The Empire State Building is a 102-story skyscraper located in New York on Manhattan Island. From 1931 to 1972, before the opening of the North Tower of the World Trade Center, it was the tallest building in the world. In 2001, when the towers of the World Trade Center collapsed, the skyscraper again became the tallest building in New York. The architecture of the building belongs to the Art Deco style.
In 1986, the Empire State Building was listed as a National Historic Landmark in the United States. In 2007, the building was ranked number one on the American Institute of Architects' list of America's Best Architecture. The building is owned and operated by W&H Properties. The tower is located on Fifth Avenue between West 33rd and 34th streets.
At the end of the 18th century, on the site where the ESB is now located, there was a farm of John Thompson. At that time, there was a stream here that flowed into the Sunfish Pond, which is now a block from the skyscraper. In the late 19th century, the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel was located here, where the social elite of New York lived.
The ESB was designed by Gregory Johnson and his architectural firm, Shreve, Lamb and Harmon, who completed the blueprints for the skyscraper in just two weeks, using her previous work, the Carew Tower, in Cincinnati, as a basis. Ohio. The building was designed from top to bottom. The main contractors were the Starrett Brothers and Eken, and the project was funded by John J. Raskob.
Construction was led by Alfred E. Smith, a former New York City superintendent.
Preparations for construction began on January 22, 1930, and the construction of the skyscraper itself, thanks to the influence of Alfred Smith as president of Empire State, Inc., began on March 17, St. Patrick's Day. The project employed 3,400 workers, mostly European immigrants, as well as hundreds of Mohawk foundry Indians, mostly from the Kahnawake Reservation near Montreal.
However, initially no one could have imagined that the Empire State Building would become such a famous skyscraper. So, the architectural historian Carol Willis (CarolWillis) in one of her books notes that the main task in the construction of a skyscraper was to meet the specified amount, so the appearance of the building was given the least attention.
This construction was part of an intense competition for the title of the tallest building in the world. The other two buildings competing for the title, 40 Wall Street and the Chrysler Building, were still under construction when work began on the ESB. Each of them held the title for less than a year, the Empire State Building beat them in this competition after only 410 days after construction began. The official opening of the ESB, on May 1, 1931, was very pompous: President Herbert Hoover turned on the lights in the building by pressing a button in Washington. Ironically, the first time the lamps were used on top of the skyscraper was to commemorate Franklin Roosevelt's victory over Hoover in the November 1932 presidential election.
Let's take a look at how such skyscrapers were built at that time with the help of a blogger.
The bulk of the material is rudzin
, the owner of the most interesting diary
"Lunchtime atop a Skyscraper" (Lunch on top of a skyscraper) - photograph from the series "Construction Workers Lunching on a Crossbeam - 1932" by Charles C. Ebbets
Such a miracle as a skyscraper would not have been possible without the invention of the steel frame. Assembling the steel frame of a building is the most dangerous and difficult part of construction. It is the quality and speed of assembly of the frame that determines whether the project will be implemented on time and within budget.
That is why riveters are the most important profession in the construction of a skyscraper.
Riveters are a caste with their own laws: the salary of a riveter for a working day is $15, more than any skilled worker at a construction site; they do not go to work in the rain, wind or fog, they are not on the contractor's staff. They are not alone, they work in teams of four, and if one of the team does not go to work, no one comes out. Why, in the midst of the Great Depression, is everyone turning a blind eye to this, from an investor to a foreman?
On a platform of boards, or simply on steel beams, there is a coal stove. In the oven, the rivets are 10 cm long and 3 cm diameter steel cylinders. The "cook" "cooks" the rivets - drives air into the furnace with small bellows to heat them up to the desired temperature. The rivet has warmed up (not too much - it will turn in the hole and have to be drilled; and not too weak - it will not rivet), now you need to transfer the rivet to where it will fasten the beams. It is only known in advance which beam will be fastened when, and it is impossible to move a hot furnace during the working day. Therefore, often the attachment point is located 30 (thirty) meters from the "cook", sometimes higher, sometimes lower by 2-3 floors.
The only way to pass a rivet is to drop it.
The “cook” turns to the “goalkeeper” and silently, making sure that the goalkeeper is ready to receive, throws a red-hot 600-gram blank with tongs in his direction. Sometimes there are already welded beams on the trajectory, you need to throw it once, accurately and strongly.
The “goalkeeper” stands on a narrow platform or simply on a bare beam next to the riveting site. His goal is to catch a flying piece of iron with an ordinary tin can. He cannot move without falling. But he must catch the rivet, otherwise it will fall like a small bomb on the city.
"Shooter" and "emphasis" are waiting. The "goalkeeper", having caught the rivet, drives it into the hole. The “emphasis” on the outside of the building, hanging over the abyss, holds the rivet head with a steel rod and its own weight. The "shooter" with a 15-kilogram pneumatic hammer rivets it from the other side within a minute.
The best team does this trick over 500 times a day, the average - about 250.
In the photographs - the best brigade in 1930, from left to right: “cook”, “goalkeeper”, “emphasis”, and shooter.
The danger of this work can be illustrated by the following fact: masons at a construction site are insured at a rate of 6% of their salary, carpenters - 4%. The riveter's rate is 25-30%.
One person died at the Chrysler building.
Four people died on Wall Street 40.
Empire State has five.
The frame of the skyscraper consists of hundreds of steel profiles several meters long and weighing several tons, the so-called beams. There is nowhere to store them during the construction of a skyscraper - no one will allow organizing a warehouse in the city center, in conditions of dense development, on municipal land. Moreover, all structural elements are different, each can be used in one single place, so an attempt to organize even a temporary warehouse, for example, on one of the last floors built, can lead to great confusion and disruption of construction deadlines.
That is why, when I wrote that the work of riveters is the most important and most difficult, I did not mention that it is also the most dangerous and difficult. The work is harder and more dangerous than theirs - the work of the crane crew.
The order for the beams was agreed with the metallurgists a few weeks ago, trucks bring them to the construction site to the minute, regardless of the weather, they need to be unloaded immediately.
