Empire State Building Revolutionizes Skyscraper Construction

NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Empire State Realty Trust (NYSE: ESRT) announced today another innovation at the Empire State Building (ESB) where a new project is underway to install a new auxiliary Master FM Radio antenna on its famed tower. An innovative, protective construction cocoon at the base of ESB's antenna tower has avoided impact on day-to-day operations of the building. The cocoon extends the once limited work window from 5 hours per day (due to Observatory hours) to 24 hours per day, even during inclement weather, and also allows a greatly reduced sidewalk scaffolding.

The project itself will result in an end to disruption to broadcast operations.  Previously, work on the tower could require a shutdown of certain broadcast operations.  The new antenna installation includes a radio-frequency-shielded climbing aperture which allows television antenna work on ESB's tower to be performed without impacting existing radio signals. As the largest known construction enclosure ever assembled atop an occupied skyscraper, this success of this innovative cocoon strategy has the potential to change the construction processes of other existing and functioning skyscrapers around the world.

The tower restoration project, led by JLL and Skanska, is slated to be completed in 2017. In addition to the installation of the antenna, a new FM auxiliary combiner – the largest known FM combiner in the world - will be installed on the tower, which will enable the radio frequencies of all 19 stations to be transmitted from the newly installed Master FM Radio antenna.

"As the World's Most Famous Building, the Empire State Building constantly innovates, and this new construction protection process in our tower restoration project is just another example," says Thomas P. Durels, Executive Vice President and Director of Leasing and Operations, Empire State Realty Trust. "The Empire State Building, fortunately, attracts the best and the brightest to our work, and the world benefits."

About the Empire State Building
Soaring 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan (from base to antenna), the Empire State Building, owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc., is the "World's Most Famous Building." With new investments in energy efficiency, infrastructure, public areas and amenities, the Empire State Building has attracted first-rate tenants in a diverse array of industries from around the world. The skyscraper's robust broadcasting technology supports major television and FM radio stations in the New York metropolitan market. The Empire State Building was named America's favorite building in a poll conducted by the American Institute of Architects, and the Empire State Building Observatory is one of the world's most beloved attractions as the region's #1 tourist destination. For more information on the Empire State Building, please visit www.empirestatebuilding.com, www.facebook.com/empirestatebuilding, @EmpireStateBldg, www.instagram.com/empirestatebldg, http://weibo.com/empirestatebuilding, www.youtube.com/esbnyc or www.pinterest.com/empirestatebldg/.

About Empire State Realty Trust
Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT), a leading real estate investment trust (REIT), owns, manages, operates, acquires and repositions office and retail properties in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area, including the Empire State Building, the world's most famous building. Headquartered in New York, New York, the Company's office and retail portfolio covers 10.1 million rentable square feet, as of June 30, 2016, consisting of 9.4 million rentable square feet in 14 office properties, including nine in Manhattan, three in Fairfield County, Connecticut and two in Westchester County, New York; and approximately 724,000 rentable square feet in the retail portfolio.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Federal securities laws. You can identify these statements by our use of the words "assumes," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects" and similar expressions that do not relate to historical matters. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements, because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond ESRT's control and could materially affect actual results, performance or achievements.  Such factors and risks include, without limitation, a failure of conditions or performance regarding any event or transaction described above, regulatory changes, and other risks and uncertainties described from time to time in ESRT's filings with the SEC.  Except as may be required by law, ESRT does not undertake a duty to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.

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