Does the GE Building (30 Rockefeller Plaza) Have Stairs? The Elevator-Only Myth

The claim that the GE Building (formerly RCA Building, 30 Rockefeller Plaza) "has no stairs" is false. Like all high-rises, it has stairwells—required by building codes for fire egress.

What's True

• The building's public circulation is famously elevator-centric. The original 1933 design emphasized high-speed elevators (then cutting-edge) and minimized stair visibility in lobbies.
• Service stairs exist in the core for maintenance and emergency use.
• Fire stairs are enclosed, pressurized, and locked from the corridor side (unlock on alarm).

Why the Myth Persists

• Art Deco lobby design hides stair doors behind sleek panels.
• Observation decks (Top of the Rock) are elevator-only.
• Rockefeller Center's integrated underground concourse connects buildings without stairs.

Building Facts

• 70 stories, 259 m (850 ft).
• Completed 1933; Raymond Hood, lead architect.
• Part of Rockefeller Center complex (19 buildings).
• Headquarters of NBCUniversal; "30 Rock" TV show namesake.

All occupied high-rises have stairs. The GE Building just makes you take the elevator to appreciate its architecture.