LEDs mean endless rainbow for Empire St. Building

NEW YORK (AP) — The Empire State Building will replace its tower lights with a computer-driven LED system that allows for nearly endless color combinations.

The iconic skyscraper's owner is partnering with Massachusetts-based Philips Color Kinetics to install the new light fixtures.

The top of the building is bathed in an ever-changing array of colors in honor of holidays and community organizations and for numerous other occasions.

The new system includes a palette of more than 16 million colors. The present system has 10.

Currently, it takes a team several hours to change the colors. With LED lights, the color changes to the building's facade and mast can be made instantly.

Building owner Anthony Malkin says the energy-efficient technology will be installed by September.

Philips Color Kinetics is a division of Royal Philips Electronics NV.