BUILDING THE EMPIRE STATE celebrated the design and construction of New York's signature skyscraper. Drawing together photographs and film of the construction, architectural and engineering drawings, contracts, builders' records, financial reports, and other artifacts, the installation chronicled the rapid progress of the project from the decision to erect the tower in August 1929 through the opening-day ceremonies on May 1, 1931.

SPEED and SCALE were themes throughout the installation. Tallest building in the world from 1931 to 1971, the Empire State broke every record in the book. At 1250 feet, it surpassed the Chrysler Building's quirky crown by 200 feet and the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street, the third tallest, by more than 300 feet. Gargantuan in scale, its five-story base covered two acres and its eighty-five floors of offices boasted more rentable space -- 2.1 million square feet -- than the Chrysler Building and 40 Wall Street combined.

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