Children's Web Magazine

 

The Empire State Building

 

The Empire State Building in New York was seventy - five on the 1st May 2006. I have never been to New York but I would love to visit the city one day if it is possible. And seeing the views from the top of the building is one of the things everyone wants to experience. The public observatory which is outside and on the 86th floor apparently has spectacular 360 - degree views.
The building stands on a site where the first Waldorf Hotel stood, the most stylish hotel of the time. Work started on 17th March 1930, which was rather appropriate as that is Saint Patrick's Day, it is always hugely celebrated in New York. The 1930's were the period of Art Deco; this was a distinctive new modern style that used geometric shapes in the designs. From the outside the Chrysler building depicts the beauty and style of the Art Deco Period better. The Chrysler building was also the tallest building at 1,046 feet or 319m until the Empire State was built. It wanted to become the world's tallest building and it was for over forty years. The World Trade Centre then took over and after the terrorist attacks occurred on 11th September 2001 it is now the tallest building in New York City once more. It is 102 stories high has 1,860 steps, the full height of the building is 1453 feet or 443m high. It has 6,500 windows, so the window cleaning alone must cost a fair bit. It also has seventy - three lifts or elevators depending where you are from.
The spire on the top of the building was meant to have been a mooring place for air ships but as it was too dangerous they had to drop the concept. It took 3400 men who were mainly immigrants to build it. Fourteen of them died in accidents during the work. The men had no safety equipment there were no health and safety regulations back then. One woman who did manage to survive an accident is lift operator Betty Lou Olivier whose lift plunged seventy - five floors while she was still in it. It is a Guinness world record, hardly a record though more of a miracle.
Recently a stuntman Jeff Corliss tried to parachute from the 86th floor, security stopped him and he was charged one of the charges was for putting lives at risk his included.
The 1930's were also the time of the great depression in America and the building had problems renting out the office space, as a consequence it became known as Empty State Building.
The top - tier of the building is floodlit according to a particular occasion, green for Saint Patrick's Day, red, white and blue for the fourth of July Independence Day. When it opened on 1st May 1931 the lights were white they repeated this for the seventy - fifth birthday.

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