Corning Tower - Albany, NY - Tallest Building in Albany

The Erastus Corning Tower was named after Erastus Corning 2nd who was mayor of Albany from 1942 to 1983. His great-grandfather also served as mayor of Albany in the 1830s. Corning was educated at Albany Academy and ran on the Democratic Party Ticket. The Erastus Corning Tower was completed in 1973 and was known as the Tower until 1983 when it was renamed after Erastus Corning. The Erastus Corning Tower is located in the Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza in Albany, New York. The Plaza is located at Madison Avenue and State Street.

The Plaza consists of 98 acres of land. It is made up of 10 buildings. There are roughly 11,000 employees at the Plaza. The Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza was the vision of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller. He commissioned Wallace K. Harrison, the chief architect for the Rockefeller Center, as the Plaza's principal architect. In 1965, construction on the Plaza began. The construction of the Plaza was completed in 1978.

The Corning Tower is the tallest structure in Albany. It stands 589 feet tall with 44 stories. Of note is the Observation Deck on the 42nd floor. The Deck has no windows on the west side, but visitors can read about the view on panels below each window. Views from the Deck include the Port of Albany and the Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza. Scenic views of the foothills of the nearby mountain ranges can also be seen from the Observation Deck. A dedicated elevator takes passengers directly to the 42nd floor at an ascension rate of sixteen miles per hour. Photo identification is required to visit. Any individual who is 16 years or younger must be accompanied by an adult. The last check-in for visitors going to the Observation Deck is at 3:45pm. The Tower is open from 10am to 4pm Monday through Saturday.

The Empire State Plaza is home to the ESP Art Collection. This collection is maintained by the New York State Office of General Services Curatorial and Tour Services Office. The New York State Office of General Services Curatorial and Tour Services Office is located in Corning Tower and is able to schedule tours of the ESP Art Collection. These tours are free. Reservations for tours can be made by calling 518-474-0984.

Additional information about the Corning Tower can be obtained by calling the Plaza Information Office at 518-474-2418. The Plaza Information Office's physical location is off of the main concourse. It is near The Egg. The Egg houses a main theater that seats 982, and it also has a smaller studio theater that seats 450. The Egg also has a wrap-around lounge. The Egg gets its name from its spherical shape. The Egg is considered to be part of the Convention Center at the Plaza.

Parking during business hours on weekdays is limited, but there is paid parking near the Empire State Plaza. Limited on-street parking is also available. In addition, there are several parking garages in the area.