# Empire State (DD-157)

> The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, with William F. Lamb as chief designer, it was built during the Great Depression and opened on May 1, 1931, about 410 days after construction began. Its roof is 381 m (1,250 ft) high, and its tip reaches 443 m (1,454 ft). It was the world's tallest building until the North Tower of the World Trade Center topped out in 1970. The footage shows the building and city views, with the presenter.

- Department: Locations (also History)
- First published: 2024-01-02
- Last updated: 2024-01-02
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/empire-state/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## On the timeline

- **May 1, 1931**: The Empire State Building opens
- **1970**: The World Trade Center's North Tower tops out and passes it

Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=empire-state

## Quick facts

- **DD-157-F01**: It's a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (Art Deco))_
- **DD-157-F02**: Shreve, Lamb & Harmon designed it. _(Write-up · Exhibit B (Designers))_

## Write-up

The Empire State Building went up in about 410 days. It stayed the world's tallest building until 1970.

1. **Art Deco**: It's a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper.
2. **Designers**: Shreve, Lamb & Harmon designed it.
3. **1931**: It opened on May 1, 1931.
4. **410 days**: It took about 410 days to build.
5. **Tallest until 1970**: It was tallest until 1970.

## Related case files

- [The Great Pyramid (DD-092)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-great-pyramid/): I linked another former tallest structure
- [Burj Khalifa (DD-158)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/burj-khalifa/): I linked today's tallest building
- [Eiffel (DD-156)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/eiffel/): I linked the next record-holder for height
- [One World Trade Center (DD-473)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/one-world-trade-center/): I linked another New York skyscraper

## Reel vs. record

- **Note**: None needed.

## Video: Empire State: The Empire State Building Went up in About 410 Days

- Duration: 30.3 s · Published: 2024-01-02
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/C1m0YpBJkU5.mp4

### Transcript

The Empire State Building, an iconic skyscraper in the heart of New York City, was completed in 1931 during the Great Depression. DID YOU KNOW? Standing at 1,454 feet, or 443 meters, it held the title of the world's tallest building until 1970. The construction of the Empire State Building was a remarkable engineering achievement, taking only 410 days from the start of excavation to its official opening. Designed by architect William F. Lamb of the architectural firm Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon, the building's Art Deco style and setback design were groundbreaking. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: What style is the building?**  
A: With setbacks. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Art Deco) · Wikipedia: Empire State Building)_

**Q: When did it open?**  
A: During the Depression. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Designers) · Wikipedia: Empire State Building)_

**Q: About how long did construction take?**  
A: Very fast. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (1931) · Wikipedia: Empire State Building)_

**Q: How tall is it to the tip?**  
A: 1,454 ft. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (410 days) · Wikipedia: Empire State Building)_

**Q: What took its tallest title?**  
A: In 1970. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Tallest until 1970) · Wikipedia: Empire State Building)_

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: Empire State Building](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Empire State." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-157, last updated Jan 2, 2024. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/empire-state/