The Derrick Crane is a hinged boom, located on the last floor built, the installers are on the floor above. The winch operator can be located on any floor of an already constructed building, because no one is going to stop lifting and distract other cranes to lift a heavy mechanism several floors higher for the convenience of installers. Therefore, when lifting a multi-ton channel, the operator does not see either the beam itself, or the car that brought it, or his comrades.
The only guideline for control is the strike of the bell, given by the apprentice at the signal of the foreman, who, together with the entire brigade, is dozens of floors above. Blow - turns on the winch motor, blow - turns it off. Several crews of riveters work nearby with their hammers (have you ever heard the sound of a jackhammer?), other crane operators raise other channels at the commands of their bells. It is impossible to make a mistake and not hear the blow - the channel will either ram the crane boom, or throw the installers preparing to fix it from the installed vertical beam.
The foreman, controlling the derrick through two operators, one of whom he does not see, achieves the coincidence of the holes for riveting on the installed vertical beams with the holes on the raised channel with an accuracy of 2-3 millimeters. Only after that can a couple of installers fix the swaying, often wet channel with huge bolts and nuts.
In New York on 6th Avenue there are monuments to these guys, installed in 2001. The most famous photo became the model, she is the first in the preview here. So, at first they made a monument exactly like in the photo, i.e. 11 dudes are sitting on a beam. And then the most extreme on the right was removed under the root. And only because of the fact that he has a bottle of whiskey in his hands!!! I understand if this was done in our country during Gorbachev's time, but they had it in 2001!! Apparently they did not want to destroy the legend about the brave guys. Now these are 10 quite decent guys sitting on a steel beam. Fine. But somehow it's embarrassing.
Photography by Samuel H. Gottscho, 1932
In New York on 6th Avenue there are monuments to these guys, installed in 2001. The most famous photo became the model, she is the first in the preview here. So, at first they made a monument exactly like in the photo, i.e. 11 dudes are sitting on a beam. And then the most extreme on the right was removed under the root. And just because he has a bottle of whiskey in his hands!!! I understand if this had been done here in Gorbachev's time, but they had it in 2001!! Apparently they did not want to destroy the legend about the brave guys. Now these are 10 quite decent guys sitting on a steel beam. Fine. But somehow it's embarrassing.
The opening of the ESB coincided with the Great Depression in the United States, so at first most of the office space was empty. In the first year of operation, the construction of the observation deck cost the owners of the building approximately $ 2 million, they received the same amount from renting out the premises. Due to the lack of tenants, New Yorkers began to call the skyscraper the "Empty State Building". The building did not turn a profit until 1950. In 1951, ESB was sold to Roger L. Stevens and his associates for a record $51 million, brokered by the well-known upper Manhattan real estate firm Charles F. Noyes & Company. At the time, it was the highest price for a single building in real estate history.
The spire of the skyscraper, made in Art Deco style, was originally designed as a mooring mast and parking place for airships. The 102nd floor was originally a landing platform, with a special ladder located on it. A separate elevator between the 86th and 102nd floors was supposed to take passengers upstairs after they checked in on the observation deck on the 86th floor. However, after several attempts to bring the airship to the skyscraper, it turned out to be difficult and dangerous due to the strong ascending air currents arising from the huge height of the building. In 1952, a large television tower was attached to the spire of the skyscraper.
Over the years of its existence, the Empire State Building has proven itself to be an extremely durable structure. So on July 28, 1945, a B-25 bomber literally crashed into a skyscraper. Several people were killed, and dozens were injured of varying degrees of severity. The bomber engine flew through the entire building, but the damage to the skyscraper was limited to the destruction of the outer walls and a fire in some rooms.
On 28 July 1945, a US Air Force B-25 "Mitchell" bomber piloted in heavy fog by Lieutenant Colonel William Smith crashed into the building's north facade between the 79th × 80th floors. One of the engines broke through the tower and fell on a neighboring building, the other fell into the elevator shaft. The fire that arose as a result of the collision was extinguished after 40 minutes. 14 people died in the incident, and elevator operator Betty Lou Oliver survived after falling in an elevator from a height of 75 floors - this achievement was included in the Guinness Book of Records. Despite the incident, the building was not closed, and work in most offices did not stop the next business day.
damage to the Empire State Building skyscraper after a collision with a plane
Over the entire period of operation of the building, more than 30 suicides were committed here. The first suicide occurred just after the construction was completed by a recently fired worker. In 1947, a fence was erected around the observation site, since in just three weeks there were 5 suicide attempts here. In 1979, Miss Elvita Adams decided to take her own life and jumped from the 86th floor. But a strong wind threw Miss Adams to the 85th floor, and she escaped with only a broken hip. One of the latest suicides occurred on April 13, 2007, when a lawyer jumped from the 69th floor.
Clickable, panorama
The ESB rises 1250 feet (381m) above the street on the 102nd floor, and if you count the spire at 203 feet (62m), the total height of the skyscraper is 1453 feet and eight inches (443m). The building has 85 floors of retail and office space (2,158,000 square feet/200,000m2) and an observation deck, both open and closed, on the 86th floor. the remaining 16 floors are an Art Deco tower ending in an observatory on the 102nd floor. At the top of the tower is a 203-foot (62m) spire, most of which is covered with television antennas, with a luminous rod at the very top.
The Empire State Building was the first building to have over 100 floors. It has 6,500 windows and 73 elevators, and 1,860 steps lead from the street to the 102nd floor. The total area of all floors is approximately 2,768,591 square feet (257,000m2); The base of the ESB has an area of approximately 2 acres (0.8 ha). The building houses more than a thousand organizations, it also has its own zip code - 10118. As of 2007, approximately 21,000 employees work in the building every day, which makes the ESB the second largest office complex in the United States, after the Pentagon. The construction of the skyscraper lasted one year and 45 days. It originally had 64 elevators located in the center; at the moment, there are 73 elevators in ESB, including service ones. The elevator goes up to the 86th floor, where the observation deck is located, in less than a minute. The total length of the pipes of the skyscraper is 70 miles (113 km.), The length of the electrical wires is 2,500,000 feet (760,000 m.). The skyscraper is heated with low pressure steam; despite its enormous height, a building needs only two or three pounds of steam pressure per square inch to heat the building. The skyscraper weighs approximately 336,000 tons.
