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On
land that once was a farm, then a mansion, then the first Waldorf
Astoria Hotel, now stands one of the world's most famous landmarks
The Empire State Building: Art Deco At It's
Height
by Johnny Moon
Construction on the art-deco inspired Empire State
Building began on March 17, 1930, St. Patrick's Day. It cost almost $25
million to build; the onset of the Great Depression actually sliced the
anticipated costs in half. The building stands at 1,454 feet (443.2
meters), has 103 floors, 6,500 windows, 73 elevators, and a maintenance
and administrative staff of about 250. There are two observatories
reachable by high speed elevators: the 86th floor observatory (about
1,050 feet/320 meters) and the 102nd floor observatory; both are open
from 8 A.M. to 2 A.M. 365 days a year. The Empire State Building,
located at 350 Fifth Avenue, also features a self-guided audio tour. As
of 2007, approximately 20,000 employees work at the Empire State
Building; it is one of the only buildings in the world to have its own
zip code.
The building was the tallest in the world for 41
years before it was surpassed by the North Tower of the World Trade
Center. After the September 11 attacks, the Empire State Building is
once again the tallest building in New York City and the second highest
building in the United States--only Chicago's Sears Tower is taller.
The building was designated a National Historical Landmark on June 24,
1986 and has been named one of the seven wonders of the modern world by
the American Society of Civil Engineers.
The present site of the Empire State Building was
occupied by the John Thomson Farm in the late 18th century; in the 19th
century it was home to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, which was frequented
by New York's social elite. The building was designed in two weeks by
Gregory Johnson and his architectural firm, Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon
and was financed by John J. Raskob. Construction was completed in 410
days and the building officially opened on May 31, 1931. In decadent
fashion, President Herbert Hoover activated the now-famous lights with
the touch of a button in Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, because of the
Great Depression the space was not profitable until 1950; locals
nicknamed the building the "Empty State Building."
Because of its impressive size, the Empire State
Building has been involved in some unusual situations. On July 28,
1945, an Army Air Corps B-25 crashed into the building at the 79th
floor. Though the crash caused $1 million damage to the building, the
structural integrity was unaffected. During the spring and autumn bird
migration season, the building must turn off its signature lights on
foggy nights so confused birds won't fly into the building.
The lights on the Empire State Building change
seasonally or to commemorate a special event. For Christmas, the lights
are red and green, blue lights were used to commemorate the death of
Ol' Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra; the building sat in complete darkness for
fifteen minutes when Fay Wray passed away. The building has even lit up
with the colors of local sports teams. In the months after September
11, 2001, the Empire State Building used only red, white, and blue
lights.
Like other New York City landmarks, the Empire
State Building has been featured in countless movies since its
inception, among them An Affair to Remember, King Kong, Funny Face,
Guys and Dolls, Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, and various
Woody Allen films. The Empire State Building has cemented itself not
only in American popular culture, but in American history.
About the Author
Johnny Moon recommends making your Manhattan
Hotel Reservations At New York Hotel Deals.
Visited by more than 117
million people and entertaining approximately 4000 visitors everyday,
It is one of the greatest tourest attractions in the world and is on
every New York City's visitor's list. Some famous visitors: Albert
Einstein, Winston Churchill, Pope Pius X11, Queen Elizabeth, Fidel
Castro and even that great star of tv and movies Lassie. |
