconic venue on the building's 65th floor.

Keith Douglas, a managing director of the real estate company Tishman Speyer, Rockefeller Center's owner and manager, said architect Michael Gabellini made sure to restore aspects of the Rainbow Room including brass railings and crystal bollards that were part of the nightclub's original design.

Douglas said nearly doubling the window sizes has had a dramatic effect.

"We were very focused on being able to expand the view so regardless of where the guests were sitting in the space, they would have this fantastic, unobstructed panorama of New York City," Douglas said.

Douglas said the famous rotating dance floor was refurbished by the grandson of the man who installed it in 1934.

He said he replaced outdated metal technology with new rubber wheels that are "quiet as can be."

Douglas said they found confetti from the 1940s when they lifted the dance floor.

"It was amazing," he said.

"It's breathtaking," said Jamie Greenwald, one of more than 200 brunch guests who took in the sweeping views outside and the major improvements inside the 80-year-old landmark whose floors have been walked across by Cole Porter, Michael Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor, Al Pacino, Barbra Streisand and Muhammad Ali.