The 8-storey base housing the atrium is accessible from both 57th and 58th Streets, some steps down from the street and behind glass doors.

Originally planned as an all-office building, the design had to be changed due to the worsening office space market of the early 1970s. A mix of apartment and office uses was chosen to comply with the area's zoning for commercial uses.

At the time of its completion, Galleria was the tallest concrete-framed building in New York City.

The apartment tower is located to the north side of the plot, retaining the east views from the older Ritz Tower immediately next door.

The tower has a facing of glass walls and dark brown brick. The first nine floors for the office spaces are distinguishable by the larger amount of solid brick wall on the facade.

The residential portion by Birnbaum (overall design and public spaces were by Specter -- together with Gerald Jonas on the penthouse design) has 253 condominium apartments on the top 38 floors.

The south-side apartments have greenhouse-like, roofed balconies enclosed with glass walls and protruding from the facade.

The penthouse contains a roof garden and solar heated swimming pool.