is it a rooftop you want? or just the view down? cause
i'd suggest the empire state building for that..
as far as rooftops go..maybe the w hotel?
or maybe some sort of nyu student housing in the area?

It's not quite the area you mention, but The La Quinta Inn on 32nd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues has a rooftop bar. Nice view of the Empire State Building if you look straight up.

D'oh! I just discovered that place! I thought it was a SECRET!

Are you looking for a place to hang out, or a place to view the city, or something else? If it's the later the FBI might be interested in your intentions:)

I guess I need to give more detail or I do look quite suspicious...

My project is to create a space that would be an "Exit" from Manhattan, either literal or experiential.

I am looking at the roofscape as a topography. I am interested in creating rooftop escape structures that would be added to the roofscape. I starting looking at using rooftops because I wanted to create my escape structure throughtout the city. I was interested in water towers and saw them as a metaphor to these "escape structures" as they were spread throughout the city. I am interested in gaining access to a roof in those three areas because of their views of the water towers. These structures would act as a screen (of the city) for the subject within the space which would allow visual connection to other rooftop escape structures and create a network of these installations.

So the problem is I really need to get on a roof to do this. Hopefully the FBI understands a students needs. :)

it seems that the rooftops have been an 'exit' from manhattan for some time. prospect heights informal poll confirms 61% say "yes" to sex on the rooftops.

http://www.dailyheights.com/archives/1012

*edit*

yes i'm aware that prospect heights /= manhattan

There's a club/restaurant called Beds, www.bedny.com, on 27th. Great rooftop deck, with great Friday partys to boot but I think they ended already for the year.

Here's another good rooftop event I just got wind of:
http://www.postmastersart.com/

September 7 - October 7, 2006

Natalie Jeremijenko
"OOZ, Inc. (...for the birds)"

Infrastructure and facilities for high-density bird cohabitation on the roof of Postmasters Gallery
with public housing projects by:
Aranda/Lasch + TerraSwarm
bonetti/kozerski
Leeser Architects
Materialab with Gensler+Gutierrez
OpenSource Architecture
SYSTEMarchitects llc
theLiving
Evo Design

perch design: Phil Taylor
water systems designed by Fountainhead
landscape design consulting: Kate Bakewell
urban system consulting: LOOK/Laura Kurgan

Thanks for the suggestions. I've been to bed for an after party for a gallery opening and it was a good view, but I think it is hard to get up there if you aren't with an event or on a list.

I am going to try the gallery today, thanks for the link. If that doesn't work I'll be attempting a bunch of rooftop bars.

not to egg you on to illegal activity

but

just be friggin smooth - walk into a building you want to go to the roof of, nod to the attendant (remember- smooth) head to the elevator or stair- go to highest floor. look for roof access. take it.

it'll be fun.

dont get arrested.

I've tried to smooth already... apparently not well enough. I might try the illegal stuff again today.

Thanks

You've heard about the Soho water tower project by Rachel Whiteread, yeah? I'm not sure if it's relevant, but could be.

Also at la Quinta-
go to the bthroom ( ladies or unisex , can't remember) there's a closet to the right of the mirror- usually open , in the closet there's a short ladder to the roof- go on up... THey might seal it up for insulation reasons as it gets colder, so i'd get on that.. other rftop basrs have simmilar arrangements- i just don't know them - Be smooth like Kyll says, or better yet - blame any alarms you set off on being drunk+ ditsy.