building skyscraper located new_york_city intersection 42nd street lexington avenue neighborhood feet structure world tallest building months surpassed tallest brick building world albeit steel frame destruction second tallest building new_york_city december raised foot pushing building position addition opened exactly level building height buildings pushed fourth position construction surpassed height fifth position park avenue completed building classic example architecture considered contemporary architects finest buildings new_york_city ranked ninth list america favorite architecture headquarters mid-1950s building built designed specifically car manufacturer corporation pay construction owned decided pay children inherit history building designed architect project ground breaking occurred september intense competition new_york_city build world tallest skyscraper despite frantic pace building built average rate floors week workers died construction skyscraper design beginnings van original design skyscraper called decorative jewel like glass crown featured base windows height topped stories glass wrapped corners creating impression tower appeared physically visually light floating mid air height skyscraper originally designed meters design proved advanced costly building contractor disapproved original plan design lease sold worked van redesigned skyscraper additional stories eventually revised tall chairman intended building headquarters architectural details especially building modeled automobile products like hood ornaments plymouth machine age 1920s construction construction commenced september total approximately bricks manually laid create non walls skyscraper contractors builders engineers joined building services experts coordinate construction prior completion building stood rival project wall street designed increased height project publicly claimed title world tallest building distinction excluded structures fully response van obtained permission meter long secretly constructed inside frame building delivered site different sections october section hoisted building dome lowered floor building remaining sections hoisted order minutes completion completion added height allowed building surpass wall street tallest building world tallest structure man structure stand taller feet van satisfaction accomplishments likely muted later refusal pay balance architectural fee year opened public surpassed height world tallest steel supported brick building november building height surpassed construction height feet property east building wall base tower rises runs slant manhattan street grid following property line commissioners plan land stands donated land originally leased unable raise money project building development rights land acquired contrary popular belief involved construction ownership building built designed corporation served headquarters mid-1950s project children ownership building changed times family sold building purchased owned lobby refurbished facade renovated building bought underwent restoration completed bought adjoining million equal million consortium banks estate negotiated year lease college continues land building deed stake building sold million equal million german arm atlanta based investment fund june reported negotiations buy economic interest interest building share retail structure door million july announced transaction completed owner building architecture building considered leading example architecture corners 61st floor eagles 31st floor corner ornamentation caps building constructed masonry steel frame metal building currently contains total windows inside banks elevators designed building declared building renowned recognized crown composed seven arches design crown groin vault constructed seven concentric members transitioning setbacks mounted steel pattern triangular vaulted windows transitioning smaller segments seven narrow setbacks facade crown entire crown clad metal steel developed germany krupp marketed trade german acronym meaning non steel building opened contained public viewing gallery floor closed public floor highest occupied floor building occupied office space management firm private occupied floor high space floors closed late 1970s floor stories building designed exterior appearance functioning mainly landings stories narrow low sloped ceilings useful holding radio broadcasting mechanical electrical equipment television station channel originally transmitted 1940s early 1950s moving years building transmission site moved 1970s currently commercial broadcast stations located building sets lighting decoration shaped lighting steel building added later groups mast arms directed building allows building lit colors special occasions representation building shown movies place new_york summer new_york asked architects builders critics engineers historians scholars choose favorites new_york towers came place placed building favorite buildings distinctive profile inspired similar worldwide including liberty place philadelphia tenants organisation gallery
Chrysler Building