Chrysler Building
Office skyscraper in Manhattan, New York / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Chrysler Building is an Art Deco skyscraper on the East Side of Manhattan in New York City, at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. At 1,046 ft (319 m), it is the tallest brick building in the world with a steel framework, and it was the world's tallest building for 11 months after its completion in 1930.[5][13] As of 2019[update], the Chrysler is the 12th-tallest building in the city, tied with The New York Times Building.[14]
| Chrysler Building | |
|---|---|
 The Chrysler Building in May 2009 | |
 | |
| Record height | |
| Tallest in the world from May 27, 1930[1][2] to May 1, 1931[3][I] | |
| Preceded by | 40 Wall Street |
| Surpassed by | Empire State Building |
| General information | |
| Type | Office |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Location | 405 Lexington Avenue, Manhattan, New York 10174 |
| Coordinates | 40°45′06″N 73°58′31″W |
| Completed | May 27, 1930; 93 years ago (1930-05-27)[1][2] |
| Owner | Land: Cooper Union Building: SIGNA Group and RFR Holding LLC[4] |
| Height | |
| Antenna spire | 1,046 ft (319 m)[5] |
| Roof | 925 ft (282 m) |
| Top floor | 899 ft (274 m)[5] |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 77[5][6] |
| Floor area | 1,196,958 sq ft (111,201.0 m2)[5] |
| Lifts/elevators | 32[5] |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | William Van Alen |
| Structural engineer | Ralph Squire & Sons |
| Main contractor | Fred T Ley & Co |
| Designated | December 8, 1976[7] |
| Reference no. | 76001237 |
| Designated | December 8, 1976[8] |
| Reference no. | 76001237 |
| Designated | June 23, 1980[9] |
| Reference no. | 06101.001565 |
| Designated | September 12, 1978[10] |
| Reference no. | 0992[10] |
| Designated entity | Facade |
| Designated | September 12, 1978[11] |
| Reference no. | 0996[11] |
| Designated entity | Interior: Lobby |
| References | |
| [5][12] | |
Originally a project of real estate developer and former New York State Senator William H. Reynolds, the building was constructed by Walter Chrysler, the head of the Chrysler Corporation. The construction of the Chrysler Building, an early skyscraper, was characterized by a competition with 40 Wall Street and the Empire State Building to become the world's tallest building. Although the Chrysler Building was built and designed specifically for the car manufacturer, the corporation did not pay for its construction and never owned it; Walter Chrysler decided to fund the entire cost personally so his children could inherit it. An annex was completed in 1952, and the building was sold by the Chrysler family the next year, with numerous subsequent owners.
When the Chrysler Building opened, there were mixed reviews of the building's design, some calling it inane and unoriginal, others hailing it as modernist and iconic. Today the building is seen as a paragon of the Art Deco architectural style. In 2007, it was ranked ninth on the America's Favorite Architecture by the American Institute of Architects. The building was designated a New York City landmark in 1978, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark in 1976.