In 1964, a floodlight system was installed on the tower in order to illuminate the top in a color scheme corresponding to any events, memorable dates or holidays (St. Patrick's Day, Christmas, etc.). For example, after Frank Sinatra's 80th birthday and the subsequent death of Frank Sinatra, the building was illuminated in blue tones, due to the singer's nickname "Mr. Blue Eyes". Following the death of actress Faye Wray in late 2004, the tower's lights were completely turned off for 15 minutes.
The cost of building the ESB was $40,948,900. Unlike most modern tall buildings, the Empire State Building has a classic façade. Entrances from 33rd and 34th Streets, sheltered by modernist steel canopies, lead to corridors 2 stories high, traversed by steel or glass bridges at second floor level, surrounding the elevators. There are 67 elevators in the central part of the building.
The lobby is three stories high and uses the aluminum parts of the building in place of the antenna, which was not on the spire until 1952. The north corridor contains eight illuminated panels designed by Roy Sparkia and Renee Nemorov in 1963, making the building the eighth wonder of the world, along with the traditional family.
During the completion of the building, long-term predictions were made about its performance to ensure that the use of the building now does not prevent it from serving future generations. This explains the redesign of the power supply system.
Traditionally, in addition to the usual lighting, the building is lit in the colors of the New York sports teams on the days when the teams play in the city (orange, blue and white for the New York Knicks, red, white and blue for the New York Rangers and etc.). During the US Open tennis tournament, the illumination is dominated by yellow (the color of a tennis ball). In June 2002, during the celebration of the anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the backlight was purple-gold (the colors of the House of Windsor).
Very often this building is the hero of feature films. Take King Kong for example.
In 1964, floodlights were installed on top of the building to illuminate the building at night, colors chosen to match the seasons and other events such as St. Patrick's Day and Christmas. After the skyscraper's eighteenth birthday and the ensuing death of Frank Sinatra, for example, the building was illuminated with blue light, hinting at the singer's nickname, "Ol' Blue Eyes." After the death of actress Fay Wray (King Kong movie) at the end of 2004, the skyscraper stood in complete darkness for 15 minutes.
Spotlights illuminated the ESB in red, white, and blue colors for several months after the destruction of the World Trade Center, after which they returned to their usual routine. Traditionally, in addition to the regular schedule, the skyscraper is lit up in the colors of New York sports teams on their home game days (orange, blue, and white for the New York Knicks; red, white, and blue for the New York Rangers). Rangers), etc.). The building is illuminated by tennis ball yellow during the US Open in late August or early September. The skyscraper was even lit up twice in bright scarlet for Rutgers University, the first time during the November 9, 2006 football game against the University of Louisville, when the brightest red in the history of the university was won, and the second time 3 April 2007, when the women's basketball team played against Tennessee (Tennessee) during the national championship.
In June 2002, during the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain (Elizabeth II), New York lit up the ESB in red and gold (the colors of the monarchs of the Royal House of Windsor (Royal House of Windsor)). New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said it was a token of gratitude to Her Majesty that, after September 11, 2001, the United States national anthem was played at Buckingham Palace.
In 1995, the skyscraper was lit up in blue, red, green and yellow to celebrate the launch of the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system (Microsoft's Windows 95). It was a breakthrough for home computers and the launch was met with fanfare.
The building was also painted purple and white to commemorate the graduation of students from New York University.
When the New York Mets defeated the New York Yankees in the Subway Series in May 2007, the next night the building was lit up in the colors of the winners, orange and blue.
In October 2007, the skyscraper was painted green for three days in honor of the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr (Eid ul-Fitr). Such lighting, first applied in honor of the Muslim holiday, is planned to be used every year.
On April 25-27, 2008, the skyscraper was painted "lavender" to celebrate the release of Mariah Carey's new album E=MC2.
The Empire State Building is home to one of the most popular open-air observatories in the world, with over 110 million visitors. The observation deck on the 86th floor provides an impressive all-round view of the city. There is another observation deck open to the public on the 102nd floor. It closed in 1999 but reopened in November 2005. It is fully glazed and much smaller than the first; on busy days it is sometimes closed.
New York is the main media center of the United States. since the September 11, 2001 attacks, almost all of the city's commercial broadcast stations (both radio and television) have been transmitted from the top of the ESB, although some FM radio stations are located in the nearby Conde Nast Building. Most New York AM stations are transmitted from New Jersey.
Communication facilities for broadcast stations are at the top of the ESB. Broadcasting from the building began on December 22, 1931, when Broadcasting began at Empire on December 22, 1931, when the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) began broadcasting experimental television broadcasts via a small antenna mounted on a spire. They rented the 85th floor and built a laboratory there, and in 1934 RCA was merged into a dubious venture by Edwin Howard Armstrong to test his FM system with a skyscraper antenna. When Armstrong and RCA left the building in 1935 and his FM equipment was removed, the 85th floor became the site of RCA's television studio, first as experimental W2XBS channel 1, which became commercial station WNBT, channel 1 (now WNBC-TV) on July 1, 1941. channel 4). The National Broadcasting Company station (WEAF-FM, now WQHT) began broadcasting via aerial in 1940.
NBC continued to have sole use of the top of the Empire State Building until 1950, when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) changed the position based on requests from viewers to move the seven main channels to the ESB so that the antennas would not have to be constantly tuned. The construction of a huge television tower began. Then other television companies joined RCA in the skyscraper, on the 83rd, 82nd and 81st floors, some bringing sister radio stations with them. Massive TV and FM broadcasts began in 1951. In 1965, separate FM antennas were installed around the viewing area on the 102nd floor.
