Grace building - view from bottom

Grace Building (official name W. R. Grace Building) is located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It replaced the Stern Brothers department store. It overlooks Bryant Park with the main entrance on 42nd Street. It was commissioned by the W.R. Grace Corporation, and was used also by the Deloitte & Touche Corporation. Today, there are no offices of W.R. Grace Corporation but it is inhabited by several other organizations, such as AOL Time Warner and Limited Brands.

The architect of the W. R. Grace Building was Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP. It was completed in 1971. This skyscraper is 192 metres (630 feet) tall and it has 50 floors. It is notable mainly for its concave vertical slopes on both north and south facades (similarly as other Bunshaft’s building Solow Building). Oversized darkened windows contrast with white travertine what makes the building look brighter than others. Travertine was used also on the plaza in front of the building on the 43rd Street that extends to the 6th Street corner, as well as on the sidewalk on the 42nd Street.