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Height rank
Empire State Building
New York City
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Height
1
To Tip:
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest point of the building, irrespective of material or function of the highest element (i.e., including antennae, flagpoles, signage and other functional-technical equipment).
443.2 m
/ 1,454 ft
2
Architectural:
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flag poles or other functional-technical equipment. This measurement is the most widely utilized and is employed to define the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) rankings of the "World's Tallest Buildings."
381 m
/ 1,250 ft
3
Occupied:
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest occupied floor within the building.
373.1 m
/ 1,224 ft
1
2
3
Floors
Above Ground
The number of floors above ground should include the ground floor level and be the number of main floors above ground, including any significant mezzanine floors and major mechanical plant floors. Mechanical mezzanines should not be included if they have a significantly smaller floor area than the major floors below. Similarly, mechanical penthouses or plant rooms protruding above the general roof area should not be counted. Note: CTBUH floor counts may differ from published accounts, as it is common in some regions of the world for certain floor levels not to be included (e.g., the level 4, 14, 24, etc. in Hong Kong).
102
Below Ground
The number of floors below ground should include all major floors located below the ground floor level.
1
Height
381 m
/ 1,250 ft
Floors
102
Official Name
The current legal building name.
Empire State Building
Other Names
Other names the building has commonly been known as, including former names, common informal names,
local names, etc.
350 5th Avenue
Type
CTBUH collects data on two major types of tall structures: 'Buildings' and 'Telecommunications /
Observation Towers.' A 'Building' is a structure where at least 50% of the height is occupied by usable
floor area. A 'Telecommunications / Observation Tower' is a structure where less than 50% of the
structure's height is occupied by usable floor area. Only 'Buildings' are eligible for the CTBUH
'Tallest Buildings' lists.
Building
Status
Completed
Architecturally Topped Out
Structurally Topped Out
Under Construction
Proposed
On Hold
Never Completed
Vision
Competition Entry
Canceled
Proposed Renovation
Under Renovation
Renovated
Under Demolition
Demolished
Completed
Completion
1931
Country
The CTBUH follows the United Nations's definition of Country, and thus
uses the lists and codes established by that organization.
City
The CTBUH follows the United Nations's definition of City, and thus uses the
lists and codes established by that organization.
Address
Function
A single-function tall building is defined as one where 85% or more of its usable floor area is
dedicated to a single usage. Thus a building with 90% office floor area would be said to be an
"office" building, irrespective of other minor functions it may also contain.
A mixed-use tall building contains two or more functions (or uses), where each of the functions occupy a significant proportion of the tower's total space. Support areas such as car parks and mechanical plant space do not constitute mixed-use functions. Functions are denoted on CTBUH "Tallest Building" lists in descending order, e.g., "hotel/office" indicates hotel function above office function.
A mixed-use tall building contains two or more functions (or uses), where each of the functions occupy a significant proportion of the tower's total space. Support areas such as car parks and mechanical plant space do not constitute mixed-use functions. Functions are denoted on CTBUH "Tallest Building" lists in descending order, e.g., "hotel/office" indicates hotel function above office function.
Office
Structural Material
All-Steel
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from steel. Note that a building of steel construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of steel beams is still considered an “all-steel” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.
All-Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from concrete which has been cast in place and utilizes steel reinforcement bars and/or steel reinforced concrete which has been precast as individual components and assembled together on-site.
All-Timber
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from timber. An all-timber structure may include the use of localized non-timber connections between timber elements. Note that a building of timber construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of timber beams is still considered an “all-timber” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.
Mixed-Structure
Utilizes distinct systems (e.g. all-steel, all-concrete, all-timber), one on top of the other. For example, a Steel Over Concrete indicates an all-steel structural system located on top of an all-concrete structural system, with the opposite true of Concrete Over Steel.
Composite
A combination of materials (e.g. steel, concrete, timber) are used together in the main structural elements. Examples include buildings which utilize: steel columns with a floor system of reinforced concrete beams; a steel frame system with a concrete core; concrete-encased steel columns; concrete-filled steel tubes; etc. Where known, the CTBUH database breaks out the materials used within a composite building’s primary structural elements.
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from steel. Note that a building of steel construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of steel beams is still considered an “all-steel” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.
All-Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from concrete which has been cast in place and utilizes steel reinforcement bars and/or steel reinforced concrete which has been precast as individual components and assembled together on-site.
All-Timber
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from timber. An all-timber structure may include the use of localized non-timber connections between timber elements. Note that a building of timber construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of timber beams is still considered an “all-timber” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.
