The Olympic Tower is a 51-story building in Midtown Manhattan, in New York City on Fifth Avenue, between East 51st Street and East 52nd Street. The exact address is 641 Fifth Avenue. Built in 1975, it was constructed on a site that was occupied by a Best & Company Store that was built in 1947. It contains 225 condominium apartments and more than 250,000 square feet (23,000 m2) of office space and retail space. Situated next to St. Patrick's Cathedral, it offers views of the cathedral's flying buttresses and Fifth Avenue. Upon construction, it became a prime real estate location for the glitterati of that time.
The planned use of the building was a groundbreaking concept at that time because it was the first mixed use zoned for Fifth Avenue, which had 21 floors of offices, 30 of condominiums and high-end retail on the first floor. It was constructed as a joint venture with Aristotle Onassis and his company, Victory Development, in partnership with Arlen Realty and Development.
It was designed by the architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, who also designed the Willis Tower and John Hancock Center in Chicago, as well as many other high-rise buildings in the U.S. and worldwide.
The completed building housed some of the most luxurious condos in the world at that time. Adnan Khashoggi had a swimming pool installed in his after the building was constructed; and other notables also lived there.
The NBA offices are located in the tower between the 14th and 19th floors. Olympic Tower is now under the ownership of the Victory Group, a Monaco-based company.
