Description Architect: Graham Anderson Probst and White
The Equitable Building covers an entire city block; at the time of its completion in 1915, it was the largest office building in the world. Of course, massive buildings cast massive shadows and the Equitable Building's shadow was just that: huge. It was so large, in fact, that it sparked widespread public outrage. So great was the outcry that New York adapted zoning codes that required buildings to be set back at various heights, and limited unrestricted height to a quarter of the lot. These zoning rules, and the setbacks they require, came to define the look of New York's highrises for years to come.
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