When the World Trade Center was being built, it caused major problems for television stations, most of which moved to the World Trade Center immediately after its completion. This made it possible to modernize the antenna and improve the broadcast quality of the FM radio stations that remained in the ESB, which were soon joined by other FM radio stations and TV stations that moved from all other places in the city center. The destruction of the World Trade Center necessitated changes in broadcast frequencies and redevelopment of studios to accommodate the stations that were forced to return.
http://piacere-s.livejournal.com
http://rudzin.livejournal.com
http://www.zdanija.ru/forum/topic-291.html , http://piacere-s.livejournal.com/41658.html
A few years ago, the Empire State Building was the tallest skyscraper in New York, and although buildings have since appeared that surpass it in size, this place has remained one of the significant centers of tourism. Every day, thousands of people go up to the observation deck to take a look at Manhattan from all sides. The history of the city is closely connected with this building, so every resident is able to tell a lot of interesting information about the building with a spire.
Stages of construction of the Empire State Building
The project to create a new office building appeared in 1929. The main architectural idea belonged to William Lamb, although similar motifs have already been used in the construction of other structures. In particular, in North Carolina and Ohio, you can find buildings that were actually prototypes for the future large-scale construction of New York. 
In the winter of 1930, workers began cultivating the land at the site of the future high-rise building, and the construction itself began on March 17. In total, about 3.5 thousand people were involved, while the builders for the most part were either emigrants or representatives of the indigenous population. 
The work on the project was carried out during the construction period of the city, so the tension from the pressing deadlines was felt on the site. Simultaneously with the Empire State Building, the Chrysler building and a skyscraper on Wall Street were being built, while each owner wanted his project to be the most advantageous in comparison with competitors. 
As a result, the Empire State Building turned out to be the highest, maintaining its status for another 39 years. Such success was achieved due to well-coordinated work at the construction site. According to average estimates, about four floors were erected weekly. There was even a period when the workers managed to lay out fourteen floors in ten days. 
In total, the construction of one of the most famous skyscrapers in the world took 410 days. The right to start lighting the new office center was transferred to the then president, who declared the Empire State Building open on May 1, 1931. 
American skyscraper architecture
The height of the building, together with the spire, is 443.2 meters, and its width is 140 meters. The main style, as conceived by the architect, was Art Deco, but the facade has classical elements in the design. In total, the Empire State Building has 103 floors, while the top 16 are a superstructure with two observation decks. The area of the premises exceeds 208 thousand square meters. Many are interested in how many bricks it took to build such a structure, and although no one individually counted their number, it is known that it took about 10 million building units. 
The roof is made in the form of a spire, as planned, it was supposed to be a stopping point for airships. When the highest skyscraper at that time was built, they decided to check the possibility of using the top for its intended purpose, but due to strong winds, it was not possible to achieve the desired. As a result, in the middle of the 20th century, the airship terminal was converted into a television tower. 
Inside, you should pay attention to the decoration of the main foyer. Its width is 30 meters, and its height is commensurate with three floors. Marble slabs add stateliness to the room, and pictures with the seven wonders of the world are bright decor elements. The eighth image is a sketch of the Empire State Building itself, which is also identified with world-famous buildings. 
Of particular interest is the illumination of the tower, which is constantly changing. There is a special set of colors applied to different days of the week, as well as their combination for national holidays. Each significant event for a city, country or world is colored in symbolic shades. So, for example, the day of Frank Sinatra's death was indicated in blue tones because of the popular nickname in honor of the color of his eyes, and on the anniversary of the birth of the British Queen, the scale from the heraldry of the Windsors was used. 
Historical events associated with the tower
Despite the importance of the office center, it did not immediately become popular. From the moment the Empire State Building was built, an unstable economic situation reigned in the United States, so most companies in the country could not afford to occupy all the office space. For about a decade, the building was considered unprofitable. It was only with the change of ownership in 1951 that the office center began to make a profit. 
There are mourning dates in the history of the skyscraper, in particular, during the war years, a bomber flew into the building. 1945 July 28 was devastating as the plane crashed between the 79th and 80th floors. The blow broke through the building, one of the elevators fell from a great height, while Betty Lou Oliver, who was in it, remained alive and was among the world record holders for this. 14 people died as a result of this incident, but the work of the offices did not stop there. 
Because of its fame and huge height, the Empire State Building is quite popular with those who want to end their lives. It is for this reason that the construction of observation platforms was additionally reinforced with fences. Since the opening of the tower, there have been more than thirty suicides. True, sometimes misfortunes can be prevented, and sometimes chance decides to do its bit. This happened to Elvita Adams, who jumped from the 86th floor, but due to strong winds was thrown to the 85th floor, escaping with only a fracture. 
Tower in culture and sports
Residents of the United States of America love the Empire State Building, so often episodes with a skyscraper appear in box office films. The most famous stage for the world community is King Kong hanging from the spire and waving off the planes hovering around. The rest of the pictures can be found on the official website, where there is a list of films with unforgettable views of the New York Tower. 
The building is a platform for unusual competitions in which everyone is allowed to participate. It is necessary to overcome all the steps to the 86th floor for a while. The most successful winner completed the task in 9 minutes 33 seconds, and in fact for this he had to climb 1576 steps. It also conducts tests for firefighters and police officers, but they fulfill the conditions in full gear. 
Many do not know why the tower received such an unusual name, which has "imperial" roots. In fact, the reason lies in the use of this epithet in relation to the state of New York. In fact, the name means "Building of the Imperial State", which in translation sounds ordinary for the inhabitants of this area. 
An interesting play on words that appeared during the Great Depression. Then, instead of Empire, the word Empty was more often used, which was close in sound, but meant that the building was empty. In those years, office space was very difficult to rent out, so the owners of the skyscraper suffered significant losses. 
Useful information for tourists
Tourists in New York certainly think about how to get to the Empire State Building. Skyscraper address: Manhattan, Fifth Avenue, 350. Visitors will have to stand in a long line, as many people want to climb the observation decks. 
It is allowed to look at the view of the city from a height of 86 and 102 floors. Elevators rise to both levels, but the price of this changes slightly. It is forbidden to shoot video in the lobby, but on the observation deck you can take beautiful photos with a panorama of Manhattan. 
