The Will and the Windows
July 14, 2015 7:12 AM Subscribe
What are these peculiar protuberances in three windows of a Manhattan skyscraper?
I happen to be working for a year across Foley Square from 26 Federal Plaza, aka the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building. I further happen to be at just about eye level with three off-centered discolored "windows" (see, e.g., here) in the east face of that building, and having noticed them soon after I started my desire to know what they are has become like a speck of dust in my eye.
Parallax observations have confirmed that they are not merely dirty windows, but solid jutting things. Three of them. The best shot of them I can find is this.
They look for all the world like vents. In fact I'm pretty sure they are vents. Any idea if that is what they are, and if so, what fer? I have one theory that will probably sound stupid to the properly informed: there is an FBI field office on the 23rd floor; could these be intended to ventilate some sort of chemical analysis laboratory science labcoats place thing? Or are they just part of the HVAC without regard for symmetry? Inquiring mind wants to know!
I happen to be working for a year across Foley Square from 26 Federal Plaza, aka the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building. I further happen to be at just about eye level with three off-centered discolored "windows" (see, e.g., here) in the east face of that building, and having noticed them soon after I started my desire to know what they are has become like a speck of dust in my eye.
Parallax observations have confirmed that they are not merely dirty windows, but solid jutting things. Three of them. The best shot of them I can find is this.
They look for all the world like vents. In fact I'm pretty sure they are vents. Any idea if that is what they are, and if so, what fer? I have one theory that will probably sound stupid to the properly informed: there is an FBI field office on the 23rd floor; could these be intended to ventilate some sort of chemical analysis laboratory science labcoats place thing? Or are they just part of the HVAC without regard for symmetry? Inquiring mind wants to know!
I have no idea, but I was curious too. I found one thing that might be a tiny clue, or maybe not.
It appears to be a solicitation for bids for renovating floors 22-28 of that building. Now, by my count, those vent things protrude from floor 26. The aforelinked document specifically mentions "Asbestos Survey Plan for the 26th Floor". Now why would the 26th floor specifically have a higher likelihood of having asbestos that needs remediation during a remodel? Maybe there's something on that floor that requires a higher level of flame-retarding qualities in the walls than other floors? Maybe it could be related to the vent? Dunno.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 7:55 AM on July 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
It appears to be a solicitation for bids for renovating floors 22-28 of that building. Now, by my count, those vent things protrude from floor 26. The aforelinked document specifically mentions "Asbestos Survey Plan for the 26th Floor". Now why would the 26th floor specifically have a higher likelihood of having asbestos that needs remediation during a remodel? Maybe there's something on that floor that requires a higher level of flame-retarding qualities in the walls than other floors? Maybe it could be related to the vent? Dunno.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 7:55 AM on July 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
The link I posted, if you scroll all the way to the bottom, seems to imply that this remodel is for the FBI, which suggests that the FBI occupies that floor.
Either what goes on in that floor is actually secret, or I'm just not finding info about it - I can't find any other reference to FBI offices on that floor, or personnel that work there.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 8:15 AM on July 14, 2015
Either what goes on in that floor is actually secret, or I'm just not finding info about it - I can't find any other reference to FBI offices on that floor, or personnel that work there.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 8:15 AM on July 14, 2015
Extra AC vents for a big server room?
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:30 AM on July 14, 2015
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:30 AM on July 14, 2015
So I also counted the windows and got the 26th floor. (Salvor, I saw a few other related RFPs and things that do specify that the FBI is currently in the 22nd-28th floors.) Googling around with that a bit, the GSA offices on the 19th-21st floors have recently undergone sustainability renovations, including HVAC work. I work with a lot of folks who know buildings systems very well, I will try to ask around and see if they recognize what these specific vents are for.
From a purely aesthetic perspective, if I had to retrofit a building with three giant protruding vents, hiding them in the middle of a field of similar rectangles would be much less noticeable than sticking them near the edge, where you'd see them jutting out from the bulk of the building from more angles.
