moodsperlingtower

Rockefeller Center, Midtown Manhattan

DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS
The ground floor and mezzanine floor interior of the RCA Building, built in 1931-33, is one of the major components of What is the largest and most important buildings constructed at Rockefeller Center. As the RCA Building in its form and siting is the focus of the major east-west axis running through the Center from Fifth to Sixth Avenues, so is its ground floor and mezzanine floor interior an important continuation of that axis. The double-height entrance lobby symbolically welcomes visitors, drawing them from the Rockefeller Plaza entrance, past the information desk, into corridors flanked by shops, which create the sense of a grand concourse, and leading to six elevator banks with high-speed elevators which efficiently carry tenants and visitors up into the 70-story building. The experience of the visitor to the ground floor and mezzanine floor interior is enhanced by the extensive program of murals, executed by Jose Maria Sert and Frank Brangwyn, which were conceived as an intrinsic part of the building and a continuation of the overall art scheme used on the exteriors of the Rockefeller Center buildings.

The RCA Building and Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is one of the most important architectural projects ever undertaken in America. It was unprecedented in scope, near visionary in its urban planning and unequalled for its harmonious integration of architecture, art and landscaping. The complex grew out of an ill-fated plan to build new midtown quarters for the Metropolitan Opera Company. When the original scheme collapsed, the project was transformed into the private commercial enterprise of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Construction of the original complex began in 1931 and ended with the completion of the fourteenth building in 1939.

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (1874-1960) was born in Cleveland, Ohio. After graduating from Brown University in 1897 he joined his father's office and for some years held directorships of such businesses as the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, United States Steel Corporation and Missouri Pacific Railroad among others. By about 1911, however, Rockefeller had become almost totally involved with philanthropic, civic, educational and religious enterprises such as the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, the Rockefeller Foundation, Rockefeller Sanitary Commission and International Education Board to name a few only. A devout Baptist, he also founded the Institute for Social and Religious Research and funded construction of Riverside Church (1927-30). The latter was just one of the many architectural undertakings which Rockefeller sponsored.

He also funded the restoration of the palaces at Fontainebleau and Versailles and Reims Cathedral in France, the Agora and Stoa of Attolos in Athens, and in America, Washington Irving's "Sunnyside" heme, Colonial Williamsburg and the birthplace of George Washington. He also supplied the land for the Museum of Modem Art, for the Rockefeller Institute and Fort Tryon where he built the Cloisters. later, in 1946, Rockefeller donated land for the construction of the United Nations along the East River and gave generously to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Although never an opera devotee, he supported the Metropolitan Opera project as just one more worthy civic and cultural cause.

Rockefeller's involvement in the project to relocate the Metropolitan Opera began on May 21, 1928, when Benjamin Morris presented the scheme to potential investors during a dinner at the Metropolitan Club. Among the guests was Ivy Lee, Rockefeller's public relations manager. He recommended the proposal to his employer, noting that it would "make the [Opera] Square and the immediate surroundings the most valuable shopping district in the world." Rockefeller was interested. He, his sister and father lived in three large houses on W. 53rd and 54th Streets (just three blocks north of the proposed Opera site) and owned a good deal of real estate in the area. Development of a cultural center would insure the quality of his neighborhood while increasing the value of his speculative properties. But before making any commitment, Rockefeller sought development advice from prominent real estate advisors, the Todd, Robertson & Todd Engineering Corp. among them.

John Reynard Todd (1867-1945) was a lawyer who, in partnership with Henry Clay Irons, became accidentally involved in construction and rentals. Todd & Irons developed their building activities into a lucrative business through which they erected and sold at large profits numerous hotels, apartments and commercial structures. Among them was the Cunard Building whose lobby was designed by Benjamin Morris and which stood directly across the street from Rockefeller's Standard Oil Building at 26 Broadway. When Irons retired in 1919 Todd went into partnership with his physician brother, Dr. James M. Todd (c. 1870-19