Also on the second floor there is an attraction with a video tour where you can learn more about the surroundings of the city. If you are lucky, you will meet King Kong at the entrance to the observation deck, which is rightfully considered a symbol of this place.
The building was designed by Shreve, Lam & Harmon Architects. The creators of the skyscraper designed it in the Art Deco style. Unlike most modern skyscrapers, the facade of the tower is made in a classical style. The only decorative element of the gray stone facade is vertical stripes of stainless steel. The hall inside has a length of 30 meters and a height of three floors. It is decorated with panels depicting the seven wonders of the world, and the eighth is added to them - the Empire State Building itself.
The skyscraper was built in a record 410 days, on average 4.5 floors were built per week, and sometimes in 10 days a new building grew by 14 floors. 5662 cubic meters of limestone and granite were used for the construction of the outer walls. In total, the builders used 60 thousand tons of steel structures, 10 million bricks and 700 km of cable. The building has 6500 windows. Its design is such that the main load is borne by the steel frame, and not by the walls. He transfers this load directly to the most powerful "two-story" foundation. Thanks to the innovation, the weight of the building has significantly decreased and amounted to 365 thousand tons.
By the time construction was completed, the height of the building was 381 m (after a television tower was erected on the roof of the Empire State Building in 1952, its height reached 443 m).
On May 1, 1931, the official opening of the skyscraper took place. The then President of the country, Herbert Hoover, opened the Empire State Building: by flicking a switch from Washington, he lit the lights of the highest man-made structure in the world at that time.
The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world for over 40 years. The skyscraper lost this title only after the construction in 1972 of the twin towers of the World Trade Center. The tragic death of the twin towers during the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, returned the status of the tallest building in New York to the Empire State Building, although the skyscraper could no longer claim world leadership.
The Empire State Building occupies about one hectare of land on Manhattan Island, at the intersection of 5th Avenue and 34th Street. The building houses offices of 640 companies employing about 50,000 people.
The skyscraper is a landmark of Manhattan and New York. The famous skyscraper is visited by thousands of tourists every day. On a high-speed elevator in one minute they can go up to the observation deck located on the 86th floor and see the panorama of New York: its streets, squares, parks, bridges and even ships at sea. On the 102nd floor is a glazed circular observatory. From a height of 381 m, a panorama of five states opens up.
The landmark of New York is not only the skyscraper itself, but also its unique lighting system. The tradition of lighting the Empire State Building with different colors on various holidays has been around for a long time. So, on US Independence Day, the skyscraper becomes blue-red-white, and on St. Patrick's Day - green, on Columbus Day - green-white-red. To do this, plastic disks are changed on 200 spotlights illuminating the 30 upper floors.
Even before the TV and radio tower was placed on the roof of the skyscraper, it was planned that the upper part of the Empire State Building would serve not only for festive illumination of the city. The architects designed the roof structure in such a way that it served as a pier for passenger airships, which in the 30s. of the last century, they were a fashionable vehicle and successfully competed with the not yet very reliable passenger aircraft. The 102nd floor was a docking platform with a gangway for climbing onto the airship. A special elevator running between the 86th and 102nd floors could be used to transport passengers, whose check-in was to be made on the 86th floor. In reality, not a single airship on the roof of the Empire State Building has ever docked. The idea of an air terminal turned out to be unsafe - the strong and unstable air currents at the top of the 381-meter building made berthing very difficult. And soon the airships, in principle, ceased to be used as a vehicle.
On the second floor of the building there is an attraction, opened in 1994 for tourists. The attraction is called the New York Skyride and is a simulator of air travel over the city. The duration of the attraction is 25 minutes. From 1994 to 2001, an old version of the ride ran, in which Star Trek actor James Doohan, Scotty, as an airplane pilot, humorously tried to maintain control of a plane during a storm. After the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, this attraction was closed. In the new version, the plot remained the same, but the towers of the World Trade Center were removed from the scenery, and actor Kevin Bacon became the pilot instead of Doohan. The new version pursued, first of all, not entertaining, but educational and informational goals. It also included patriotic elements.
In terms of the number of films in which the Empire State Building was shot, the building can compete with leading movie stars. It all started with "King Kong" filmed in 1933, where the final battle of a huge gorilla with US Air Force fighters took place on the roof of this skyscraper. Now the list of films in which the Empire State Building appears, given on the official website of the skyscraper, has 91 films.
Among other things, the Empire State Building is also the venue for one of the most unusual competitions. It hosts a skyscraper stair running competition in early February every year. Athletes overcome 1576 steps of the building - from the 1st to the 86th floor - in a few minutes. In 2003, Paul Craik set a record that has not yet been broken - 9 minutes 33 seconds.
During its almost 80-year history, the Empire State Building has experienced a significant number of different incidents. On July 28, 1945, a US Air Force B-25 Mitchell bomber, lost in dense fog, crashed into a building between the 79th and 80th floors. One of the engines broke through the skyscraper and fell on the roof of a neighboring building, the other fell into the elevator shaft. The fire that resulted from the collision was extinguished after 40 minutes. 14 people died in the incident. Elevator Betty Lou Oliver survived a fall in an elevator from a height of 75 floors - this achievement hit the Guinness Book of Records.
There were fires after that. So, in August 1988, a fire started on the 86th floor, and the fire reached the very top of the skyscraper. Luckily, there were no casualties then. In 1990, a fire broke out again, which claimed the lives of 38 people.
There were also incidents of a different kind. In February 1997, 69-year-old Palestinian Ali Hassan Abu Kamal went up to the observation deck, pulled out a pistol and opened fire on tourists. He killed one person, wounded six, and then shot himself. When the site reopened two days later, visitors were already being probed with magnetometers.
Since its construction, the Empire State Building has attracted those who want to commit suicide. During the entire period of operation of the building, more than 30 suicides were committed here. The first suicide occurred just after the construction was completed by a recently fired worker. As a result, in 1947, a fence had to be erected around the observation site, since in just three weeks there were five suicide attempts here. At the same time, funny things happened: in 1979, Miss Elvita Adams decided to take her own life and jumped from the 86th floor. But a strong wind threw her to the 85th floor, and she escaped with only a broken hip.
