Empire State Building—Multi-Use Basketball Court and Town Hall Amenity

GOCO provides ongoing mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection engineering services in this landmarked building. Design projects to date include many tenant-space interior fit-outs covering hundreds of thousands of square feet, energy improvements, a major restaurant and fitness center on the concourse level, restoration of the landmarked art deco lobby and preparation of a Conceptual Master Plan addressing the building’s public areas.

In 2022, GOCO furnished MEP/FP plans and specifications for the Empire State Building’s new multi-purpose space. The flexible amenity can transform from a Town Hall meeting to a competitive basketball game and more. The 9,300 SF space features three sections of pop-out bleachers, a podium, and three large drop-down screens to accommodate all types of presentations and gatherings. The new Multi-Sport Court is equipped with two retractable hoops, pull-out bleachers and a scoreboard and can also host 400+ people in the reservable event space.

Installing a complete MEP system in the basement level of the Empire State Building presented several significant challenges. Limited space in the basement made it difficult to accommodate large mechanical equipment, ducts, and piping while maintaining proper clearance and accessibility to areas like the basketball court. Additionally, the building’s historic structure required careful coordination to avoid damaging existing infrastructure. The need to meet modern building codes and energy efficiency standards, while working within the constraints of the building’s original design, added complexity. Coordination with other trades was critical to prevent conflicts between the new MEP systems the existing systems, and new architectural features.