Walk up to 1633 Broadway on a Tuesday morning and you’ll feel it. That specific, heavy-duty New York energy. Paramount Plaza isn't just a building; it’s a massive, 48-story slab of vertical real estate that defines the northern edge of the Theater District. You’ve probably seen it a thousand times without knowing its name. It’s that huge, dark tower with the sunken plaza where people scarf down lunch before hitting a matinee. It’s a beast.
People call it Paramount Plaza now, but if you’re a real architecture nerd or a longtime local, you might still think of it as the Uris Building. Built back in 1970, it was designed by Emery Roth & Sons, the same firm that basically birthed half of the Midtown skyline. Honestly, it’s not the prettiest building in the world. It’s a black-glass monolith. But in terms of sheer utility and cultural footprint, it’s arguably one of the most important blocks in the city.
The Weird History of Paramount Plaza
It sits on the site of the old Capitol Theatre. That’s a bit of a tragedy if you value ornate, old-school cinema history, but the replacement was all about scale. When it opened, it was the largest office building in the world in terms of floor area, at least for a minute. That’s the thing about New York—everyone wants to be the biggest until a bigger shark swims along.
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The name change happened because of the Paramount Theatre, which is tucked into the base. It’s a weird layout. You have this corporate, high-finance environment upstairs, and then literally right underneath it, you have the Gershwin Theatre and the Circle in the Square Theatre. It’s one of the only places in the world where a hedge fund manager and a Broadway dancer are sharing the same structural foundation. That’s New York in a nutshell, right? High stakes and high art, separated by a few feet of concrete.
Why the Design Actually Works (Even If It’s Ugly)
Architecturally, Paramount Plaza is a "Poche" style building. It’s dense. It uses every single square inch it's allowed. Most critics back in the 70s hated it. They thought it was too big, too dark, and too "box-like." But here’s the thing they missed: the plaza itself.
By sinking the plaza below street level, the architects created this weird little sanctuary. You’re away from the yellow cabs. You’re away from the tourists screaming about where the M&M Store is. It’s a functional piece of urban design that works because it provides a "breather" in a neighborhood that is suffocatingly crowded. It’s also a massive wind tunnel. If you’ve ever walked past it in January, you know exactly what I’m talking about. You have to lean into the wind just to keep moving.
The interior is surprisingly modern now. Paramount Group, the owners, spent a fortune—about $50 million or so—renovating the lobby and the public spaces. They added this massive glass "cube" entrance that feels very Apple Store. It’s bright. It’s airy. It’s a far cry from the dark, cavernous 1970s vibe it used to have.
The Business of 1633 Broadway
Let’s talk money. This building is a titan of the Midtown market. We’re talking about 2.5 million square feet of office space. That is a staggering amount of desk space.
Who’s in there? It’s a mix of heavy hitters. You’ve got:
- Warner Music Group: They took over a huge chunk of the building years ago, moving their headquarters there.
- Showtime Networks: Fitting, given the name of the building.
- Morgan Stanley: Because you can’t have a building this big in Midtown without a bank taking a few floors.
- Kasowitz Benson Torres: A powerhouse law firm.
The vacancy rates in Midtown have been a disaster lately—everyone knows that—but Paramount Plaza has stayed surprisingly resilient. Why? Because the floor plates are enormous. In most old New York buildings, the floors are tiny and chopped up by columns. At 1633 Broadway, you can have a massive, open-plan office that spans an entire acre. Tech companies and creative firms love that. They want the "campus" feel but in the middle of Manhattan.
The Broadway Connection
You can’t write about Paramount Plaza without mentioning the Gershwin. It’s the home of Wicked. Since 2003, that show has been printing money in the basement of this office tower. It’s a fascinating symbiotic relationship. The rent from the theater and the foot traffic it generates helps keep the whole ecosystem alive.
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There’s also the Circle in the Square Theatre. It’s one of the few "theaters in the round" on Broadway. It’s intimate. It feels like you’re in someone’s basement, but a very fancy, professional basement. It’s a stark contrast to the massive, soaring office tower above it. One is about global finance and corporate power; the other is about the raw, vulnerable human experience of live theater. It’s poetic, in a weird, corporate way.
Survival in the "Work From Home" Era
Look, the "death of the office" narrative is everywhere. You’ve heard it. I’ve heard it. And yeah, Midtown isn't what it was in 2019. But Paramount Plaza is a case study in how these "trophy" buildings survive.
They don’t just sell a desk; they sell an experience. They have a massive fitness center now. They have high-end dining options like Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse. It’s basically a vertical city. If you’re a CEO, you want your employees to want to come to the office. You do that by putting them in a building that has a world-class theater in the basement and a steakhouse on the ground floor.
It’s also about LEED certification. The building has been hitting high marks for energy efficiency, which matters now more than ever because of New York’s Local Law 97. If these old giants don't go green, they get hit with massive fines. Paramount Group has been aggressive about retrofitting the mechanical systems to keep the carbon footprint down. It's expensive, but it's the only way to stay relevant in 2026.
What Most People Miss
The most interesting thing about Paramount Plaza isn't the glass or the tenants. It’s the infrastructure underneath. The building sits directly over the subway lines. Building something that heavy on top of a vibrating, hollow tunnel system is an engineering nightmare. The foundation work is incredible.
Also, the "Paramount" name is a bit of a misnomer today. Paramount Global (the company formerly known as ViacomCBS) is actually headquartered over at 1515 Broadway. People get them confused all the time. If you’re meeting someone for a meeting at "the Paramount building," make sure you specify the address. You don't want to be that person sprinting ten blocks down Broadway because you went to the wrong tower.
How to Experience It Like a Local
If you’re just visiting, don’t just stare at the tower. Go into the plaza. There’s often public art installations there. Grab a coffee, sit on the edge of the fountain or the planters, and just watch the shift change.
Watch the actors and stagehands coming out of the stage door at the Gershwin. Watch the lawyers in $3,000 suits rushing to a deposition. It’s one of the best "people watching" spots in the city because the demographics are so wildly different.
Actionable Insights for Navigating Paramount Plaza
If you have business at 1633 Broadway or you're just planning a visit to see a show, keep these practical tips in mind:
- Security is tight: Like most "Class A" office buildings in New York, you aren't getting past the lobby without a pre-registered QR code or a valid ID. If you’re visiting a tenant, have your ID ready before you reach the desk.
- The Subway Secret: The 50th Street station (C, E trains) is right there. But if you want the 1, 2, or 3, walk over to 50th and Broadway. Don’t bother with Uber if you’re heading to the West Side; the traffic on 8th Avenue is a permanent gridlock.
- Dining Hack: Del Frisco's is great, but it’s loud and pricey. For a quicker, more "New York" experience, walk two blocks north to some of the smaller spots on 52nd Street.
- The Wind Chill Factor: I’m serious about the wind. If it's windy anywhere in Manhattan, it's twice as fast at the base of Paramount Plaza. Hold onto your hat.
- Theater Timing: If you're seeing Wicked, the entrance is on 51st Street, not the main Broadway lobby. People always get lost trying to find the theater entrance through the office lobby. Save yourself the stress.
Paramount Plaza is a survivor. It’s transitioned from a 70s powerhouse to a modern corporate hub, all while hosting some of the most successful shows in Broadway history. It’s big, it’s bold, and it’s unapologetically New York. Whether you love the architecture or think it’s an eyesore, you can’t deny its place in the heartbeat of the city.