Empire State Building (1931)
The Empire State Building is one of New York’s most famous landmarks, an Art Deco masterpiece, and a climbing toy for King Kong. Built in the early years of the Great Depression, it was the first building to reach over a hundred stories tall. While the Empire State Building typified 1930s glamour, it lacked one important feature: tenants. For most of the 1930s, tenants were scarce during one of the country’s worst economic crisis.
People called it the “Empty State Building.” But it did not stay that way for long. The offices filled up. By 1946, the Empire State Building was one of the world’s most profitable building. To this day, the observation decks draws over 4 million visitors a year, generating more revenue than the office rents! In 2007, the Empire State Building ranked first on the American Institute of Architects list of American’s Favorite Architecture.
