I'm Jen your local New York City guide and the Empire State Building is an Art
Deco skyscraper that is a New York City icon it is also one of the most
recognized and photographed building in the entire world completed in 1931 it
held the title of the world's tallest building for the longest time of 42
years known as the eighth wonder of the world it was built in record time for
half the projected cost it is full of secrets and surprising forgotten
history. Thank you Otis for this exclusive access to the Empire State
Building and exhibit. Ok let's go!
The Empire State Building is 1,454 feet tall has 73 elevators and 102 floors
with views over 80 miles wide on a clear day. It is open every day 365 days per
year from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. rain or shine. For such a well-known New
York City icon there are still so many secrets you might not know about the
Empire State Building. 1 There's a private VIP observation deck above the
102nd floor to get there take the elevator from 86th to the 100 second
floor most celebrity photographs on a circular balcony with no metal gates are
taken in this VIP area. 2. The building takes up a full city block and has its
own zip code. Though there are about 40 other
buildings in New York City that have their own zip codes some say this is the
most famous office building. 3 There are over 150 businesses inside the Empire
State Building. There are several well-known tech
companies with offices here including LinkedIn and Shutterstock. 4. The Empire
State Building went up in record time for a building of its size it only took
one year and 45 days to build or 410 days total before it opened on May 1st.
1931 the builders innovated to save time and money like using a railway system on
site instead of wheelbarrows. 5 The grand opening of the building was marked with
a button located in Washington DC President Herbert Hoover lit up the
building symbolically by pressing a button in DC before he
would lose to the incumbent president the next year and the lights on the
building would signify this. 6 Contrary to popular belief the mooring mast was
not built for airships but just for height.
Some say the 200-foot Tower added to the design was to dock airships but it was
to ensure the title of the tallest building in the world as the Chrysler
Building was completed in 1929 at 1046 feet the president of the Empire State
Inc Alfred Smith wanted to win the title by more than two feet so they added the
mast. 7. The Fifth Avenue Lobby is one of the few interiors in New York to be
designated a landmark in 1981 the city's landmark preservation declared the
interior of the Empire State Building a landmark of the 35,000 landmarks in the
city only 117 are interiors in 2009 the lobby was restored back to its original
1930 aesthetic design taking 18 months compare that to 13 and a half months it
took to construct the building look up at the lobby's ceiling murals that pay
homage to the mechanical age in 24 karat gold and aluminum leaf. 8 You can get
married on the 86th floor of the observation deck via a contest on the
building's social media pages. On Valentine's Day couples can tie the knot
in a space that's the nearest thing to heaven in New York City as they say in
the movie: "An affair to remember" Last year they changed things up in hosted
two lucky couples dream wedding weekend, complete with round-trip flights to New
York City for them and two guests accommodations, a Kleinfeld wedding dress
and a honeymoon package. 9 The elevators originally installed by Otis just went
through a full modernization that includes an augmented reality experience
up to the 86th floor. Otis designed and installed the original
elevators which were the most technologically advanced elevators in
the world at the time capable of moving people and material through the building
faster more reliably and more safely than ever before. Otis is proud
part of the elevator experience at the Empire State Building.
Otis has mechanics on site 24/7 365 they are part of our 33,000 mechanics
worldwide they are the heart and soul of Otis Elevator Company and the direct
contact points with our customers daily this latest multi-year elevator system
modernization was one of the largest and most complex projects in Otis's 165 year
history you can now experience augmented reality building up of the Empire
State Building on a screen above you as you ascend quickly to the first
observation deck on the 86th floor.
"Welcome to the world's most famous building and you get to see it built..." (elevator experience narration) The descent in this elevator from the 86th floor back down
also has a fun map style display that reminds me of the map Game of Thrones
series introduction what do you think?
10 There is a run up race up the 1576 steps. The Empire State Building run up
is an annual race up the stairs from the lobby to the 86th floor. The record time
for the 1576 step race was completed in 9 minutes and 33 seconds. Bonus number 11
it is no secret that the Empire State Building is one of the most popular
stars in Hollywood movies being prominently featured in over 250 films
one of the first films King Kong drove extra excitement and new visitors to the
observation deck and rumor has it he hasn't left the second floor exhibit...
Thank you for watching and thank you Otis for this exclusive tour of the
Empire State Building if you enjoyed this video please click that like button
subscribe check out the blog post a link down below for more and as always say
yes to new adventures and we'll see you next time bye!