Mixed-Structure
Utilizes distinct systems (e.g. all-steel, all-concrete, all-timber), one on top of the other. For example, a Steel Over Concrete indicates an all-steel structural system located on top of an all-concrete structural system, with the opposite true of Concrete Over Steel.
Composite
A combination of materials (e.g. steel, concrete, timber) are used together in the main structural elements. Examples include buildings which utilize: steel columns with a floor system of reinforced concrete beams; a steel frame system with a concrete core; concrete-encased steel columns; concrete-filled steel tubes; etc. Where known, the CTBUH database breaks out the materials used within a composite building’s primary structural elements.
All-Steel
Energy Label
LEED Gold
Official Website
Height
Architectural
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to
the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage,
flag poles or other functional-technical equipment. This measurement is the most widely utilized
and is employed to define the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) rankings of
the "World's Tallest Buildings."
381 m / 1,250 ft
To Tip
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to
the highest point of the building, irrespective of material or function of the highest element
(i.e., including antennae, flagpoles, signage and other functional-technical equipment).
443.2 m
/ 1,454 ft
Occupied
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to
the highest occupied floor within the building.
373.1 m
/ 1,224 ft
Observatory
373.1 m
/ 1,224 ft
Floors Above Ground
The number of floors above ground should include the ground floor level and be the number of main
floors above ground, including any significant mezzanine floors and major mechanical plant floors.
Mechanical mezzanines should not be included if they have a significantly smaller floor area than
the major floors below. Similarly, mechanical penthouses or plant rooms protruding above the general
roof area should not be counted. Note: CTBUH floor counts may differ from published accounts, as it
is common in some regions of the world for certain floor levels not to be included (e.g., the level
4, 14, 24, etc. in Hong Kong).
102
Floors Below Ground
The number of floors below ground should include all major floors located below the ground floor
level.
1
# of Elevators
Number of Elevators refers to the total number of elevator cars (not shafts) contained within a
particular building (including public, private and freight elevators).
73
Top Elevator Speed
Top Elevator Speed refers to the top speed capable of being achieved by an elevator within a
particular building, measured in meters per second.
7.1 m/s
Tower GFA
Tower GFA refers to the total gross floor area within the tower footprint, not including adjoining
podiums, connected buildings or other towers within the development.
208,879 m² / 2,248,355 ft²
Rankings
-
By function
You must be a CTBUH Member to view this resource.
-
By material
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#
55
Tallest in the World
#
9
Tallest in
North America
#
9
Tallest in
United States
#
7
Tallest in
New York City
Construction Schedule
1930
Construction Start
1931
Completed
2009
Retrofit Start
Other Consultant
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
Vertical Transportation
Material Supplier
Material Supplier refers to organizations which supplied significant systems/materials for a building project (e.g. elevator suppliers, facade suppliers, etc).
Material Supplier refers to organizations which supplied significant systems/materials for a building project (e.g. elevator suppliers, facade suppliers, etc).
Elevator
Sealants
Retrofit Companies Involved
Structural Engineer
Design
The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
Project Manager
The CTBUH lists a project manager when a specific firm has been commissioned to oversee this aspect of a tall building’s design/construction. When the project management efforts are handled by the developer, main contract, or architect, this field will be omitted.
The CTBUH lists a project manager when a specific firm has been commissioned to oversee this aspect of a tall building’s design/construction. When the project management efforts are handled by the developer, main contract, or architect, this field will be omitted.
You must be a CTBUH Member to view this resource.
Owner
Current
Empire State Realty Trust; Qatar Investment Authority
Past
W&H Properties
Developer
Alfred E. Smith; John J. Raskob
Architect
Design
Usually involved in the front end design, with a "typical" condition being that of a leadership role through either Schematic Design or Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates
Structural Engineer
Design
The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
Post and McCord; H.G. Balcom & Associates
MEP Engineer
Design
The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
Strong & Jones Engineers
Contractor
Main Contractor
The main contractor is the supervisory contractor of all construction work on a project, management of sub-contractors and vendors, etc. May be referred to as "Construction Manager," however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Main Contractor" exclusively.
Starrett Brothers and Ekin
Other Consultant
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
Vertical Transportation
Material Supplier
Material Supplier refers to organizations which supplied significant systems/materials for a building project (e.g. elevator suppliers, facade suppliers, etc).
Material Supplier refers to organizations which supplied significant systems/materials for a building project (e.g. elevator suppliers, facade suppliers, etc).
