Empire State Building

Empire State Building
Aerial view in 2012
Map
Record height
Tallest in the world from 1931 to 1970[I]
Preceded byChrysler Building
Surpassed byWorld Trade Center
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeOffice building; observation decks
Architectural styleArt Deco
Location350 Fifth Avenue[a]
New York, NY 10118[b]
Coordinates40°44′54″N 73°59′07″W / 40.74833°N 73.98528°W / 40.74833; -73.98528
Construction startedMarch 17, 1930 (1930-03-17)[2]
Topped-out19 September 1930 (1930-09-19)
CompletedApril 11, 1931 (1931-04-11)[3]
OpenedMay 1, 1931 (May 1, 1931)[4]
Cost$40,948,900[8]
(equivalent to $637 million in 2023[9])
OwnerEmpire State Realty Trust
Height
Tip1,454 ft (443.2 m)[5]
Antenna spire204 ft (62.2 m)[5]
Roof1,250 ft (381.0 m)[5]
Top floor1,224 ft (373.1 m)[5]
Observatory80th, 86th, and 102nd (top) floors[5]
Dimensions
Other dimensions424 ft (129.2 m) east–west; 187 ft (57.0 m) north–south[6]
Technical details
Floor count102[5][6][7][c]
Floor area2,248,355 sq ft (208,879 m2)[5]
Lifts/elevators73[5]
Design and construction
Architect(s)Shreve, Lamb and Harmon
DeveloperEmpire State Inc., including John J. Raskob and Al Smith
Structural engineerHomer Gage Balcom
Main contractorStarrett Brothers and Eken
Website
esbnyc.com
DesignatedJune 24, 1986
Reference no.82001192
DesignatedNovember 17, 1982
Reference no.82001192
DesignatedSeptember 27, 1982[12]
Reference no.06101.001691
DesignatedMay 19, 1981[13]
Reference no.2000[13]
Designated entityFacade
DesignatedMay 19, 1981[14]
Reference no.2001[14]
Designated entityInterior: Lobby
References
I. ^ "Empire State Building". Emporis. Archived from the original on April 5, 2015.
[5][10][11]

The Empire State Building is a 102-story[c] Art Deco skyscraper in the Midtown South neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its name is derived from "Empire State", the nickname of the state of New York. The building has a roof height of 1,250 feet (380 m) and stands a total of 1,454 feet (443.2 m) tall, including its antenna. The Empire State Building was the world's tallest building until the first tower of the World Trade Center was topped out in 1970; following the September 11 attacks in 2001, the Empire State Building was New York City's tallest building until it was surpassed in 2012 by One World Trade Center. As of 2022, the building is the seventh-tallest building in New York City, the ninth-tallest completed skyscraper in the United States, and the 54th-tallest in the world.

The site of the Empire State Building, on the west side of Fifth Avenue between West 33rd and 34th Streets, was developed in 1893 as the Waldorf–Astoria Hotel. In 1929, Empire State Inc. acquired the site and devised plans for a skyscraper there. The design for the Empire State Building was changed fifteen times until it was ensured to be the world's tallest building. Construction started on March 17, 1930, and the building opened thirteen and a half months afterward on May 1, 1931. Despite favorable publicity related to the building's construction, because of the Great Depression and World War II, its owners did not make a profit until the early 1950s.

The building's Art Deco architecture, height, and observation decks have made it a popular attraction. Around four million tourists from around the world annually visit the building's 86th- and 102nd-floor observatories; an additional indoor observatory on the 80th floor opened in 2019. The Empire State Building is an international cultural icon: it has been featured in more than 250 television series and films since the film King Kong was released in 1933. The building's size has become the global standard of reference to describe the height and length of other structures. A symbol of New York City, the building has been named as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. It was ranked first on the American Institute of Architects' List of America's Favorite Architecture in 2007. Additionally, the Empire State Building and its ground-floor interior were designated city landmarks by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1980, and were added to the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark in 1986.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference AMNY-NewLobby-2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Jackson 2010, p. 413.
  3. ^ Langmead 2009, p. 86.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYTimes-Open-1931 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Empire State Building". The Skyscraper Center. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Emporis GmbH. "Empire State Building, New York City". emporis.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2012.
  7. ^ a b "Empire State Building, New York City". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference cost was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the Measuring Worth series.
  10. ^ "Empire State Building". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. September 11, 2007. Archived from the original on August 5, 2011.
  11. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  12. ^ "Cultural Resource Information System (CRIS)". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. November 7, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Landmarks Preservation Commission 1981, p. 1.
  14. ^ a b Landmarks Preservation Commission Interior 1981, p. 1.
  15. ^ Branigin, William (August 24, 2012). "Gunman shoots former co-worker near Empire State Building, is shot by police". Washington Post. Retrieved October 30, 2013. The 103-floor Empire State Building draws
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYTimes-Perch-2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).