NYCPassion

Link: http://nycbestours.com

The King of our kingdom, the Emperor of this Empire State, married to our beloved “Liberty Enlightening the World", what couldn’t The Empire City be separated from : The Empire State Building

Can people undestand, this stand in the heart of the Big Apple?
Let’s review it together for a better prospective.
It all started when the wealthy family Astor couldn’t hold on to a beautiful two-buildings Hotel : Waldorf-Astoria; an amazing palace for who could afford its luxuries.

 

 

The big depression had just hit the world and to write the least, money wasn’t around. That land on 34th St near 5th avenue sold to the new owners, the idea was to be realized. Building a skyscrapper in a record time ( on the plans 1 year 6 months ). History was then to begin with Al Smith and his workers.

 

 On March 17th 1930, construction of the Empire State Building began. Under the direction of architects Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates, and a peak labor force of 3,000 men, framework rose at a rate of 4 ½ stories per week

Every resources needed for the work was gathered at hand reaching distance if possible otherwise delivered every morning.  600 workers hired daily, divided in groups of 4 to be hired and or fired. 250 people at the same moment waiting on the sidewalk for work. If the “Sky Boys” Needed water to drink, it was up, needed lunch, it was up; toilets even were up in a time where our sophisticated computers weren’t available  with a record week where 10 floors were built. So they came to work everyday even if they were sick or exhausted they would still come to keep the job for the other members of the group.  

In those conditions the work continued until May 1st 1931, the Empire State Building was inaugurated as the Tallest building in the World. Having inside 68 elevators ( now 73 ) and 186 miles of steel, while made of limestones from Indiana the new Art Deco was constructed in the Record Time of 410 days for 102 floors (1 year 45 days), a record still held. It stayed the World’s tallest building at 1,454 feet - (1,453 feet, 8 9/16th inches) or
443.2 meters to top of lightning rod- from 1931 to 1973 with the completion of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center.

Of course Al Smith had problems after the construction of so much office space inside the ESB in a time where work was most needed. A big part of the brand new building was Empty up to the point the New York Times used to refer to it as ” The Empty State Building". To answer to that the President of the Corporation of the ESB  hired a group of people to turn on some lights at night inside so everyone will think that it was well occupied.

The best help arrived as a savior in 1933 with the movie ‘KING KONG’ .It brought back the tower to the highest of its fame

Another creative way to make our nights brighter looking up  since 1932 lights on top and  from 1976 with colors and over the years changing them for all special occasions. For exemple Green for St Patrick’s Day, Blue-White-Red on Independance Day .

         

 In 1945 at the end of World War II, an Army Air Corps B-25 twin-engine bomber plane crashed into the 79th floor of the building in dense fog, killing 14 persons including the pilot who thought the tower was just 1000 ft or shorter. the incident took place in the morning.

Another amazing fact is The building’s dirigible mast (now the base of the TV tower) was originally designed as a mooring mast for Air blimps (unfortunately because of several unsuccessful attempts and the volatile wind conditions at 1,350 feet, the idea was ultimately abandoned).

Since 1986 it is a National Landmark, a title that i think it should have been given as a world’s landmark knowing it’s the most  famous skyscrapper.

An Emperor always stands tall , even after a hit, he manages to make people trust the way he celebrates every good they do or have. It’s a Symbol.

 

All visitors everyday except certain holidays have between 8 am and 1:15 am the following morning everyday to go visit the observation deck at the 86 th floor and depend on the season with a little more money the 1o2nd floor. As many tourists want to go up i recommend you go online and get the express pass to avoid the long waiting lines of a beautiful summer day.

It’s imperative for any New Yorker or visitor to say i have visited the Empire State Building 

 

There are 1,860 steps from street level to the 102nd floor.

10-20 thousand people visit the Empire State Building daily.

On a clear day, you can see for almost 80 miles from the top of the Empire State Building.

Lightening strikes the Empire State Building about 100 times a year.

The  record time to Run Up the stairs of the Empire State Building is 9 mins.33 sec

If you never came to NYC or even online , you definitly have seen the Empire State Building in countless of movies just to start with a few

Street Scene (VHS / DVD)

Sunday in New York (VHS)

Superman II (VHS / DVD)

Sweet Charity (VHS)

Taxi Driver (VHS / DVD)

When Harry Met Sally (VHS / DVD)

Who Done It (VHS)

World of Henry Orient (VHS)

World Flesh & Devil

You Gotta Stay Happy (VHS)

 

 and the whole list available at here

 Now i love this next video it’s short but it’s powerful. . a  Lightning Strike Empire State Building

 

Just as Powerful that strike can be my love for this iconic building, i can’t describe it all i wish i could, but i hope you can understand this stand of  The Empire State Building.

