Thread by @nytimes

The Empire State Building once symbolized an urban way of working and New York’s resilience. In the pandemic’s second year, that legacy, and the future of the world’s most famous skyscraper, is in doubt.

We take you inside the iconic landmark. nyti.ms/39jJKnq

The pandemic emptied out attractions, shops and offices in both the Empire State Building and New York City for months.

Now, as a promised return to normal is once again on hold, the plans being made by the building’s occupants reveal a cultural shift. nyti.ms/2VUbhsQ

In the second quarter of 2019, nearly a million people visited the Empire State Building's observatory.

In the second quarter of 2021, it had 162,000 visitors, underscoring the wider collapse of New York’s once lucrative tourism industry. nyti.ms/2VUbhsQ

Most of the Empire State Building is dedicated to office space. We contacted dozens of the building’s tenants to understand how they think about the office now — and whether they'll ever go back. nyti.ms/2VUbhsQ

In all, a vast majority of tenants who shared their plans are remaining in the building, and only a small share have decided to give up their office space. But most are adopting a hybrid work model. nyti.ms/2VUbhsQ

Many of the tenants who plan to stay in the building have years remaining on their leases, and generally have to pay that rent in full, whether they use their offices full time or not. nyti.ms/2VUbhsQ

New York has adapted to other big shocks, but speaking to the Empire State Building’s tenants about their plans — and tracking how they’ve fared in the pandemic economy — reveals that many painfully uncertain months lie ahead.

Read more: nyti.ms/2VUbhsQ