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Empire State Building

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The Empire State Building is a supertall skyscraper located in the Midtown South neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City.

NARA Empire State Building
NARA Empire State Building

This iconic structure rises 102 stories into the sky. Its name is derived from the nickname of New York state, which is the "Empire State." The building is a massive achievement of engineering and design. It is recognized as an international cultural icon and a symbol of New York City. The American Society of Civil Engineers even named it one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

EmpireStateBuilding20205thAvenueEntrance
EmpireStateBuilding20205thAvenueEntrance

The building follows the Art Deco architectural style. This style is known for its use of geometric patterns and decorative features. The architects, a firm called Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, designed the tower to be a landmark. The structure is composed of three main horizontal sections: a base, a shaft, and a capital. This design is similar to the parts of a classical column. The five-story base occupies the entire lot on the west side of Fifth Avenue. Above the base, an 81-story shaft rises up. This shaft is set back sharply from the base to follow specific rules.

Empire State Building plan
Empire State Building plan

One interesting feature of the building is its setbacks. A setback is a place where the walls of a building step inward. These setbacks occur at the 21st, 25th, 30th, 72nd, 81st, and 85th stories.

Looking Up at Empire State Building
Looking Up at Empire State Building

These were required by the 1916 Zoning Resolution. This law was created to ensure that sunlight could still reach the streets below. The setbacks also allow the upper floors to be positioned away from noisy streets. These steps correspond to the tops of elevator shafts within the building. The tower is capped by a spire that includes the 102nd floor. This spire is used mostly for mechanical purposes and contains broadcast antennas.

The construction of the building was a rapid and intense process. The site was previously home to the Waldorf–Astoria Hotel. In 1929, Empire State Inc. acquired the land to build a skyscraper. The architects changed the design fifteen times to ensure it would be the tallest in the world. Construction officially began on March 17, 1930.

Old timer structural worker2
Old timer structural worker2

The building was completed in just thirteen and a half months. It officially opened on May 1, 1931. Because of the Great Depression and World War II, the owners did not see a profit until the early 1950s.

The materials used in the facade are very specific. The exterior is clad in Indiana limestone panels. These panels give the building its famous blonde color. The facade also uses granite, ten million bricks, and large amounts of aluminum and stainless steel. There are 6,514 windows built into the structure. The windows are placed in vertical bays. These bays use nickel-chrome steel mullions and aluminum spandrels. Using aluminum helped save money because it removed the need for a stone finish around the windows. This clever use of materials helped manage the massive scale of the project.

Throughout its history, the building has held several records. It was the world's tallest building until 1970. After the September 11 attacks in 2001, it became New York City's tallest building once again. It held this title until 2012, when One World Trade Center was completed.

ESBandDowntown2015
ESBandDowntown2015

Today, it is the eighth-tallest building in New York City. It is also the 59th-tallest completed skyscraper in the world. The building is so large that it was assigned its own ZIP Code, 10118. This makes it one of only 43 buildings in New York City with its own unique code.

Visitors flock to the building to see its famous observatories. There are observatories on the 86th and 102nd floors.

EmpireStateBuilding202080thFloorSouthEastCorner
EmpireStateBuilding202080thFloorSouthEastCorner

A third indoor observatory opened on the 80th floor in 2019. Around four million tourists visit these decks every year. The building's lights also make it a famous part of the skyline. In 2012, the building upgraded to 1,200 LED fixtures. This system allows the spire to show over 16 million colors. The lights can celebrate holidays, honor sports teams, or even commemorate important people.

EmpireStateBuildingCU
EmpireStateBuildingCU

This colorful display connects the historic building to the modern world.

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🖼️ Images & Media (20)
File:EmpireStateBuilding20205thAvenueEntrance.jpg
EmpireStateBuilding20205thAvenueEntrance.jpg
File:USA-NYC-Empire State1.JPG
USA-NYC-Empire State1.JPG
File:Empire State Building elevators 01.jpg
Empire State Building elevators 01.jpg
File:Empire State Building lobby 20240521.jpg
Empire State Building lobby 20240521.jpg
File:Empire State Building Entrance decoration (6046008895).jpg
Empire State Building Entrance decoration...
File:EmpireStateBuilding202080thFloorSouthEastCorner.jpg
EmpireStateBuilding202080thFloorSouthEastC...
File:EmpireStateBuilding highest point-crop.jpg
EmpireStateBuilding highest point-crop.jpg
File:Waldorf Astoria, New York City LCCN2002699564.jpg
Waldorf Astoria, New York City LCCN2002699564.jpg
File:Empire State Building plan.jpg
Empire State Building plan.jpg
File:Old timer structural worker2.jpg
Old timer structural worker2.jpg
File:Zeppelin bij Empire State Building in aanbouw - Zeppelin near the Empire State Building under construction (6943970242).jpg
Zeppelin bij Empire State Building in...
File:Icarus, Empire State Building MET DP106525.jpg
Icarus, Empire State Building MET DP106525.jpg

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