The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources
Empire State Building - 102-story skyscraper, located in New York on the island of Manhattan. Office building. From 1931 to 1972, before the opening of the North Tower of the World Trade Center, it was one of the tallest buildings in the world. In 2001, when the towers of the World Trade Center collapsed, the skyscraper again became the tallest building in New York. The architecture of the building belongs to the Art Deco style.
In 1986, the Empire State Building was listed as a National Historic Landmark in the United States. In 2007, the building was ranked number one on the American Institute of Architects' list of America's Best Architecture. The building is owned and operated by W&H Properties. The tower is located on Fifth Avenue between West 33rd and 34th streets.
The Empire State Building is currently the second tallest skyscraper in the United States, behind only the Willis Tower in Chicago, and the 15th tallest in the world. The building is currently undergoing a $550 million renovation, $120 million of which is going towards converting the building into a greener, lower energy structure.
The building was built with the money of John Rockefeller Jr. The hall is 30 meters long and 3 floors high, finished with marble and decorated with 8 panels depicting 7 wonders of the world and the eighth is the Empire State Building itself. The Guinness Records Hall contains a unique collection of unusual records. Taking the elevator in a minute, you can get to the observation deck on the 86th or 102nd floor. From here you have a stunning view of the city, especially at night, when the whole city sparkles with neon shop windows and colorful lights. A webcam, thanks to which you will have the opportunity to make a virtual trip to the skyscraper and see Manhattan in great detail, is best used in daylight. Illumination of the building is something that you can talk about endlessly. Each day of the week has its own color, holidays and significant dates have special color combinations. A unique spectacle.
CONSTRUCTION HISTORY OF THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING IN NEW YORK |
The tower got its name from the everyday name of the US state of New York, which is called the "imperial state". The name of the tower can also be translated as "House of the Imperial State", it was designed by the architectural firm Shreve, Lam and Harmon, and it was built with the money of John D. Rockefeller Jr.
The site where the Empire State Building now stands has been a center of high society since 1860. Then there were two aristocratic houses that belonged to members of the wealthy Astor family. John Jacob Astor III and William Backhouse Astor, Jr. built their houses side by side. William Backhouse's wife Astoria, a famous lady, ruled New York society like a queen. Then she quarreled with her nephew William Waldorf Astor. In the course of the quarrel, he demolished his house and built the Waldorf Hotel in its place. William Backhouse's wife Astor moved to another area for this reason. Her son Jacob then broke down his mother's house and built the Astoria Hotel. Both hotels functioned in the 90s of the XIX century and were known as the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. It was the city's most sophisticated hotel until 1929, when it was demolished to make way for the Empire State Building.
Earthwork on the site began on January 22, 1930, and the construction of the tower itself began on March 17 - St. Patrick's Day. The construction site employed 3,400 workers, mostly European immigrants, as well as several hundred Mohawk steelworkers, many of whom came to the site from the Kahnawake reservation near Montreal. According to official figures, five deaths among workers were recorded during construction.
The construction of the building became part of the high altitude race taking place in New York at the time. The other two projects in this race, 40 Wall Street and the Chrysler Building, were underway when the Empire State Building was just beginning to be built. Each of the competing projects held the title of tallest building for several months, until the Empire State Building surpassed them all. The construction took only 410 days. Approximately four and a half floors were built in a week, and in the most intensive period, 14 floors were erected in 10 days. The official opening took place on May 1, 1931, when US President Herbert Hoover turned on the building's lights by pressing a button in Washington. The very next year, the first use of lighting on top of the building was in celebration of Roosevelt's victory over Hoover in the presidential race in November 1932.
At the opening of the building on May 1, 1931, Governor Smith's children cut the ribbon. When the Empire State Building officially opened on May 1, 1931, the United States of America was in an era of economic depression. Therefore, far from all the premises were handed over, and the building was called the Empty State Building. It took ten years until all the premises were finally commissioned. The building did not generate income for the owners until 1950. Only in 1951, after the sale to Roger Stevens and his partners for $ 51 million (the record price for those times paid for a single structure), the building ceased to be unprofitable.
At the beginning of the operation of the building, its spire was intended to be used as a mooring mast for airships. The 102nd floor was a docking platform with a gangway for climbing onto the airship. A special elevator running between the 86th and 102nd floors could be used to transport passengers. Registration, as planned, was carried out on the 86th floor. However, the idea of an air terminal was deemed untenable due to safety reasons (strong and unstable air currents at the top of the building made docking very difficult, and after the first attempt it became clear that this idea was utopian). Not a single zeppelin ever landed on the building. In 1952, telecommunications equipment was placed on the site of the terminal. Subsequently, the idea was nevertheless virtually implemented in the film Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
On July 28, 1945, a US Air Force B-25 "Mitchell" bomber, piloted in thick fog by Lieutenant Colonel William Smith, crashed into the north facade of the building between the 79th and 80th floors. One of the engines broke through the tower and fell on a neighboring building, the other fell into the elevator shaft. The fire that arose as a result of the collision was extinguished after 40 minutes. 14 people died in the incident. Elevator Betty Lou Oliver survived a fall in an elevator from a height of 75 floors - this achievement was included in the Guinness Book. Despite this incident, the building was not closed, and work in most offices did not stop the next business day.
