History of the Empire State Building
With the aim to be the world’s very first 100+ story building, the construction of the iconic Empire State Building began on March 17, 1930. The construction of the building was completed in 1 year and 45 days. On May 1, 1931, President Herbert Hoover inaugurated the Empire State Building by pressing a button from the White House that turned on the building’s lights.
The idea of the Empire State Building came into being as a competition between Walter Chrysler of the Chrysler Corporation and John Jakob Raskob of General Motors, who competed to see who would build the taller building. Chrysler has begun work on the famous Chrysler Building. Meanwhile, Raskob had assembled a group of investors, who had chosen the architecture firm Shreve, Lamb and Harmon Associates to design the building.
The frame of the building grew four-and-a-half stories per week. During its completion, the Empire State Building began the world’s tallest skyscraper with 102 stories and 1,250 feet high.
In 1946, 15 years after its opening, the Empire State Building became the headquarters of a major organization with more than 15,000 employees. This made it the world’s most profitable building and the most recognizable and beloved piece of architecture.
Detailed History of the Empire State Building