Chrysler Building

Another beautiful icon in New York City!

I am enamored with the Chrysler Building, as I am with the Empire State Building.  When I think of NYC, these two buildings always come to mind.

The Chrysler Building is an art deco-style skyscraper located on the eastside of midtown NYC.  This building was constructed in 1928, two years before the Empire State Building.  The building is constructed of masonry, with a steel frame and metal cladding.  On the 31st floor, the corners of the building are replicas of the 1929 Chrysler radiator caps.

This unique architecture was the tallest building before the Empire State Building.  It is still the tallest brick building in the world with a steel structure.

The building was a project of Walter P. Chrysler for his children and not for the Chrysler Corporation. Walter Chrysler paid for the project personally so that his children could have this building.  He did use the building for Chrysler's headquarters until the mid-1950's.

At that time of construction, there was competition in NYC in who would build the world's tallest skyscraper.   The building was built at an average rate of four floors per week.  It amazes me how these men were able to build the tallest building at that time with the equipment that they had compared to what we have now, eighty-nine years later.  What is also amazing is that no workers died during the construction of this unique skyscraper.

At the time of completion on May 27, 1930, the added height of the spire allowed the Chrysler Building to surpass 40 Wall Street as the tallest building in the world and the Eiffel Tower as the tallest structure.

Another great building to visit when you are in New York City!