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The Empire State Building, Manhattan's most famous skyscraper, completed in 1931. Male construction worker using a wrench on the edge of a beam high above the city, during the construction of the Empire State Building, New York City. The Chrysler Building is in the background. (Pic:Getty) Male construction worker using a wrench on the corner of a steel beam high above the city, during the construction of the Empire State Building, New York City. The Chrysler Building is in the background. (Pic:Getty) circa 1931: A steel worker balances on a girder during the construction of the Empire State Building in New York City. The Chrysler Building can be seen in the background. (Pic:Getty) wo male construction workers, wearing overalls, sitting atop a steel beam held aloft by a cable, above the mooring mast of the Empire State Building during its construction, New York City. (Pic:Getty) 1931: A construction worker connects two cables suspended high above the New York during the construction of the Empire State Building. (Pic:Getty) Constructing the Empire State Building, New York, 1931. (Pic:Getty) circa 1931: Man sitting on a hoisting ball above steel beams during the construction of the Empire State Building, New York City. The Chrysler Building and the Queensboro Bridge are in the background. (Pic:Getty) circa 1931: Two construction workers with a crane assist in laying a beam on the Empire State Building during its construction, New York City. Fifth Avenue and the Flatiron Building are visible in the background. (Pic:Getty) High angle view of a male construction worker clutching onto a steel girder high above the city, during the construction of the Empire State Building, New York City. (Pic:Getty) Two construction workers with a crane assist in laying a beam on the Empire State Building during its construction, New York City. Fifth Avenue and the Flatiron Building are visible in the background (Pic:Getty)
It took 10 million bricks, 57,000 tons of steel, seven million man hours – and at least five deaths – to build the most impressive skyscraper mankind had ever seen.
And New York’s Empire State Building is still standing tall after 80 years. It may no longer be the tallest – but it has captured the imagination like no other since opening on May 1, 1931.
The winner of a ­“skyscraper race” ­between wealthy ­industrialists, the ­building was held up as a symbol of hope in a country gripped by the Great Depression.
Since then it has ­been visited by more than 110million tourists – and King Kong in the movie.
But above all the 1,454ft structure stands as a ­tribute to the 3,400 ­workers who risked their lives to ­finish the job in just 13 months.
The “roughnecks” – mostly European ­immigrants and Mohawk native Americans – were immortalised in a series of “men at work” shots by photographer Lewis Wickes Hine in 1930.
The extraordinary ­images capture the men as they toiled a quarter of a mile above the busy New York streets.
There were no hard hats, harnesses or safety nets. Although only five deaths were officially recorded, it is thought around a dozen died.
The men started as early as 3.30am, working until 4.30pm in 30ºC heat and sub-zero snowstorms – all for $2 an hour.
One ironworker, ­Victor Gosselin, summed up their ­attitude: “It ain’t no picnic but there’s lots of jobs I’d pass up for this.
“I wouldn’t want to be a taxi driver. Look at them down there, dodging in and out of that traffic. A guy’s apt to get killed that way.”
Empire State.

Este fin de semana el Empire State, el histórico edificio de Manhattan, que llegó a ser en su momento el edificio más alto del mundo y actualmente, luego del atentado del 11 de septiembre del 2001 que derrumbó a las Torres Gemelas, el edificio más alto de Nueva York, está cumpliendo 80 años desde su construcción en 1931.

Con respecto al aniversario, Anthony E. Malkin de la Empire State Building Company dijo



Este histórico edificio tiene la tradición de iluminarse y adornarse con distintos colores, para conmemorar distintas festividades -Pascua, Navidad y hasta aniversarios de importantes fechas patrias de otros países- El 25 de mayo del 2010, el edificio se iluminó todo de celeste y blanco para conmemorar el bicentenario de la Argentina-, como es de esperar el edificio se iluminará de blanco el 1 de Mayo para conmemorar sus 80 años.

=== Un breve paseo por su historia ===

Es el décimo quinto edificio más alto del mundo, fue diseñado por William F. Lamb y fue construido en tan solo 410 días, en un proyecto en el que participaron más de 3.000 trabajadores de los cuales por lo menos 5 murieron durante la construcción, los obreros trabajaban desde las 3:30 am hasta las 4:30 pm con un pago de $2 la hora.

Se había acordado una altura de 320 metros para el Empire State, pero apareció el Chrysler que según lo anunciado iba a medir aproximadamente 280 metros de altura, pero a último momento su arquitecto coronó al edificio con una aguja que lo convirtió de 280 metros a 319 metros de altura, entonces, los arquitectos concordaron en que el Empire States "¡No podía tener solo un metro más que el Chrysler!", entonces se decidió aumentar su altura a 381 metros y luego cuando se puso su antena, 20 años después, su altura aumentó a 444 metros.

Seguramente este histórico rascacielos es principalmente conocido por las innumerables películas en las que apareció y el poco tiempo que tardo en construirse.

Los nietos del gobernador en ese momento cortaron la cinta el 1 de mayo de 1931, y ese mismo día el entonces presidente con tan solo apretar un botón iluminó el edificio.