Empire State Building
The Empire State Building was completed in May of 1931, standing at a height of 1,250 feet. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest skyscraper in the world, bypassing the recently completed Chyrsler building. The building has two observation decks, one at the 86th floor (1,050 feet) that is open to the public, and one at the 102nd floor (1,250 feet). They offer spectacular views of New York City, and on clear days, you can see well into New Jersey, Conneticut, and Massachusetts. Click here to see views from the 86th floor observatory...
In 1981, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission declared the buildings lobby and exterior a "Landmark", and has been recognized as a "National Historic Landmark" by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The Interior Lobby features Art Deco design, incorporating rare marble from Italy, France, Belgium and Germany...
Empire State Building Facts
- Construction completed in one year and 45 days, at a completion rate of 4 1/2 stories per week
- Required seven million man hours from start to finish
- Cost of $41 million, while renovations during the past 10 years cost $67 million
- Built on a 2.66 acre site on 5th Ave, between 33rd and 34th Street
- Built on the site of the original Waldorf Astoria Hotel
- Designed by John Jabob Raskob and architect William Lamb
- A transmission tower was added to the top of the building in 1950, and topped off by a 34 foot antenna in 1985, bringing the total height to 1,454 feet
Click here to go to the official Empire State Building homepage.
