The Empire State Building is one of the 20th century’s architectural crowning achievements. The 102-story skyscraper constructed in 1930-1931 during the height of the depression at 350 Fifth Avenue, was originally a farm with a stream running through the property. John Thomson established the farm in 1799. In the late nineteenth century the site became home to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, which became a gathering spot for New York’s high society.
One of the main motivating factors for building the skyscraper was the rivalry between Walter Chrysler of Chrysler Corporation and John Raskob of General Motors. The two men were competing to see who could build the tallest building first. In 1929 Raskob formed a group of investors, including Pierre S Du Pont to fund the project and named a former presidential candidate and Governor of New York, Alfred Smith, to be the head of the corporation.
The building featured a distinct Art Deco design and was constructed in record time, at only one year and 45 days and under budget. The 102-story skyscraper became the tallest building in the world, measuring 1,454 feet. The building includes two observatories on the 86th and 102nd stories that offer stunning view of New York City and the surrounding areas.
One unique feature that was part of the original design of the building was that the building’s spire was initially intended to be a dock to moor dirigibles and other airships. However, due to the strong winds at that height, the plan was deemed to be unfeasible after several attempts and it was scrapped. In addition, the glory days of the dirigibles (or zeppelins) was coming to a close.
The Empire State Building was completed during the middle of the Great Depression. The investment group had difficulty attracting tenants to the building. Some New Yorkers began calling it the Empty State Building. It did not become profitable until the 1950s.
The historic skyscraper has had a colorful history over the years. In 1945, there was the infamous plane crash in which an Army Air Corps airplane crashed into the 79th floor of the building. The plane crash resulted in the deaths of 3 people inside the plane and eleven inside the building and caused over a million dollars worth of property damage. The building has also been the scene of more than 30 suicides throughout the years.
The Empire State Building quickly became a huge tourist attraction and also attracted many of the world’s most illustrious entertainers and famous politicians such as Nikita Khrushschev, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Fidel Castro throughout the years.
An enduring symbol of New York, the Empire State Building has become a popular culture icon as well. The building was immortalized in the movie class King Kong and has appeared numerous other films such as Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally and a number of Woody Allen movies. The Empire State Building remains one of the most recognizable and prominent buildings in the world, attracting millions of tourists and celebrities each year.