Hyundai Card chief marvels at JPMorgan Chase's new Manhattan headquarters

Hyundai Card Vice Chairman Chung Tae-young has drawn attention after visiting JPMorgan Chase's new Manhattan headquarters and expressing his admiration for the building.

Chung shared his impressions on social media Thursday, writing that he had visited "the new New York headquarters of JPMorgan, which these days seems to have no rival in finance." He posted photos of the building's exterior, the lobby where an American flag hangs indoors, and employee amenities including a restaurant.

"The ceiling on each floor is so high that although the building is 60 stories, its overall height is comparable to a typical 100-story building," Chung wrote.

He described how, upon entering the lobby, "the first thing that catches your eye is the American flag fluttering in an artificially generated breeze — indoors." He added that he was also struck by "a collection of actual American flags that appear in famous photographs from the Revolutionary War through World War II."

He also noted that "the employee welfare facilities, including various restaurants, are naturally diverse and upscale."

JPMorgan opened the supertall global headquarters at 270 Park Avenue in Manhattan last October. The 60-story tower stands 423 meters tall and spans 2.5 million square feet.

According to JPMorgan, outdoor spaces — including plazas and green areas — are 2.5 times larger than those of the previous building. Floor-to-ceiling heights far exceed standard office benchmarks, and common areas have been expanded, with per-person space increased by 25 percent.

A defining structural feature is the use of fan-shaped columns and triangular bracing, which expanded public space 2.5 times compared with the previous building. The columns give the structure an inverted-triangle appearance at first glance, but the design allowed JPMorgan to widen the surrounding sidewalks and improve convenience for New Yorkers.

JPMorgan describes the building as creating "a city within a city for residents, workers and visitors, with a vibrant streetscape and outdoor amenities," and highlights a welcoming lobby, eight expansive trading floors, a triple-height "Exchange" hub for dining and large gatherings, and a world-class customer center on the top floors.

The building also features a water storage and reuse system to reduce consumption, along with triple-glazed windows and automated shading linked to the heating and cooling system to improve energy efficiency.

Some 10,000 employees work in the building, with 24,000 JPMorgan staff based across New York City. The bank supports roughly 40,000 jobs in the region.

JPMorgan is a financial giant with assets of $4.6 trillion as of the end of the third quarter last year.

ygmoon@heraldcorp.com