Chrysler Building

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. As of 2019, the Chrysler is the 12th-tallest building in the city, tied with The New York Times Building.

Chrysler Building
The Chrysler Building in May 2009
Record height
Tallest in the world from May 27, 1930 to May 1, 1931[I]
Preceded by40 Wall Street
Surpassed byEmpire State Building
General information
TypeOffice
Architectural styleArt Deco
Location405 Lexington Avenue, Manhattan, New York 10174
Coordinates40°45′06″N 73°58′31″W
Construction startedJanuary 21, 1929 (1929-01-21)
Topped-outOctober 23, 1929 (1929-10-23)
CompletedMay 27, 1930 (1930-05-27)
OpenedMay 27, 1930 (1930-05-27)
OwnerLand: Cooper Union
Building: SIGNA Group
and RFR Holding LLC
Height
Antenna spire1,046 ft (319 m)
Roof925 ft (282 m)
Top floor899 ft (274 m)
Technical details
Floor count77
Floor area1,196,958 sq ft (111,201.0 m2)
Lifts/elevators32
Design and construction
Architect(s)William Van Alen
Structural engineerRalph Squire & Sons
Main contractorFred T Ley & Co
DesignatedDecember 8, 1976
Reference no.76001237
DesignatedDecember 8, 1976
Reference no.76001237
DesignatedJune 23, 1980
Reference no.06101.001565
DesignatedSeptember 12, 1978
Reference no.0992
Designated entityFacade
DesignatedSeptember 12, 1978
Reference no.0996
Designated entityInterior: Lobby
References

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. The Chrysler Building was designed and funded by Walter Chrysler personally as a real estate investment for his children, but it was not intended as the Chrysler Corporation's headquarters. 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. Reviewers in the late 20th and early 21st centuries regarded the building as a paragon of the Art Deco architectural style. In 2007, it was ranked ninth on the American Institute of Architects' list of America's Favorite Architecture. The facade and interior became New York City designated landmarks in 1978, and the structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

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