Reading about the Empire State Building facts is one thing, being up there is quite another
Photo by Kit Suman on Unsplash
The Empire State Building is one of the most recognizable structures on the New York skyline. Since the building opened to the public on May 1, 1931 millions of tourists have flocked to its site and been lifted to the 86th and 102nd observation deck floors for a unique view of the city. Empire State Building facts are as follows:
The architects and builders
The impossible became possible in a joined effort
Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates designed the Empire State Building.
Starrett Bros. & Eken construction company agreed to build it.
Excavation started on January 22, 1930, while construction began on March 17, 1930. The framework of the building rose rapidly at 4 stories per week.
The skeleton of the building took no less than 57,000 tons of steel.
The project took one year and 45 days to complete. About 3,400 workers were employed and put in about 7,000,000 man-hours.
Despite the dangers of the job, only five people were killed.
Height and cost
The height of the building, from street level to the tip of the lightning rod is 1,454 feet. Measuring from the ground to the first observation deck on the 86th is 1,050 feet and to the 102nd observation deck 1,224 feet. The cost of the building totaled $40,948,900.
Empire State Building facts
The Empire State Building counts 102 floors, accessible by 73 elevators. If you prefer to take the stairs, be prepared to climb 1,860 steps. Since 1978 the building organizes an annual ?Race to the Top?. The 2003 record holder managed to get to the 86th floor (climbing 1,576 steps) in 9 minutes and 33 seconds.
Window cleaners have their work cut out for them with 6,500 windows.
Servicing the building with telephones took 17 million feet of wire.
Apart from a tourist attraction, the Empire State Building offers only office space. The building is unsuitable for day to day living due to inadequate bathing facilities.
Tragedy, success, and romance
The spire on top of the building was designed as a mooring mast for zeppelins to anchor, giving passengers the option to embark and disembark at the rooftop. After the Hindenburg disaster, this idea was abandoned.
On July 28, 1945, a small plane crashed into the building on the 79th floor. The pilot, two passengers and 11 people in the building lost their lives.
The Empire State Building made his impression on Hollywood with movies such as King Kong, An Affair to Remember, Sleepless in Seattle, Annie Hall, Taxi Driver, On the Waterfront, North by Northwest and others.
If these romantic movies give you the idea to get married at the Empire State Building, you?re hardly the only one. So many people have the same idea, the building has a wedding club, which allows couples to tie the knot on the 80th floor. To arrange the event, an application must be submitted outlining why you want to get married at this site. Based on style and originality, you could be the lucky one.
Reading about the Empire State Building facts is one thing, being up there is quite another. For $25 you can have the experience of a lifetime.