Elevator
Sealants
Retrofit Companies Involved
Developer
Empire State Realty Trust
Structural Engineer
Design
The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
Project Manager
The CTBUH lists a project manager when a specific firm has been commissioned to oversee this aspect of a tall building’s design/construction. When the project management efforts are handled by the developer, main contract, or architect, this field will be omitted.
The CTBUH lists a project manager when a specific firm has been commissioned to oversee this aspect of a tall building’s design/construction. When the project management efforts are handled by the developer, main contract, or architect, this field will be omitted.
Other Consultant
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
Access
ColeNYC
Energy Concept
Johnson Controls
Marketing
Wordsearch
Preservation
CANY
Sustainability
Rocky Mountain Institute
Material Supplier
Material Supplier refers to organizations which supplied significant systems/materials for a building project (e.g. elevator suppliers, facade suppliers, etc).
Material Supplier refers to organizations which supplied significant systems/materials for a building project (e.g. elevator suppliers, facade suppliers, etc).
Aluminium
Allen Architectural Metals
CTBUH Initiatives
Top Company Rankings: The World’s 100 Tallest Buildings
13 October 2016 - CTBUH Research
Empire State Building Environmental Retrofit Tour
28 October 2015 - Event
Videos
17 October 2016 | New York City
X Information Modeling: Data-Driven Decision Making in the Design of Tall Buildings
This presentation outlined X-Information Modeling or XIM, a method of data-driven decision-making for the design of tall buildings. Developed over its application on more than...
Research
16 May 2023
The Economics of Record-Breaking Height
Jason Barr & Peter A. Weismantle
This paper reviews the development history of record-breaking skyscrapers to better understand their economics. Given how tall they are, the supposed reason for their construction...
Global News
19 October 2020
Restoration of Art Deco New York City Skyscraper Nears Completion
New York City’s skyline is forever adapting, thrusting ever higher upwards as a jostling amalgam of evolving styles and forms. Although surpassed in height by...
About Empire State Building
As the tallest building in the world from 1931 to 1971, the Empire State Building is the ancestor of all supertall skyscrapers and makes a lasting impression in the minds of all who have stood beneath, or atop, this international icon. Among the accolades and achievements that this tower claims, perhaps the most impressive is that it took less than 14 months to construct, a timeline that is unimaginable for a building of similar height today. Marveling at the ability of steel-framed buildings to support added weight, architects tested the material at a supreme scale. The art deco style of the building is appropriately capped with an ornamental spire, one that urban legend claims was designed as an anchorage point for dirigibles, but was actually built to ensure the building would be taller than the Chrysler Building. With its thousands of programmable LED lights, it has become one of the most memorable features of the building.
As part of its total redevelopment for 21st Century companies, in 2009 a $106 million energy efficiency retrofit was launched, which has transformed it into one of the most sustainable buildings in the world of any age. These upgrades realize a yearly savings of $4.4 million in energy and operational costs. The retrofit ranged from upgrades to efficient MEP systems to the reconstruction of all 6,514 windows into units that have 400% the thermal performance of normal dual pane windows; from the installation of redundant fiber optics building-wide to the creation of new public areas and amenities; and more. The Empire State Building remains a ground-breaking office property in the national and global real estate market. It was the tallest LEED certified building in the United States when it was awarded the designation in 2011. Not once, but twice has this building shown the world new possibilities in the tall building world: first, with its achievement in sheer height and speed of construction, and second, with its rebirth as a sustainable building. It will continue to be a prime example of how a world-class tower can continue to maintain its iconic status in a changing world.
Quick Facts
- Tallest building in the world 1931 - 1972. Preceded by the Chrysler Building and surpassed by One World Trade Center
- On July 28, 1945, a B-25 bomber crashed into the north side of the building between the 79th and 80th floors, killing 14 people.
- Featured in dozens of films, most notably; "King Kong" in 1933 and 2005.
- It took just under 15 months from January 1930 to May 1931 to construct.
Videos
17 October 2016 | New York City
X Information Modeling: Data-Driven Decision Making in the Design of Tall Buildings
This presentation outlined X-Information Modeling or XIM, a method of data-driven decision-making for the design of tall buildings. Developed over its application on more than...
26 October 2015 | New York City
A Landmark Sustainability Program for the Empire State Building
This presentation underscores the extraordinary commitment that Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. has made to establish the Empire State Building as one of the most...
26 October 2015 | New York City
Interview: Anthony Malkin
Anthony Malkin of Empire State Realty Trust is interviewed by Chris Bentley during the 2015 CTBUH New York Conference at the Grand Hyatt New York....
