New Yorkers bemoan lost views of Empire State Building

Tom Clark's Lower East Side apartment comes with a prime view of the Empire State Building. "I can see it from my couch," he said. Well, he used to be able to catch a glance - before an ultra-thin luxury tower dubbed 262 Fifth Avenue came along.

- ALAINA DEMOPOULOSIS

Now the 260-metre residential tower, which is still under construction, blocks the Empire State Building from most vantage points south of 28th street. Many New Yorkers (and tourists) can no longer catch a glimpse of the celebrated landmark, all because of some poorly placed - and incredibly expensive condos.

"It really pisses me off," Clark said while standing in the plaza in front of the Flatiron Building on Fifth Avenue, a few blocks south of the duelling skyscrapers. "The whole New York skyline has been destroyed. When I moved here I was thrilled with it, and now it's just getting disgusting. These new buildings have no identity, no design to them. We've lost the character of New York, and it breaks my heart." More than 4 million people visit the Empire State Building every year. Once you arrive at its observation deck, 86 floors up, you can see the entire city.

But New Yorkers on street level crane their necks to see the skyscraper itself.

Depending on your tax bracket, ultra-thin skyscrapers are either the scourge of the city or a prime investment opportunity.