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The Empire State Building History continued...
Empire State Building history began in 1893. William Waldorf Astor owned a mansion on the plot of land in Manhattan where the building now sits. Astor decided to demolish his mansion and build a hotel in its place. He built the Waldorf Hotel in 1893. Then, four years later, his great-aunt, Mrs. William Backhouse Astor, allowed her mansion, which sat nearby, to also be demolished. She erected the Astoria Hotel in its place. The new complex was known as the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. In 1928, the hotel was sold to Bethlehem Engineering Corporation for an estimated $20 million. In 1929, the Empire State, Inc. was formed. One year later, the Empire State, Inc., purchased the land from Bethlehem Engineering Corporation and the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel was torn down. Construction could then begin on the Empire State Building.
It was decided that the Empire State Building address would the corner of 5th Avenue and 34th street. At the time, competition to build the world's tallest building was fierce in New York City. The buildings being built by Walter Chrysler, of Chrysler Corporation, and John Jakob Raskob, of General Motors, both proved to be worthy competitors in the race to the world's tallest building.
In Chicago, Illinois, in 1884, Louis Sullivan designed and built a 10-story Home Life Insurance Building. This event was significant in the Empire State Building construction because it led to the use of steel frame skeletons in tall buildings. The steel skeleton could be used to support the massive weight of a building. This is the method that was used in designing and building the Empire State Building. The architectural firm of Shreve, Lamb & Harmon was chosen to design the building. Starrett Brothers & Eken, Inc. handled the building aspect of the project. Excavation for the project began in 1930, even though the destruction of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel had not yet been completed. Construction started two months later. The framework of the building rose at a rate of about 4.5 stories per week. The cornerstone was laid by the former governor of New York, Alfred E. Smith.
Stone cladding of Indiana limestone and granite, trimmed with aluminum and chrome-nickel steel were the materials used on the exterior from the sixth floor to the top of the building. The ceiling on the interior lobby was made from marble that was imported from France, Italy, Belgium and Germany. The same marble was also used in the elevators and the office floor corridors. The masonry work was completed near the end of 1930. No expense was spared in the Empire State Building construction.
The building was built with four facades in low-key Art Deco style. Sixty foot setbacks were built to emphasize the tower, which was originally constructed to be a mooring dock for air blimps. One attempt to moor a privately owned blimp was actually successful for about three minutes. However, in 1931, a navy blimp attempted the feat. The blimp was nearly upended and the celebrities that were attending the historic event were nearly swept away. This led to the abandonment of the idea of the tower being a mooring dock for blimps. The tower is now used for television purposes.
A photographer named Lewis Hine was hired in 1930 to photograph the construction process. Taking many of the same risks that the construction workers endured, Hine would often photograph workers in dangerous positions as they secured the iron and steel framework of the structure. Then, a specially designed basket was put into place. The basket swung out, over 1,000 feet above Fifth Avenue.
The Empire State Building was officially opened in May, 1931, by President Herbert Hoover. President Hoover opened the building by pushing a button in Washington, D.C. that turned on the building's lights. The result of seven million man-hours and one year and 45 days, the Empire State Building was finally complete. The final cost of the building was $24,718,000. This was less than half of the original estimate. This low price was due to the onset of the Great Depression. Its work-force had consisted of 3,400 men, five of which died during the construction.
The Empire State Building remained mostly vacant in its early years. However, tourism accounted for the flourishing of the building's popularity. Many world leaders and other famous people have visited the building over the years. Fidel Castro, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, The Dutchess of York, Nikita Kruschev, King of Siam and others have all made visits to the building. Annually, 2.8 million visitors come to the building, making it one of New York City's most famous landmarks. The building is 102 stories high and contains over 900 tenants. Including its T.V. tower, the building is 1,454 feet tall. There are two observatory decks, one on the 86th floor and one on the 102nd floor. On a clear day, one can see five different states from the top-floor observatory deck.
In 1932, the first light was installed on top of the Empire State Building. It was a search beacon that was able to shine 50 miles. The light was installed declaring Franklin D. Roosevelt president of the United States. Since then, more lights have been added that allow the building to be lit in different colors, including the patriotic red, white and blue. In 1981, the Empire State Building was declared a Landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Then, in 1986, it was recognized as a National Historic Landmark by the National Parks Services and the U.S. Department of the Interior. In 1982, the building was listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places.
Empire State Building history is full of interesting stories and facts. In 1945, at the end of World War Two, and Army Air Corps B-25 twin-engine bomber crashed into the 79th floor due to dense fog. The crash killed 14 people and caused $1 million worth of damages. However, the structural integrity of the building was unharmed. The building contains 73 elevators, including six freight elevators, which travel at speeds from 600 to 1400 feet per minute. At one time, an elevator experienced problems and plunged 1000 feet, all the way to the bottom floor. The operator, however, survived the incident unharmed.
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