When the Empire State Building Was Built
If three New York architectural masterpieces were to be singled out, most people would pick the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Empire State Building. The most giant skyscraper in the Big Apple has already received more than 100 million tourists since its inauguration. Do you know how long it took to build?
In the mid-1930s, the Chrysler Building was opened on Lexington Avenue in New York. At that time it was the tallest building in the world, thereby demonstrating the power of the automobile brand. In a fight to take over the first position in the automotive industry, John Jakob Raskob, founder of General Motors, commissioned the architect William F. Lamb to build a building larger than the competition.
This is how the work of the Empire State Building began, on March 17, 1930. Located at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street, the Empire State was built in just 410 days. It would be the then-president of the United States, Herbert Hoover, who inaugurated the tallest skyscraper in New York on May 1, 1931, by pressing a switch from the White House.
When Hoover turned on the lights, he showed the world the most impressive architectural work. 41 million dollars was the budget for the Empire State to rise above the city of New York. 3,500 workers were needed to build its 102 floors, using 10 million bricks, 60,000 tons of steel, and 6,500 windows. The tower went up quickly, at a construction rate of four and a half floors per week.
"At 443.2 meters, the Empire State Building is the tallest building in New York"
Bit scary, that picture where those men are sitting together at that height. I wouldn't dare stand up anymore !