New York’s instantly recognizable skyline contains some of the world’s most iconic architecture. Manhattan has a long history of constructing tall building and over the past one hundred years several of its skyscrapers have exchanged the title of World’s Tallest Building.
Early Skyscrapers
Although the earliest skyscrapers were built in Chicago, the demand for real estate and high land values in Manhattan caused the height of buildings in Manhattan to rise and overtake those of the Second City. The construction of a 386 ft high, 30-floor, Park Row apartment in 1899 would be the start of NYC’s dominance of the world’s tallest buildings.
The Park Row apartment, which is sometimes known as the Ivins Syndicate Building, reigned for nine years before it was overtaken in 1908 by the 612 ft, 47-floor, Singer Building. However, this building would only hold the title for 18 months before a clock tower was added to the New York Metropolitan Life Insurance Building. This 700 ft, 50-story, tower modeled on St Marco’s in Venice, would hold the title for the next four years.
In 1913 the title would move across Manhattan to Woolworth Building. Standing 792 ft tall the “Cathedral of Commerce” would remain as the tallest building in the world until 1930 when it was surpassed by three buildings in rapid succession.
40 Wall Street vs. The Chrysler Building
27 years after its completion, two buildings raced to surpass the Woolworth Building, and win the honor of becoming the world’s tallest building. The first to be completed was the Bank of Manhattan Building at 40 Wall Street. This 927 ft, 70-story, building, however, would only hold the title for less than two months before a 125 ft controversial spire was constructed on top of the Chrysler Building.
Inclusive of the spire there was no doubt that the 77-floor 1,046 ft. Chrysler Building was the tallest structure in the world, however, the designers of 40 Wall Street contested its claim to be the worlds highest building. As the Chrysler’s spire is wholly ornamental and not accessible, they claimed that 40 Wall Street with its higher usable space was the taller building.
The Empire State Building
11 months after the completion of the Chrysler Building the argument over criteria became irrelevant, as a new NYC construction became the undisputed tallest building in America, and the world. Opened in 1931, the 1,250 ft Empire State Building is possibly the world’s best loved, and most famous skyscraper. It would hold the honor as world’s tallest building for a massive 41 years until yet another taller Manhattan building took the title. The 1,368 ft, 110-storey World Trade Centers would be the last of NYC’s skyscrapers to hold the title of world’s tallest building.
History Of The World’s Tallest Buildings In New York
- 1899- Park Row, 391ft.
- 1908- Singer Building, 612 ft.
- 1909- New York Metropolitan Life Insurance Building, 700 ft.
- 1913- Woolworth Building, 792 ft.
- 1930- 40 Wall Street, 927 ft.
- 1930- Chrysler Building, 1,046 ft.
- 1931- Empire State, 1,250 ft.
- 1972- World Trade Center, 1,368 ft.
The completion of the Sears Tower in Chicago in 1973 would return the honor to the original home of the skyscraper where it would remain for the next 23 years before it left the US, possibly forever.
While New York’s skyscrapers can no longer claim to be the world’s tallest, many of the city’s record-breaking, historic towers still stand as celebrated architectural achievements and they still combine to form the world’s most famous skyline.
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