One Vanderbilt to 1 WTC: My view’s $5 nicer than yours

SL Green says average ticket price for observatory will be $39

One Vanderbilt, One World Trade, and the Empire State Building (Credit: One Vanderbilt, Ron Cogswell via Flickr, and Wikipedia)
One Vanderbilt, One World Trade, and the Empire State Building (Credit: One Vanderbilt, Ron Cogswell via Flickr, and Wikipedia)

Soaking in a panoramic view of New York City’s skyline can be a priceless experience — but not from the top of One Vanderbilt. Looking out from the tower’s public perch will cost you roughly $39, or $5 more than the standard cost of riding to One World Trade Center’s top floors.

In a presentation at an investor conference on Tuesday, SL Green Realty revealed the average ticket price for admission to its observation deck, which will rise more than 1,000 feet above the ground. The real estate investment trust estimates gross ticket and retail revenue from the space will total $77 million.

“Actual pricing will be confirmed closer to the opening,” Rob Schiffer, managing director of SL Green, said in a statement. “This future dated figure is merely for illustrative purposes and reflects our belief in One Vanderbilt as a sky-line defining icon that will see strong public demand due to its unique value proposition, location, and unmatched panoramic views from the center of Manhattan.”

Sources with knowledge of pricing said tickets will likely be closer to $35.

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Of course, climbing to the top of the city’s tallest commercial buildings almost always comes at a cost: Standard admission for adults to the Empire State Building’s main deck on the 86th floor ranges from $37 to $39, depending on timing. A visit to the building’s top deck at the 102nd floor costs $57 to $63. One World Trade also offers pricier tickets for quicker access and less stringent arrival times.

In November, YIMBY reported that SL Green made a few design changes to its $3 billion-plus office tower, including raising One’ Vanderbilt’s observation deck nearly 100 feet higher than originally planned. The change means the deck ties with Related Companies, Oxford Properties Group and Mitsui Fudosan’s 30 Hudson Yards for the highest observatory at 1,100 feet.

SL Green wouldn’t confirm these figures. A spokesperson for Related said the price for its observatory has not yet been set.