Fifty-seven stories pierce the Manhattan skyline. That’s 299 Park Avenue. A gleaming black skyscraper it dominates the Midtown East landscape. Its imposing presence speaks of power and success.
This isn’t just any building. 299 Park Avenue holds a significant place in New York City’s history. Designed by Emery Roth & Sons it opened in 1967. Its International Style is unmistakable. The alternating shiny and matte stainless steel mullions are a distinctive feature. They accentuate the building’s impressive height. The building’s construction was no small feat. It was built directly over the New York Central Railroad’s Park Avenue main line. Imagine the engineering challenges involved. They built the foundation using “ladder tracks” two layers of railroad tracks. Construction was completed without disrupting train service. Quite an accomplishment.
For many years 299 Park Avenue was known as the Westvaco Building. Westvaco a paper company was its main tenant. Its headquarters were here. The building also housed the law firm Debevoise Plimpton Lyons & Gates. The firm left in 1983. However 299 Park Avenue suffered setbacks. Large fires in 1980 and 1981 caused significant damage. The 1980 fire injured 125 firefighters.
Fisher Brothers a real estate investment group developed 299 Park Avenue. They still own a majority stake. They even have their headquarters on the top two floors. After the 2007-2008 financial crisis UBS held a 49.5% interest. They sold it in 2010 for $335 million. The buyer was Rockpoint Investments another real estate firm. The sale implied a total building valuation of over $675 million. The building was recently refinanced in 2025 with a $500 million mortgage loan.
Today 299 Park Avenue is a prestigious address. It houses numerous prominent tenants. Among them are American Securities B. Riley FBR Capital One and many more. It’s a testament to enduring architecture and strategic investment. A true symbol of New York City’s power and ambition. It’s more than just a building. It’s a story of ambition resilience and success. And it stands here a lasting testament. A concrete glass and steel giant. A landmark that continues to shape the city’s skyline.