General Electric Building
Also known as: Radio Corporation of America (RCA-Victor) Building; Tower 570
Why it's listed
Rising fifty stories at 570 Lexington Avenue in midtown Manhattan, this office tower was built between 1929 and 1931 to a design by the firm Cross & Cross. The Radio Corporation of America was the original client, and General Electric acquired the building shortly before completion. Its ornament of electric bolts, radiating waves and stylized "electric spirits" was meant to give visible form to wireless communication, and it suited General Electric equally well. The facades combine multicolored brick, glazed terra cotta with aluminized highlights, and red marble at street level. Setbacks step up to a slender tower and a crown of tracery, finials and four monumental figures. The brick was chosen to harmonize with neighboring St. Bartholomew's Church, an early example of contextual urban design. The building is judged significant for its architecture, as a leading Art Deco skyscraper and the high point of the firm's tall-building work. Much original character survives, including a restored lobby.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant under Criterion C for its architectural merit as a major example of Art Deco design applied to the tall building. Its massing, brick and terra cotta detailing, and client-specific electrical ornament are described as the culmination of Cross & Cross's work on tall office buildings. It also shows early contextual design in its harmony with the adjacent St. Bartholomew's Church.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 03001515, listed January 28, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 570 Lexington Ave., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | January 28, 2004 |
| Reference number | 03001515 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1929-1931 |
| Architect / builder | Cross, John Walter; Cross, Eliot (Cross & Cross) |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement/Art Deco |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition with a high degree of historic integrity; the lobby was restored in 1995, while storefronts and windows were replaced and the upper office floors have been much altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.75728, -73.97668 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 03001515.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q244391
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.