When I took enough time to look at the picture of the old map, then read the paragraph, and refer back to the map, then I could see it. But, yeah, it becomes readily apparent once you go to the map app of your choice and look at 42nd and Lexington to find the east side of the Chrysler building.

Were the author to superimpose the Chrysler building plot on top of that old map, it would have been much more clear, IMO.