New York, the world’s first modern metropolis, led the way in the development of the skyscraper throughout the 20th century. High land values and demand for real estate in Manhattan lead to developers constructing ever-taller towers. Successive leaps in height were taken by the Woolworth Building, Empire State and World Trade Center, as buildings fought for the honor of calling themselves New York’s, and the world’s, tallest building.
With over a century of high-rise architectural heritage it is no surprise that New York City has an impressive array of skyscrapers spanning the entire history of the modern city’s most important structure. New York’s numerous skyscrapers boast a variety of architectural styles as historical, steel framed and stone clad towers stand side by side with modern glass skyscrapers.
There are two main groupings of tall buildings in New York. Lower Manhattan’s often-photographed skyline is perhaps the more famous, however, midtown actually contains more towers and is home to many unmissable skyscrapers.
Lower Manhattan’s Best Skyscrapers
- 15 Park Row- 30 Stories, 391 ft. Reigned as world’s tallest building for nine years, from 1899 until 1908.
- 40 Wall Street- 70 Stories, 927 ft. Briefly held the title of world’s tallest building in 1930.
- America International Building-66 Stories, 952 ft. Also known as 70 Pine Street, this building is currently the tallest in Lower Manhattan.
- Woolworth Building- 57 Stories, 792 ft. The tallest building in the world for 17 years, between 1913 and 1930.
Midtown Manhattan’s Best Skyscrapers
- Bank of America Tower- 54 Stories, 1200 ft. One of the newest additions to the city’s skyline, this building is the second tallest in New York.
- Empire State- 102 Stories, 1250 ft. The world’s most famous skyscraper, the tallest building in the world for 41 years and is currently the tallest building in New York.
- Chrysler Building- 77 Stories, 1046 ft. This Art-Deco, car inspired building is often regarded as the most beautiful in the city.
- Flatiron Building- 22 Stories, 285 ft. Originally known as the Fuller Building this building takes its name from its distinctively shape.
- Metropolitan Life Tower- 50 Stories, 700 ft. The tower that contains four giant clocks was the world’s tallest building from 1909 to 1913.
- Rockefeller Center- 70 Stories, 850 ft. The observation deck, known as “Top of the Rock” provides panoramic view across Manhattan and is one of the best places to see the Empire State from.
- Seagram Building- 38 Stories, 515 ft. Mies van der Rohe’s functionalist masterpiece has influenced skyscraper design for decades.
- UN Headquarters- 39 Stories, 510 ft. Designed by an international team of architects this building houses the United Nations.
- Waldorf Astoria- 47 Stories, 625 ft. When opened in 1931 this was the tallest and largest hotel in the world.
The Future Of The Skyscraper In New York- The Freedom Tower
Manhattan’s skyline has been constantly evolving for over a hundred years, and will continue to do so as New York continues in its tradition of constructing spectacular skyscrapers. The catastrophic events of 9/11 not only resulted in a tragic lost of life but also deprived New York of one of its greatest landmarks.
However, the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site and the construction of the Freedom Tower will provide Manhattan with a new landmark building that will be the tallest building in America and enhance the world’s most famous skyline.
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