Over the entire period of operation of the building, more than 30 suicides were committed here. The first suicide occurred just after the construction was completed by a recently fired worker. In 1947, a fence was erected around the observation site, as in just three weeks there were 5 suicide attempts here. In 1979, Miss Elvita Adams decided to take her own life and jumped from the 86th floor. But a strong wind threw Miss Adams to the 85th floor, and she escaped with only a broken hip. One of the latest suicides occurred on April 13, 2007, when a lawyer who was failing in his professional activities jumped from the 69th floor.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ESPIRER STATE BUILDING IN NEW YORK |
ARCHITECTURE. The building has 102 floors, its height is 381.3 meters. Together with the TV tower built in the 1950s, it reaches a total height of 443 meters. Commercial space occupies the first 85 floors of the building (257,211 m²). The remaining 16 floors are an art deco superstructure, with an observation deck on the 102nd floor. The Empire State Building is the first building in the world to have over 100 floors. The tower has 6,500 windows and 73 elevators. The building weighs 331,000 tons, is built on a two-story foundation and is supported by a steel structure weighing 54,400 tons. Ten million bricks and 700 kilometers of cable went into it. The total area of the windows is two hectares, and the area of the foundation is more than 8,000 m². The staircase has 1860 steps, where once a year a competition for the fastest climb is held. Office space can accommodate 15,000 people, and elevators can carry 10,000 people in one hour. The tower has about 1,000 offices and 21,000 employees, making the Empire State Building America's second-most-employed building after the Pentagon. The total length of infrastructure pipes reaches 113 km, the length of electrical wires - 760 km. Heating steam low pressure. Limestone slabs were used for decoration.
Since the skyscraper is surrounded by various business buildings, it is not fully visible from below. It is made in a modest but elegant Art Deco style. Unlike most modern skyscrapers, the facade of the tower is made in a classical style. Strips of stainless steel stretch upward along the gray stone façade, and the upper floors are arranged in three ledges. The hall inside has a length of 30 meters and a height of three floors. It is decorated with panels depicting the seven wonders of the world, only an eighth is added to them: the Empire State Building itself. The Guinness Hall of Records contains information about unusual records and record holders.
LIGHTING. In 1964, a floodlight system was installed on the tower in order to illuminate the top in a color scheme corresponding to any events, memorable dates or holidays (St. Patrick's Day, Christmas, etc.). For example, after Frank Sinatra's 80th birthday and the subsequent death of Frank Sinatra, the building was illuminated in blue tones, due to the singer's nickname "Mr. Blue Eyes". Following the death of actress Faye Wray on August 8, 2004, the tower's lights were completely turned off for 15 minutes.
Traditionally, in addition to normal lighting, the building is illuminated in the colors of the New York sports teams on the days that the teams play in the city (orange, blue, and white for the New York Knicks; red, white, and blue for the New York Rangers, etc.). During the US Open tennis tournament, the illumination is dominated by yellow (the color of a tennis ball). In June 2002, during the celebration of the anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the backlight was purple-gold (the colors of the House of Windsor).
VIEWING POINTS . The observation decks of the Empire State Building are one of the most popular tourist destinations in New York City and one of the most visited observation decks in the world. In total, they were visited by more than 110 million people. The platform on the 86th floor has a 360-degree viewing angle. Another observation deck is open on the 102nd floor. It closed in 1999, then reopened in 2005. The upper platform is completely closed, its area is much smaller than the area of the lower platform. Due to the large number of visitors, the upper platform is closed on the busiest days. Tourists pay for visiting the observation decks at the box office on the 86th floor (there is a separate additional payment for visiting the 102nd floor).
ATTRACTIONS. On the second floor of the building there is an attraction, opened in 1994 for tourists. The attraction is called the New York Skyride and is a simulator of air travel around the city. The duration of the attraction is 25 minutes.
From 1994 to 2002, an old version of the attraction ran in which James Doohan, Scotty of Star Trek, as the plane's pilot, humorously tried to maintain control of the plane during a storm. After the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, this attraction was closed. In the new version, the plot remained the same, but the towers of the World Trade Center were removed from the scenery, and Kevin Bacon became the pilot instead of Doohan. The new version pursued primarily not entertaining, but educational and informational goals. It also included patriotic elements.
SPORT. The Empire State Building is not only the tallest building in the city, a landmark of Manhattan and a symbol of American architecture, but also a jogging ground. On February 5, running competitions are held on the stairs of the Empire State Building. Well-trained runners manage to overcome the 1576 steps of the building - from the 1st to the 86th floor - in a few minutes. In 2003, Paul Craik set a record that has not yet been broken - 9 minutes 33 seconds. In addition, competitions are held among firefighters and policemen, who, unlike ordinary runners, must run with full gear.
EMPIRE STATE BUILDING IN PHOTOS |
New York is a city of thousands of skyscrapers, each of which is unique and inimitable in its own way. But only one of them managed to gain worldwide fame, and forever firmly gain a foothold in the history of the city. The Big Apple boasts the Empire State Building, its most recognizable landmark.
Located in the southern part of Manhattan Island, near 5th Avenue, at the intersection of 33rd and 34th Streets. Nearby are several significant places in the city, such as the City University of New York, Madison Avenue and Broadway. You can get there by car or public transport.
skyscraper height
The height of the Empire State Building in New York is just over 443 meters (including the spire), and the height on the roof of the building is 381 m. The last floor is located at around 373.1 m.
In total, the building has 103 floors. All of them occupy an area of more than 200 thousand square meters. For the convenience of visitors, it is equipped with 73 elevators that will take you to the very top in a matter of minutes.
85 tiers are reserved for offices. There are observation decks on two more. In the rest of the building there are exhibition halls, trading floors and halls for business meetings and negotiations.
Story
Its history began at the beginning of the last century. At that time, a real boom in the construction of skyscrapers began in America.
Design
A well-known architect, William Lamb, was invited to work on the project. The legendary skyscraper was not his first creation. He also designed the famous Carew Tower and the Reynolds Building.
According to the author's idea, the object was to become not only the tallest building, but also the first 100-story building in America. As a result, according to the project, the Empire State Building gained 103 floors and a 60-meter spire. The latter, by the way, was originally intended to be used for re-mooring airships. However, due to the danger of collision and constant strong winds, it was decided to abandon this idea. Now the spire is used as a radio and television antenna.
Construction
Construction began in 1930. The main contractors were the brothers Starrett and Eken. The project was financed by Pierre Dupont and John Raskob.
Almost 3.5 thousand workers from Europe were involved in the process, as well as casters of Indian origin, who were not at all afraid of heights.
At the time of construction, an old hotel was located on the site where the construction was planned. The former building had to be demolished, and the hotel itself was moved to Fifth Avenue.
