The Empire State Building

September 13, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

In September 1930, a young boy named Ray Harryhausen sat open-mouthed in Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, watching King Kong scale the Empire State Building on screen. He could hardly bear to watch as the giant ape, clutching the heroine, swatted at biplanes from the metal spire at the top. The image would stick with him for life, and it cemented the building’s place in the global imagination. But the real story of how that tower came to be—and what happened after—is less about monsters and more about money, ego, and a city racing to touch the clouds.

The land the Empire State Building occupies was originally part of a large farm owned by the Astor family, who had made a fortune in the fur trade and then in real estate. By the mid-19th century, two Astor grandsons had built adjoining mansions on Fifth Avenue between 33rd and 34th Streets. That block soon became the most fashionable address in New York. But by the 1890s, the neighborhood was changing. One nephew tore down his house to build a 13-story hotel, the Waldorf; his cousin, horrified at the loss of privacy, moved out, and his house became the Astoria. The two hotels merged into the Waldorf-Astoria, the city’s premier social venue. As the area grew more commercial, the millionaires moved north, and the hotel eventually sold the site. It was this plot that Jacob Raskob, a self-made millionaire and former chief executive of Gen

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What you'll learn

1 (01:04) **Opening Scene: Ray Harryhausen at King Kong** - A young Ray Harryhausen watches King Kong at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, where the climactic battle atop the Empire State Building cements the building's cultural icon status.
2 (04:51) **Introduction: The Empire State Building's Global Fame** - The building is introduced as one of the most recognizable structures, thanks to its starring role in blockbuster films and its status as a symbol of New York City.
3 (06:07) **The Astor Family and the Waldorf-Astoria** - The land for the Empire State Building was originally part of a farm owned by the Astor family, which later became the site of the iconic Waldorf-Astoria hotel.
4 (09:37) **The Skyscraper Race and Technological Innovations** - New York's skyline transformed from religious spires to secular skyscrapers, driven by the steel cage and the safety elevator, leading to a competition for height.
5 (13:57) **Jacob Rascob and Al Smith's Ambition** - After Al Smith loses the presidential election, Jacob Rascob offers him the presidency of the world's tallest building, launching the Empire State Building project.
6 (15:41) **Location, Name, and Height Strategy** - Rascob acquires the Waldorf-Astoria site for its prestige and chooses the name "Empire State" to represent all New Yorkers, while the height is driven by PR and rivalry.
7 (19:15) **Design and Art Deco Style** - The Empire State Building's design, led by William Lamb, is a minimalist Art Deco masterpiece, emphasizing verticality and clean lines.

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Show Notes

The Empire State Building is one of the most recognisable structures in the world, an iconic component of New York City’s skyline. Even for those who have never visited, the building is internationally famous thanks to its starring role in a litany of blockbuster films. For decades, it was the tallest building in the world, a title much coveted by American businessmen and architects in the early decades of the previous century.

Who was behind this impressive feat of architecture and engineering? How did it become an American cultural icon? And what unexpected events have occurred there in its nearly 100-year lifespan?

This is a Short History Of The Empire State Building.

A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins. With thanks to Anthony W. Robins, founding member and Vice-President Emeritus of the Art Deco Society of New York, as well as formerly Director of Survey at New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission, where he wrote the official Commission report on the Empire State Building. He is also the author of New York Art Deco: A Guide to Gotham's Jazz Age Architecture.

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