Shareholders of the company that owns the Empire State Building in New York have approved an IPO plan to raise $1 billion, reported on Thursday. Reuters

For this purpose, the Empire State Realty Trust will be created, which, in addition to the iconic building, will include 18 more objects. The famous skyscraper itself is valued at $2.3 billion.

80% of the company's 3,300 shareholders voted for the plan. It was a victory for developer Peter Malkin's family, which had owned the building for more than 50 years. Some of the shareholders who lost the vote were against the plan, believing that a public offering of the company served the interests of the Malkins, who would receive a stake in the new company worth $714 million at the expense of small current co-owners. Proponents of the plan insisted that an IPO would make it easier to trade their shares and allow them to diversify their investments.

The decision taken by shareholders occurred against the backdrop of rising prices for office buildings in the United States - they are currently 1 percentage point above the maximum indicators of the best year - 2007.

The Empire State Building was built in 1931. For many years, the skyscraper was considered the tallest building in the world. The height of the 102-story structure is 443.2 meters. The skyscraper lost its dominance in New York when the World Trade Center towers were erected in Manhattan.

Skyscraper Empire State Building will go to IPO