 

Mamadou Diallo

Licensed NYC Sightseeing Guide

NYC Passionate www.NYCBestours.com</a>

 

Note:

Anyone who ever read this

A special thanks to all my followers on twitter @NYCpassion

“The Blue Guide of New York”  (so much valuable information )

http://www.esbnyc.com/

http://gonyc.about.com/

http://video.google.com/

http://www.youtube.com/

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/

All the Licensed sightseeing tour guides of NYC

and Lee Gelber www.HereIsNY.com</a>

For any more information, correction if any contact me

For My personal walking tours and sightseeing tours log on www.NYCBestours.com</a>

 Thank you

Underground, NYC lives.                                                                                                                                       

 A meeting Underground with all different roots

Beauty is always where we look for it.  It was found underground around 1904 with the completion of the subway system in NYC. The second oldest subsystem in the world after London's. Its such a mix of Wall St workers, doctors, lawyers, salesmen, teachers, old and young, artists,unemployed crowds in every car, everyday. The languages spoken inside are so diverses. There's not a better feeling than being accepted. Everyone mind there business, reading, listening to their devices, playing with them, fixing  a corner, an ad...  Traveling can be painful when stuck for minutes at the same place but the courage in the face of every NYer carries any moral down to the highest places of relaxation. From time to time a band rocks the car from violonist to jazz, opera to hip hop..., and with those vibes you get home or at work boosted with energy. 

Underground, Madison Square Garden looks smaller.

Underground, the Fashion Runway looks smaller.

Underground, The Yankees Stadium follows victory or losses.

 Underground, people travet to their dreams in the never-ending search for The American Dream.

When they rise from the roots of NYC they will make it anywhere. It's maybe because the spectacle is Free, the audience rough, the way crooked, the language only through eye-contact, and the world a witness.

 Underground NYC lives with 468 stations and between. 

  Diallo

 The Brooklyn bridge: a walk through heaven

I can't take my eyes off her beautiful "eyes", what a music she can bring to me! In this imaginary bound I see how her strong fingers are holding on the East River and i can't stop thinking that my love is 127 years old. Who cares about numbers ?

The Brooklyn Bridge. Whenever the name is mentioned I stop breathing. It's another level of the atmosphere. My first step on it I felt it. This time was different. I knew I could trust the cables just by looking at them and all the people who gave their heart to the bridge. Walking is a word compare to the way I was suspended high in love. It's more like being in the Air, safe and being in at the right place the first time, the right time.

                                                  

A bridge that held us September 11th 2001 and all the weight brought by the pain of the walk back from The disaster;

A bridge that gives a special place to its lovely pedestrians and cyclists, vehicles hugged between steel wire ropes cables that can hold up to 18300 tonnes;

A bridge that has benches for times you need to seat and feel better, whether it's for you or the memories past of billions of couples who sat there before.

A bridge that have seen the era before cars and today twitter. As the first car crossed in 1954, she was still tolerant.

A bridge that don't ask for ( euro, dollars ..) a charged love affair to let you walk your way and capture history with the skyline of Manhattan, the statue of liberty, she has seen illuminate the World (1886), still present the other bridges with no jealousy and boats, and .. in just a mile walk NYC means something: a smile

'Roeblings' Thank you ( John, Washington, Emily), because people still say  'Yes' on that wonder for life, and other decide the last thing of life they will see should be that too.

The Brooklyn bridge is an art work that fits the busy life of New York. If you haven't walk that museum please join the makers of history who daily walk or drive across the true surviving wonder, the ring that linked great  imagination to a city: NYC

Diallo

 

"Make it here..."                                                                                                                                                      The plane still in the air, thoughts away, high like never before, all I can think of is how. How? Am I ever going to be anyone? Not everyone, but Someone. I barely speak English and my family is not rich. The other second my mind skept all the answers and replied: " You are arriving in NYC" If you ever thought like that, you are not the only one for sure. This is the crossroads of the World. May the World please preserves itself. There's no room for failure. Lessons we are thought at school, could have been spoiled with examples, of many immigrants and today's residents. The " city that never sleeps ", don't let you blink. There are only two ways: you in or out, you are good or bad, on or off. If you are good, we can't deny it, bit you must prove it, if you have it we will build you up, if you want and can't, we will help you. There's enough for all. Stories, true stories proved it: Andrew Carnegie, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington..wheter it's next door ( Jersey) or islands away (Scotland), countless of people still enjoying there hard earnt success. The city provides the arenas and battles are based on results.  In that dusty battlefiel NYers understand the value of the place they grew up in. They accept all the competiton and with the natural advantages provided,  history is made. Jay-Z, Woody Allen, Larry Brown are all from Brooklyn, and more.and everything is possible because of that understanding.  Living in NYC is an honor, and I feel it every breath. Noone should ever break that bound passed people have tied around.  Just take the plane, it's a different dimension.                                                       Diallo

You need emotions, to create sensations ; once the sensations are deep you get Passion. It's easy to hate what you love . Oh yes the line is thin. The problem with NYC, is anything that you hate is loved, cherished by almost everyone, or to be simple it's Lovely. Looking for love is a daily task for a human; most of our actions contribute to that end where everyone loves us more than us. Some seek that through power, money, or fame. We must be loved by any means. So we look for our lover everywhere and if you are somewhere you only get what they offer. However when you arrive in NYC you find it All waiting, charming, calling for you, as you become part of the treasure hunted. It is a feeling that makes you comfortable right the way. So you are confident tracing paths of all of these immigrants that sang the fabulous stories of the "American Dream". And as a NYer you are blessed to make, participate, witness or narrate HISTORY that the World crave to hear or read.