Chrysler Building

The Chrysler Building Location

A bird's eye view of the Chrysler Building in NY

The Chrysler Building is on the east side of Manhattan, at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Ave.

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Cooper Union and the Chrysler Building

Cooper Union owns the land and the Chrysler Building

The Chrysler Building was built on land given in 1902 to the Cooper Union for the Advencement of Science and Art. Cooper Union leased the land to Chrysler Corporation in 1929 to build the Chrysler Building. While the lease has been held by a variety of companies through the years since, the land and the Chrysler Building still belong to Cooper Union.

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The Chrysler Building's First Design Rejected

Client William H. Reynolds turns down the design

The Chrysler Building was designed by architect William Van Alen for building contractor William H. Reynolds. Reynolds rejected the design for the Chrysler Building which included glass wrapped corners and a jewel-like crown at the top.

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Design for the Chrysler Building and Lease Sold to Chrysler

Walter P. Chrysler takes the lease

After Reynolds rejected the design, Walter P. Chrysler purchased the lease and design for the Chrysler Building. Working with architect Van Alen, they redesigned the Chrysler Building to be more than 100 feet taller, and to incorporate design elements from Chrysler automobiles into various aspects of the architecture.

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Construction of the Chrysler Building in New York City

The Chrysler Building took less than 2 years to b built

Construction of the Chrysler Building commenced September 19, 1928, and was completed May 28, 1930.

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The Chrysler Building is More Than Brick

The world's tallest brick building

The Chrysler Building is the world's tallest brick building. It contains approximately 3,826,000 bricks, all manually laid. The brickwork was laid at the incredible rate of about 4 floors per week. Unlike the Brooklyn Bridge, not one person was killed during its construction.

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Frame and Finish on the Chrysler Building

The Chrysler Building is supported by steel

The masonry walls of the Chrysler Building are not load bearing. The building has a steel framework, and part of the outside is clad in steel.

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Chrysler Building Gargoyles

The gargoyles were fashioned after hood ornaments

Many elements of the final design on the Chrysler Building were take from actual Chrysler automobile products. The distinctive gargoyles on the Chrysler Building's 61st floor exterior were modeled after Plymouth hood ornaments. The corner ornaments on the 31st floor of the Chrysler Building were modeled after 1929 Chrysler radiator caps.

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Windows and Elevators in the Chrysler Building

View of the Chrysler Building as seen in 1941

The Chrysler Building contains 3,862 windows in its facade. It has 4 banks of 8 elevators designed by the Otis Elevator Company.

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The Chrysler Building's Crowning Glory

The Chrysler Building is an Art Deco masterpiece

The terraced crown of the Chrysler Building has 7 radiating terraced arches on each face, forming a groin vault - two barrel vaults that come together at right angles. The arches are clad in ribbed and riveted austenitic stainless steel with radiating triangular shaped windows. A public viewing gallery was originally located on the 71st floor, but it was closed to the public in 1945. The upper floors of the crown housed radio, and later, television broadcast equipment for several decades, although there are no longer any broadcasts done from the Chrysler Building site.

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Suddenly A Spire on the Chrysler Building's Crown

The Chrysler Building was the World's Tallest Building

The simultaneous building of 40 Wall Street [now known as the Trump Building] caused a rival competition for the right to claim the title of the World's Tallest Building. It looked as though the 40 Wall Street Building would be taller. However, Van Alen had secretly constructed a spire for the Chrysler Building. On October 23, 1929, the spire was installed. Constructed in 4 sections, it was hoisted into place one section at a time and riveted together in the space of only 90 minutes. It was a breathtaking feat that sealed the title of World's Tallest Building for the Chrysler Building.

Just under a year after its dedication, the Empire State Building surpassed the Chrysler Building as the World's Tallest Building.

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The Chrysler Building is a National Historic Landmark

The Chrysler Building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

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