So today was saturday!!! Yay :) oh yeah, I had to get up at 7 :P
But it was all ok because Mrs. Wood was making a delicious breakfast that smelled AMAZING. French toast with bagels with fried potato bits with cereal with waffles.... Mmmmmm I grabbed a slice of French toast with hash browns than ran out the door. I had on my grey sweatshirt shirtsleeve American Eagle thing on today with brown booty shorts and I liked it alot :) Dance was actually pretty fun. There were chocolate chip muffins that were awesome and there was lots and lots of fruit. We were taught the closer dance by Kelsey Frobos again! (she choreographed closer of Southside dance company Spring Show last semester) it was to another Coldplay song about "In The City" and her choreography is still originally awesome and pretty. After that we went to different dance stations and practiced over and over again. I ate many carrots and started catching them in my mouth from up high, like my mom taught me in 3rd grade. Kayla McGee surprised us and showed to dance day! I missed her smile so much :) during some of the dance stations where I wasn't in any, I sat with Ellen in the the seats and she told mr about the dramas going on in her life. Long story short, it's "Grey's Anatomy" story of "Pick me, Choose me, Love me". He can eaither pick the nice girl he's talked to for months now (Ellen/Grey) or he can choose the woman who sleeps around and is suddenly always around him and even knows about the other relationship and doesn't care about effing it up (Thisotherhobag/Addison) Hopefully this guy knows his Grey's Anatomy and also knows that he'll regret picking the HoBag.

After that whole story, we practiced Black & Gold and I FINALLY had a good turning day! (At least in the practice I did) I hit the Double Piroette to Seconde, Seconde,Seconde, Attitude, Seconde, Seconde, quick Double coupe to jump out. I felt like an effing ice skater. Of course we practiced it so much I got tired and screwed it up on stage, but I at least did it once!!! :D When Frankie was practicing the lift things in her dance later on, I was watching them out of exaughstion and we (girls in the dance, Brooke, Mme) were all talking about how teachers have lives side out school, but in class like they have to say "Grape Juice" as a code word for drinking. I said he immpecably brilliant comment "I love grape juice!, my favorite's apple!"
brilliant.

I got the turns figured out in Falling Slowly Trio and stuck a triple during the run through! It was the first time anyone has ever clapped for my turns onstage. (SUCESS) I'm not sure Ive really said what the back story is but I'll tell it another day I promise :) it's a story that's very near and dear to my heart, same goes for my solo.

I effed up my solo though :(
I can't seem to remember the steps to it after the first riff! Whatever, I'll figure it out before show.

I feel like I've improved so much as dancer in the past year, I also feel like it's much much easier to come up with original choreography now that I've been doing it for about a year. Speaking of choreography, Charlotte (English name - Caroline) a.k.a the awesome cheerleader who's in my French class that we all wanted to join dance company who saw my vampire dance in practice last semester, came up to me and had this idea to start a dance on pointe, with some fluff music, then BAM. Hip hop :) I must say I like the idea but I hope I can come up with good choreography. Once I hear the "right" song then it'll all work out. I also have this crazy swing dance idea to "Candyman" but Christina Aguleria.

Anywaysss, so I fishished dance practice and got picked up to goback to kerbys house, sleep for 2.2 seconds, then go back up to church. They were serving chick-fil-a sandwhiches soi could only eat the chips and brownie :/ but lauren's car stopped at starbucks and picked me up a Tazo Passion tea because they are AMAZING. I talked to some of the other girls more and got to know them better. During my small groups free time, when I was at dance, they helped feed the homeless and clean a shelter, I wish I could have been there to do that awesome work. While some groups were getting headshots or playing lazertag, we were feeding homeless. I really do have the best small group ever.

Then it was time for the after dinner service and I sat in between Lindsay and Kerby. Lindsay has a beastly camera BTW and takes these creative picures with light manipulations. I tried to convince her to come to photography club. I hope more people like her come, the kind of people that don't use it as an identity or a way to "prove" themselves but just take pictures because they enjoy it and what you can do with a camera. It's that simple.

The Fee band (pictured above) was amazing as usual and rocked it. Then Ben Crawshaw came out and talked more about sex.

He came on with these two signs. One said TODAY and one sa