To bring the project to life, several tons of aluminum, steel, limestone, concrete and granite were used. Construction lasted only 13 months, which by those standards is very fast.
Opening
It was solemnly opened on May 1, 1931. The red ribbon was cut by the then head of state, Al Smith. At the same moment, the President of the country pressed a button in the capital, and the skyscraper shone with thousands of lights.
Despite all the pomposity, initially it did not gain much popularity. Such a reaction, first of all, was due to the Great Depression, prevailing at that time in America.
Due to the crisis, the offices were completely filled only after a decade. The skyscraper brought its first profit only in 1951.
Among the most original are:
- elevators go up in 1 minute;
- an annual speed climb competition is held. The first person to climb 1860 steps will receive $1 million;
- during the Second World War, a plane crashed into a skyscraper due to heavy fog;
- the Empire State Building has a hall dedicated to world records;
- the skyscraper has its own index;
- the name embodies the grandeur of the state of New York;
- more than 50 weddings are held here annually;
- attendance - about 35 thousand people a year;
- Almost 100 lightning strikes the Empire State Building each year;
- the high-rise "played" a major role in the film about King Kong;
- the building has survived more than two dozen suicides in its history;
- listed on the US National Register of Historic Places;
- a professional athlete from Australia completed all the steps in less than 10 minutes.
Specifications
The height, together with the spire, is a little more than 440 m. The width of the structure is 140 m. The choice of such dimensions is due to the need for natural light and the correct installation of the ventilation system. The main support is the first five flights of stairs of the building, on which there are shops and a lobby.
The Empire State Building has 6,500 windows with a total area of 2 km². The design is as simple as possible. This greatly facilitated and accelerated the construction process.
The spire consists of 16 tiers. At its very top, an antenna is installed that transmits television and radio signals throughout the country.
architectural features
The main distinguishing feature of the buildings of the early 20th century was restraint and elegance. In this regard, The Empire State Building was erected in the classic art deco style. The facade is finished with steel and gray limestone slabs.
The Empire State Building was one of the first skyscrapers to be built using prefabricated steel frames. The assembled structure was overlaid with brick, after which it was revetted.
Lighting
In addition to conventional lighting, it is equipped with additional lighting. In 1964, special spotlights were installed on the upper part, and the famous skyscraper sparkled with all the colors of the rainbow.
The color scheme is selected depending on the day and event. For example, on the days of sports games, the top lights up in the colors of a particular team, on the day of gay parades - in multi-colored colors, and on St. Patrick's Day - green.
When the world heard the news of the death of Frank Sinatra, in memory of him the building was dressed in blue, in honor of the birthday of the Queen of Great Britain, the skyscraper lit up with the colors of the royal house.
Interior
The lobby is decorated with German marble, in discreet gray-lilac tones. At the end of the corridor, there is an aluminum bas-relief depicting a skyscraper basking in the sun.
Lookouts
Thanks to the viewing platforms, it has become extremely popular among both locals and visitors to the city. In total, more than 110 million people have already visited it.
The skyscraper boasts two of them at once. One is on tier 86. The viewing angle from this place is as much as 360 degrees, thanks to which the Big Apple is visible at a glance.
No less impressive view opens from the 102nd tier. This observation platform is slightly inferior in size to the first one, and for maximum safety of visitors, it is completely glazed. She doesn't work all the time. On very busy days, the site is closed.
On the 2nd floor there is a fascinating attraction. It was created specifically for the guests of the famous metropolis. The New York Skyride is a simulated flight over New York City. The virtual tour lasts 25 minutes. During this time, you can fly around the whole city and visit its most famous sights in absentia.
The attraction operates all year round. The ticket price is $52. Opening hours - from 8.00 to 22.00.
Exhibition "Sustainability"
He is also famous for his unusual exhibitions. To get started, you should go up to the second floor of the building and visit the Sustainability exhibition. Its main task is to show what internal and external changes have taken place in the Empire State Building over time.
During the tour, you can see with your own eyes the building materials, sculptures, and the latest technologies that were used for the reconstruction. For better perception, all processes are presented on digital displays.
Exhibition "Don't be afraid to dream"
Climbing up to the 80th floor, you can see an equally interesting exhibition - "Don't be afraid to dream." It demonstrates all stages of design and construction of the world's first 100-story skyscraper. The name of the exhibition was not chosen by chance.
Visitors to the exhibition can not only learn the full history of the skyscraper, but also see the original sketches, accounting documents, photographs.
How to get there
There are several ways to get there. It can be either your own car or public transport.
To get to your destination by subway, you need to take the Herald Square stations (lines B, N, R, M, D, Q, F) or Penn Station (lines 1,2 and 3). If your choice fell on the bus, then you should use the routes M4, M10, M16 and M34. If desired, you can use the services of a taxi. The time and cost of the trip will depend on the point of departure.
Opening hours
Works daily, without days off. Hours of operation are from 8:00 am to 2:00 am. The elevator makes its last ascent to the observation deck at 1.15. The time spent in the building and on observation decks throughout the day is not limited.
How to get
Entrance to the territory is absolutely free for all visitors. But to get to the observation decks, you need to purchase a ticket. You can go upstairs either by elevator or on foot.
Purchasing tickets
To avoid long queues, it is better to purchase a ticket in advance before visiting. This can be done at the box office or on the official website. Entrance to the 86th floor observation deck will cost $32. For a complex visit, you will have to pay $ 52. If you could not buy a ticket in advance, and you do not want to stand in line for a long time, you can buy an express pass. The cost is $55 and $75 respectively.
Local residents can get to the observation decks with a special city ticket. Schoolchildren, students and pensioners receive discounts.
You should know:
- there are no left-luggage offices, so all personal items will have to be carried with you;
- security does not allow bulky items and bags to be carried to the upper floors;
- tickets must be purchased in advance;
- there is a strong wind blowing on the 86th floor, so you should take a hat with you;
- to see the city through binoculars, you need to stock up on 50-cent coins;
- It is better to visit observation platforms in the morning.
Official website and other contact information
Address: New York, Manhattan, 350 Fifth Avenue