Also on a funny note, after a series of wildcard searches trying to figure out which exactly agencies and offices were on the 25th and 26th floors, I got a "Google detects odd activity, please verify that you are human" request. If I were more of a conspiracy theorist (and I definitely came across a couple of those...) I'd be looking over my shoulder...
posted by yeahlikethat at 8:35 AM on July 14, 2015 [4 favorites]
From a purely aesthetic perspective, if I had to retrofit a building with three giant protruding vents, hiding them in the middle of a field of similar rectangles would be much less noticeable than sticking them near the edge, where you'd see them jutting out from the bulk of the building from more angles.
Also on a funny note, after a series of wildcard searches trying to figure out which exactly agencies and offices were on the 25th and 26th floors, I got a "Google detects odd activity, please verify that you are human" request. If I were more of a conspiracy theorist (and I definitely came across a couple of those...) I'd be looking over my shoulder...
posted by yeahlikethat at 8:35 AM on July 14, 2015 [4 favorites]
Could there be a server room up there?
They're definitely exhausts of some sort, and I was thinking big-ass server room, too. Or, a clean room of some sort.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:12 AM on July 14, 2015
They're definitely exhausts of some sort, and I was thinking big-ass server room, too. Or, a clean room of some sort.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:12 AM on July 14, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks, all, for the help! (Yeahlikethat, I apologize if I've inadvertently sicced the black helicopters on you, or for that matter all of us.)
I should note the reason that I assumed the vents? were on or about the 23rd Floor is because floors 13 and 14 (by my count) appear to be utility floors --- the "windows" are all black and unreflective boxes.
posted by MimeticHaHa at 9:16 AM on July 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
I should note the reason that I assumed the vents? were on or about the 23rd Floor is because floors 13 and 14 (by my count) appear to be utility floors --- the "windows" are all black and unreflective boxes.
posted by MimeticHaHa at 9:16 AM on July 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
I think it's still the 26th floor. Some other documents mentioned the original HVAC and air intakes are on the 1st, 15th, and 44th floors, and by my count the 15th is the top of those two mechanical floors.
Other interesting tidbits uncovered so far:
I'd previously heard that the FBI had offices at 99 10th Ave, which really does look like some secret government agency, what with the weird window layouts. Not true, it's actually the DEA in that building! Not ruling out the possibility of other labs on the 26th floor but I bet that's where the big drug labs would be.
According to the notes in this craptastic ARRA report, there are two data center chiller plants in the building, a new one the 42nd floor, the original one unspecified. The new one is hooked up to, among other unspecified things, a computer room on the 17th floor, and The Voice of America studios on the 15th floor.
Someone wrote a rather popular political thriller about an ex-NYPD detective who works for the Anti-Terrorism Task Force, located, at least in this book, on the 26th floor:)
posted by yeahlikethat at 9:56 AM on July 14, 2015 [5 favorites]
Other interesting tidbits uncovered so far:
I'd previously heard that the FBI had offices at 99 10th Ave, which really does look like some secret government agency, what with the weird window layouts. Not true, it's actually the DEA in that building! Not ruling out the possibility of other labs on the 26th floor but I bet that's where the big drug labs would be.
According to the notes in this craptastic ARRA report, there are two data center chiller plants in the building, a new one the 42nd floor, the original one unspecified. The new one is hooked up to, among other unspecified things, a computer room on the 17th floor, and The Voice of America studios on the 15th floor.
Someone wrote a rather popular political thriller about an ex-NYPD detective who works for the Anti-Terrorism Task Force, located, at least in this book, on the 26th floor:)
posted by yeahlikethat at 9:56 AM on July 14, 2015 [5 favorites]
Best answer: So a quick note, I asked a guy I know who is familiar with both NYC law enforcement and building systems. He has actually been inside those offices but couldn't recall if there was anything interesting on the 26th floor. His guess from the photos was also some sort of server room, though I still think those would probably be hooked up to one of the central chillers. Unfortunately, that's the end of my available lines of inquiry :(
If any of us gets taken in by the FBI for questioning, I expect a comment here with a full report of whatever's up there, as soon as you regain use of your fingers.
posted by yeahlikethat at 11:33 AM on July 27, 2015 [3 favorites]
If any of us gets taken in by the FBI for questioning, I expect a comment here with a full report of whatever's up there, as soon as you regain use of your fingers.
posted by yeahlikethat at 11:33 AM on July 27, 2015 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Leon at 7:48 AM on July 14, 2015 [3 favorites]