History & Asbestos Use
Developed by the Rockefeller family beginning in 1930, the original 14 Art Deco buildings of Rockefeller Center were completed by 1939, with additional buildings added in the 1960s and 1970s. The massive complex used asbestos-containing materials standard for the era in fireproofing structural steel, insulating mechanical systems, and finishing interior spaces. The scale of the complex — encompassing 22 acres and millions of square feet — meant that enormous quantities of asbestos materials were installed. Ongoing renovation and modernization over the decades has included progressive asbestos abatement.
