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Setting the scene
The Empire State Building was conceived during the Roaring Twenties' skyscraper race, when developers competed to build the world's tallest. Former General Motors executive John J. Raskob and former New York Governor Al Smith planned a building on the site of the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel at 34th Street and Fifth Avenue. Architect William F. Lamb of Shreve, Lamb & Harmon designed it in the Art Deco style, with a simple, setback design that would rise to 1,250 feet. Construction began on March 17, 1930, just months after the stock market crash, providing jobs during the Depression.
What happened
The building rose with astonishing speed—4.5 stories per week at peak construction. The steel frame was erected by Mohawk ironworkers, famous for their fearlessness at heights. Over 3,400 workers labored, with 5 deaths (remarkably low for the era). The building used 57,000 tons of steel, 10 million bricks, and 200,000 cubic feet of limestone. It was completed in just 13.5 months, opening on May 1, 1931, when President Herbert Hoover pressed a button in Washington to turn on the lights. The total cost was $40.9 million ($700 million today), well under budget. Initially, it was largely vacant due to the Depression, earning the nickname 'Empty State Building.'
Why it still matters
The Empire State Building was the world's tallest building for 40 years until the World Trade Center surpassed it in 1971. It became the definitive symbol of New York City and Art Deco architecture, with its iconic spire originally designed as a mooring mast for dirigibles (used only once). The 86th-floor observatory has hosted over 110 million visitors. The building survived a B-25 bomber crash in 1945 that killed 14 people, demonstrating its robust construction. It has been featured in over 250 films, most famously King Kong (1933). The Empire State Building proved that ambitious projects could succeed even in economic crisis, and its lighting—changed for holidays and events—has made it a beacon of the city. It remains an engineering marvel and cultural icon.
Background
It held the title of world's tallest building for decades.