Mystery of 29 storey windowless building as people ask 'what goes on in there'

05 October 2023 , 08:17

825     0

The Long Lines building in Manhattan, New York

An imposing 29 story windowless skyscraper slap bang in the middle of one of the busiest cities in the world has people wildly speculating about what goes on inside its walls.

The 29-story brown monster rises 550 feet into the New York skyline at 33 Thomas Street, in the centre of lower Manhattan - and looks like it has no windows at all. Speculation was sparked when several social media accounts sent footage of the building viral online, with intriguing captions like 'A 29 story building in NYC with no windows' and 'what goes on in here?'. Then, in 2017, US movie megastar Tom Hanks tweeted: "This is the scariest building I've ever seen! WTF happens inside?"

Then, US online media brand The Intercept obtained documents from famous National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden that the publication concluded provide compelling evidence that 33 Thomas Street has served as a secret NSA surveillance site, code-named TITANPOINTE.

READ MORE: 'Worst Airbnb guest' stays in mansion for 540 days and demands $100,000 to leave

The building is entirely windowless (Getty Images)

What is known about the fortified skyscraper is that it is officially called the Long Lines Building, and was built to withstand an atomic blast from a nuclear weapon - but its main purpose was not to protect humans, but to safeguard telecommunications cables, switchboards and computers. It became home to one of America's most important telecommunications hubs operated by the New York Telephone Company, a subsidiary of AT&T. It was the world’s largest centre for processing long-distance phone calls.

Viral sausage roll debate leaves Brits confused about how to order at Greggs

The structure was designed to have no windows, 29 floors and three basement levels and store enough food to keep 1,500 alive for two weeks in a disaster. It was created by the architectural company John Carl Warnecke & Associates, who are also the architects of the JFK Eternal Flame, whose ambitious goal was to build a communication hub resembling a "20th century fortress, with spears and arrows replaced by protons and neutrons laying quiet siege to an army of machines within."

The skyscraper's construction started in 1969, and it was finished in 1974. Crazy rumours about what lies behind its doors range from a vampire office to the Men in Black headquarters on Twitter. This week, videos of the structure were posted on Twitter and Reddit, prompting speculation over what might be within. One user wrote: "Gives off MI-6 vibes," while another quipped: "Lizard people don't need windows."

The unique brutalist building is inspired by Bauhaus architecture and has a windowless façade in pinkish-grey Swedish granite. It is still used by AT&T, who, according to the New York Department of Finance, owns it. It is impossible to see inside 33 Thomas Street, unlike the other nearby residences and offices. There are no windows, and the structure is not lit, as intended by the creators.

For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US

The windowless Brutalist architectural design was completed in 1974 by architect John Carl Warnecke (Getty Images)

It is common practice to conceal the existence of a facility that houses essential telecommunications equipment from the general public. 33 Thomas Street, however, is unique: According to The Intercept's study, the building serves as more than just a hub for long-distance calls. It also looks to be one of the most significant NSA surveillance locations on American soil, a clandestine monitoring centre that is used to intercept phone calls, faxes, and internet traffic.

According to a former AT&T engineer, 33 Thomas Street houses a significant international "gateway switch" that handles call routing between the United States and other nations.

Joseph Wilkes