This paper examines the Empire State Building's design and construction project, focusing on the key stakeholders—owner John J. Raskob, architects Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon, and contractors Starrett Bros. and Eken—and their contributions to the project's success. The paper discusses the backgrounds and expertise of principal figures, the project's scope including technical planning and workforce organization, and notable design features such as the steel grid framework and the repurposed mooring mast. Completed in just 20 months and under budget, the Empire State Building represents a remarkable achievement in early 20th-century construction management.
The Empire State Building is one of the most famous buildings in the world. When it officially opened on May 1, 1931, it was the world's tallest building at that time—and remained so for over 40 years. The 103-story skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, with its roof at a height of 1,454 feet, is unique not only because of its towering stature but also because of the excellent work of the stakeholders responsible for its construction (Halpin & Senior, 2011, p. 14).
The main organizations involved in the design and construction of the Empire State Building project were the owner, the architectural firm Shreve, Lamb and Harmon, and the contractors Starrett Bros. and Eken. Although the organization comprised many individuals, these key parties were the main pillars of the project's success through their superior construction management skills (Kenley & Seppänen, 2010, p. 7).
The backgrounds of these individuals greatly influenced the project's success. Their varied expertise played a crucial role in seeing the project through. The building served as John J. Raskob, Pierre du Pont, and Alfred Smith's entry into the building and real estate market. Raskob was one of the key players in this success (Halpin & Senior, 2011, p. 17). Having worked for the du Pont Nemours Company, he was a trusted adviser to Pierre du Pont and brought business acumen from his involvement with General Motors stock. This experience helped him approach the building project similarly to a manufacturing process. Al Smith provided a public face for the project, having held various positions before becoming governor of New York.
Both Shreve and Lamb possessed strong educational backgrounds. Shreve graduated from Cornell's College of Architecture in 1902. Lamb graduated from Williams College, then attended Columbia's School of Architecture before graduating from Beaux-Arts in 1911. The two joined the Carrere and Hastings architecture firm and eventually formed their own practice, Shreve and Lamb. They were later joined by Harmon in 1926, creating the firm Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon (NYC Tourist, 2015).
Paul Starrett was employed at the architectural firm Burnham and Root in Chicago. It was there that he discovered his passion for buildings and later worked as a general contractor for war industries, establishing himself as a well-known and efficient builder (NYC Tourist, 2015). He encouraged and motivated his brother to pursue the same career path. Eventually, when they joined forces with Andrew Eken, they formed Starrett Bros. and Eken—the company responsible for the building's construction.
The success of the Empire State Building stemmed from a well-conceived technical plan executed by experienced labor. The high-quality, dedicated workforce operated under careful supervision to ensure technical adherence to the plan. The project also had adequate funding to complete construction. The planned price of $50,000,000 was ultimately reduced to $24,718,000—less than half the original budget.
The use of parallel work processes and construction of the base before mathematical calculations for the upper sections were finalized allowed the project to proceed rapidly. The building occupies a plot of approximately 8,100 square meters and used materials including 70 miles of water mains, 2.5 million feet of electrical wiring, 1,060 miles of telephone cables, 50 miles of radiator pipe, and 73 elevators in 7 miles of shafts (Empire State Realty Trust, 2014).
"Structural design choices and repurposing of the mooring mast"
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