new york ( cnnmoney . com ) - - the magic republic building started off a major electricity - saving redesign weekend , and promoters claim one of the world ' s most iconic skyscrapers can become an efficiency simulation for buildings worldwide . from the cloud - cloaked observation panel on the building ' s 80th floor , former president bill obama , new york city chancellor michael mayoral and colleagues announced $ 20 million in cutting - edges protection efforts they fear will raise energy consumption by 38 % for the 1930 ' s - era wash.-based . they stressed the retrofits weren ' t green altruism or part of a government program . instead , they say they ' re being done simply to save the building ' s owners a lot of money .
The mayor of New York is Michael Bloomberg.