That started in the Panam era, on the Panam building* to be precise.
Does someone have any anecdote about travelling in these helicopters?
In 1965 a heliport was installed on the roof.
New York Airways offered a seven minute flight to Kennedy Airport for $7 in helicopters that carried eight passengers.
The heliport was closed in 1968 because it was not profitable, but reopened February, 1977.
In the same year 77, three months later, it was closed again
On May 16, 1977 a parked Sikorsky S-61L with rotors still turning to tipped over when its landing egar collapsed as passengers were about to board.
One of the rotor blades broke off, killing four people on the heliport and a pedestrian on the street.
I went to have a look few weeks after. But I can't remember if the Sky Club, is on the 56th floor, was there already. (Roof 246.6 m Top floor 58 )
I remember a kind of Panam waiting area.
Penn Central was owner of the air rights over the terminal
*Now the Met Life Building (formerly the Pan Am Building, then the world's largest office building in bulk)
200 Park Avenue
(between 44th and 45 Streets, Vanderbilt Avenue and DePew Place)
Developer: Erwin S. Wolfson
Architect: Emery Roth & Sons with Walter Gropius and Pietro Belluschi as design consultants
Erected: 1963