Capping a 50-year building boom in New York City, the Empire State Building rose above and beyond all its competitors in the "cathedrals of commerce" game. Consisting of a 60,000-ton steel frame, 102 stories, some 6,500 windows, 73 elevators, and 8 high-speed escalators, construction was completed in just 14 months (May 1931), and gave rise to many innovations in building technique. Unfortunately, this towering feat ushered in a few decades of national depression and decline; occupancy of the building was only 22% at first, and it actually became known as the "empty state building" for many years--at least until the post-WWII boom. Via wonderful archival footage of the building's construction and interviews with historians (and Rudolph Giuliani!), ABC's Jack Smith takes us through the building's creation and execution, emphasizing the importance of the elevator to the evolution of the world's skyscrapers, the safety and efficiency concerns of the building's contractors (and of the Art Deco style itself), and the initial problems--and eventual redemption--of the structure's location. Part of ABC News's 20th Century Wonders series (also available: The Building of Hoover Dam and The Golden Gate Bridge), this video does not mention any of the building's tenants (past or present), does not really focus on its interiors, and does not interview anyone who actually helped with construction. Despite these missteps, however, it is...well...soaringly recommended for its professional style, great script, and wide appeal to library patrons. Aud: J, H, C, P. (K. Glaser)
The Empire State Building
(1998) 53 min. $19.98. ABC News (dist. by MPI Home Video). PPR. Color cover. ISBN: 0-7886-0034-6. Vol. 14, Issue 5
The Empire State Building
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