Empire State Building

Empire State Building

New York , USA

The Beginning

In 1928 the original location of the renowned Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Fifth Avenue is sold to Bethlehem Engineering Corporation for an estimated $20 million. In just a few years the building is demolished, becoming the site of the world’s most ambitious building project – the Empire State Building.

1929-1930

Former General Motors executive John Jakob Raskob, along with Coleman du Pont, Pierre S. du Pont, Louis G. Kaufman, and Ellis P. Earle, form Empire State, Inc. and name Alfred E. Smith, former Governor of New York, to head the corporation.

Construction of the Empire State Building begins on March 17. Occupying a central spot on Fifth Avenue, it is to be the world’s first 100+ story building. With the direction of architects Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates and builders Starrett Bros. & Eken, the framework rises 4 ½ stories per week.

1931-1933

• In a record-breaking 1 year and 45 days, construction on the building is completed. The 102-story building is the talk of the town and, on May 1, President Hoover presses a button in Washington, D.C., officially opening the building and turning on the Empire State Building’s lights for the very first time.

• As the world’s tallest building, the Empire State Building quickly becomes an acclaimed tourist attraction. People from across the world flock to the building, paying 10 cents to peer through a telescope at New York City. In 6 months, the building collects more than $3,000 in nickels and dimes.

• The first movie to feature the Empire State Building was King Kong.

1950-1961

• To allow more stations to use the Empire State Building antenna, the building installs a new 222-foot tall, 60-ton antenna, pushing the spire height to 1,472 feet. 

• As a symbol of welcome and freedom to visitors, four large beacon lights are installed at the foot of the tower. These beacons, which could be seen across the city, were known as “The Freedom Lights.”

• Lawrence A. Wien, Peter L. Malkin, and Harry B. Helmsley buy the Empire State Building for $65 million (approximately $557 million today).

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1978-2006

• February 15 marks the inaugural Empire State Building Annual Run-Up, hosted by the New York Road Runner Club, challenging racers to climb the more than 1,500 steps to the top. Today, the Run-Up remains a time-honored tradition at ESB that we host every year. 

• On May 18, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission declares the Empire State Building a landmark.

• As the Empire State Building celebrates its 75th anniversary, ownership plans the Empire State ReBuilding program

2009-

•  A masterful art deco mural takes artisans 20,000 working hours to execute the renovation – longer than the original construction of the building.

• The Empire State Building goes digital, connecting with more than 500,000 fans globally. 

• The Empire State Building unveils a new LED lighting system capable of 16,000,000 different colors.

• After renovations of the 2nd and 80th floor exhibition spaces, a new Empire State Building is revealed.