The Empire State Building: icon and observatory

06-28-2009

Photo - The Empire State Building stands out against the New York City skyline. 

New York City - Nearly 80 years after it first opened to the public, the 102-story Empire State Building is again New York City's high point, enticing millions of visitors each year to fork out between $14 to $65 to witness the panoramic view from its upper stories. 

 

It's ironic that the high point of New York City is the result of architectural hubris and engineering miscalculations.

Soaring 1,463 feet, 8 3/4 inches from 34th Street to the tip of its spire, the Empire State Building has ranked as the highest structure in New York City since it opened on May 1, 1931, except of course for the three decades when the World Trade Center's twin towers stood taller.

Although the now iconic structure has proved to have the most popular outdoor observatories in the world, having been visited by more than 100 million people who have been elevated to its 86th-floor roof deck with its incomparable, 360-degree panorama of midtown Manhattan and the entire metropolitan area, it was conceived primarily to claim the title as the world's tallest building.

Designed in a mere two weeks and erected in just 410 days, the 85 floors of commercial space beneath that roof deck opened just in time for the Great Depression. Leasing all that space proved difficult for decades.

The distinctive, 16-story, art deco tower that caps the building adds to its stature but not to its rentable space, since its floors are empty. This pinnacle of panache, partially purposed to add height to the building, was designed to provide a midtown mooring platform for dirigibles.

That notion quickly proved impractical because of strong eddies and updrafts and that swirl around the building, not to mention the flammable nature of the ill-fated aircraft themselves. Once the aerodrome idea was abandoned the 86th floor roof deck and enclosed capsule on the 102nd floor was re-conceived as public viewing platforms.

The Empire State Building's significance as New York's high point proved immediately profitable. The $2 million in entrance fees the pinnacle produced the first year after it opened matched the building's total rental income.

The 203-foot spire on top of the tower was added in 1953 to accommodate television signals being broadcast from the tower, which was already the area's highest antenna.

Nearly 80 years after it was unveiled, the unobstructed view from the top remains the Big Apple's best vantage point, as well as a powerful tourism magnet, attracting more than half a million visitors from around the world last year. Most come to experience the roof deck and peer over the parapet between the high metal claws that discourage climbers. On a clear day, you can see the Earth's arc on the horizon.

(For full 360 degree panorama, visit http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Skyline-New-York-City.jpg)

Of course, cloudy and hazy days are another matter, and on the morning I stopped by several weeks ago, the building was enveloped in a cloud that obscured pretty much everything. In fact, it was surprising how many people still came to the top, even when there was no view at all.

The peak of the Empire State Building is open every day between 8 a.m. and 2 a.m., so there's ample opportunity to visit. The elevator ride up to the 86th floor takes less than a minute, but since space on the roof deck is limited, access is tightly managed, which creates backups.

On clear days during peak summer months, spending time in line, going through security, buying tickets and getting to the top can take two hours.

And although the view can be unforgettable, that elevator ride is no Big Apple bargain, especially for a family.

If purchased on site, a basic ticket up to the 86th floor costs $20 for adults (13 to 61), $18 for seniors (62 and older), $14 for children (6 to 13) and free for military in uniform and toddlers 5 or younger accompanied by a paying adult.

Getting to the 102nd floor observatory requires a separate ticket that costs $15 per person and can only be purchased at the building. An optional audio tour costs $8. Visitors who don't have the time or patience to stand in the lines can buy Express Passes to the 86th floor, which cost $45 for all ages and let holders go to the head of each line.

For that reason, buying tickets online () instead of on site makes more sense, but adds a surcharge of $2 or $3 per ticket.

Other prominent Biig Apple vantage points

The three-level observation deck of the Top of the Rock at the 70-story Rockefeller Center in Midtown

The 10th-floor pedestal observation level at the Statue of Liberty reopens for the first time since 9/11 on the Fourth of July.

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