19 September 2012 | New York City
New Skins for Skyscrapers: Anticipating Façade Retrofit
The existing building stock in some regions accounts for nearly as much energy consumption and carbon emissions as the transportation and industrial sectors combined. Existing...
22 October 2009 | New York City
Interview: The Green Retrofit of the Empire State Building
Dan Probst of Jones Lang LaSalle is interviewed by Jeff Herzer during the 2009 CTBUH Chicago Conference at Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. Dan talks...
03 March 2008 | New York City
Material-Saving Design Strategies for Tall Building Structures
Kyoung Sun Moon from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign discussed stiffness-based design methodologies for tall building structures at the CTBUH 8th World Congress in...
Research
16 May 2023
The Economics of Record-Breaking Height
Jason Barr & Peter A. Weismantle
This paper reviews the development history of record-breaking skyscrapers to better understand their economics. Given how tall they are, the supposed reason for their construction...
01 September 2018
Developments of Structural Systems Toward Mile-High Towers
Kyoung Sun Moon, Yale University School of Architecture
Tall buildings which began from about 40 m tall office towers in the late 19th century have evolved into mixed-use megatall towers over 800 m....
26 October 2015
A Landmark Sustainability Program for the Empire State Building
Anthony Malkin, Empire State Realty Trust
This paper underscores the extraordinary commitment that Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. has made to establish the Empire State Building as one of the most...
22 October 2015
New York: The Ultimate Skyscraper Laboratory
CTBUH Research
A timeline of skyscraper completions in New York uncannily resembles the boom and bust cycles of the United States in the 20th and early 21st...
24 August 2015
World’s Highest Observation Decks
CTBUH Research
Perhaps no element of a tall building is more closely related to the pure pleasure of standing high in the sky and taking in the...
01 November 2013
Confronting the Question of Demolition or Renovation
Dario Trabucco & Fava Pablo, Università IUAV di Venezia
Crumbling façades, asbestos, and outdated elevators are often cited as reasons to tear down tall buildings and create new skyscrapers. However, renovating a tall building...
27 January 2012
Debating Tall: A Supertall Future in the US?
Adrian Smith, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture; Paul Beitler, Beitler Real Estate Services LLC
In 1990, only 11 buildings in the world could be counted as a “supertall” (defined as a building over 300 meters tall), and all but...
01 August 2011
New York City Scrapers
Nathaniel Hollister, Jan Klerks & Antony Wood, CTBUH
New York’s dramatic skyline, over a century in the making, has for years been the envy of cities around the world. From the very birth...
13 November 2010
Tallest World Records
CTBUH Research
Includes records of the tallest buildings/structures according to function and structural material, the highest spaces according to function, and some lesser-known titles such as the...
06 November 2010
Greening Supertalls
Harace Lin, Taipei Financial Center Corp.
The world’s tallest buildings have always been more about expression rather than necessity or a solution to any problem. Being the visible landmarks that they...
Global News
19 October 2020
Restoration of Art Deco New York City Skyscraper Nears Completion
New York City’s skyline is forever adapting, thrusting ever higher upwards as a jostling amalgam of evolving styles and forms. Although surpassed in height by...
19 April 2019
New Legislation Limits Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Buildings in New York City
New York City is about to embark on an ambitious plan to fight climate change that would force thousands of large buildings, like the Empire...
21 January 2019
“Tower Fifth” Could Become New York City’s Second-Tallest
For decades, the New York City skyline was dominated by one building, the 1,250-foot-tall (381-meter) Empire State Building. But 17 “supertall” skyscrapers — defined as...
CTBUH Initiatives
Filter by
13 October 2016
Top Company Rankings: The World’s 100 Tallest Buildings
The Council is pleased to announce the Top Company Rankings for numerous disciplines as derived from the list of projects appearing in 100 of the World’s Tallest Buildings.
28 October 2015
Empire State Building Environmental Retrofit Tour
CTBUH 2015 delegates toured the Empire State Building as the most iconic skyscraper and its retrofit into the today's environment-aware society.
26 October 2015
Networking Reception at Empire State Building
The reception provided attendees an opportunity to meet and network with their fellow delegates in the incredible setting of the 80th Floor of the historic Empire State Building.
17 September 2015
Warm Weather Spaces Walking Tours 2015
The CTBUH Urban Habitat / Urban Design Committee organized guided walking tours of 16 cities around the globe, focusing on urban habitats around tall buildings.
16 December 2009
Height: The History of Measuring Tall Buildings
This article describes some of the events which took place in the Council's long, and sometimes complex, history of measuring tall buildings.
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