NEW YORK, NY – March 9, 2018 – The Empire State Building (ESB) today announced it will sparkle its world-famous LED lights daily for five minutes every hour between sunset and 2:00 a.m. ET. The hourly sparkle will commence on Sunday, March 11, 2018, to mark setting the clock forward by one hour to celebrate warmer and sunnier days ahead. New Yorkers and visitors alike can now use the Empire State Building not only as a compass in New York City but also as a clock.
ESB celebrates many cultures and causes in the world community with iconic lightings. Its tower lights recognize key milestones, events, charitable organizations, countries and holidays, a tradition which began in 1932 when a simple searchlight was used to announce the election of New York-born Franklin Delano Roosevelt as President.
In 2012, ESB upgraded its tower lighting system from floodlights to LED tower lights, which allows customized light capabilities from a palette of over 16 million colors in limitless combinations along with effects. Since then, ESB has debuted iconic music-to-light shows designed by world-renowned lighting designer Marc Brickman, featuring music from such stars as Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Zedd and Taylor Swift.
“Just as the world defines the New York City skyline by our famous silhouette, our iconic tower lights are the globally recognized icon of the New York City skyline at night,” said Anthony E. Malkin, Chairman and CEO of Empire State Realty Trust. “We are excited to unveil the new sparkle effect which will permanently enhance the New York skyline.”
Visitors and locals are encouraged to share pictures and videos of the sparkling lights and share on their social channels with the hashtag #ESBsparkle.
About the Empire State Building
Soaring 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan (from base to antenna), the Empire State Building, owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc., is the “World’s Most Famous Building.” With new investments in energy efficiency, infrastructure, public areas and amenities, the Empire State Building has attracted first-rate tenants in a diverse array of industries from around the world. The skyscraper’s robust broadcasting technology supports major television and FM radio stations in the New York metropolitan market. The Empire State Building was named America’s favorite building in a poll conducted by the American Institute of Architects, and the Empire State Building Observatory is one of the world’s most beloved attractions as the region’s #1 tourist destination. For more information on the Empire State Building, please visit www.esbnyc.com, www.facebook.com/empirestatebuilding, @EmpireStateBldg, www.instagram.com/empirestatebldg/, www.youtube.com/esbnyc or www.pinterest.com/empirestatebldg/.
About Empire State Realty Trust
Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT), a leading real estate investment trust (REIT), owns, manages, operates, acquires and repositions office and retail properties in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area, including the Empire State Building, the world’s most famous building. Headquartered in New York, New York, the Company’s office and retail portfolio covers 10.1 million rentable square feet, as of December 31, 2017, consisting of 9.4 million rentable square feet in 14 office properties, including nine in Manhattan, three in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and two in Westchester County, New York; and approximately 700,000 rentable square feet in the retail portfolio.
