Before undertaking this project, you should be aware of two excellent books (described below) in print on the construction of the Empire State Building.

There is probably room for another book, especially if well-illustrated in a larger format than the other two.

For my money, I think a detailed, well illustrated book on the construction of the World Trade Center and its adjacent neighbors, including Battery Park City, would be timely and far more needed.

(1)

Building the Empire State
Carol Willis, editor
With essays by Carol Willis and Donald Friedman
W.W. Norton, 1998. ISBN 0-393-73030-1
Illustrated, 160 pages

"A rediscovered 1930s notebook charts the construction of the Empire State Building.  The construction of the Empire State Building was orchestrated by general contractors Starrett Brothers and Eken, premier "skyline builders" of the 1920s. They scheduled the delivery of materials and the construction and recorded daily the number of workers by trade. Compiled from these records, an in-house notebook documented the construction process. Meticulously typed on graph paper and illustrated with construction photographs, this unique document combines a professional specificity of detail with a charming rhapsody to the firm's crowning achievement.

"Carol Willis, an architectural historian and founder of The Skyscraper Museum, and Donald Friedman, a structural engineer, live in New York City.

"Constructed in eleven months, the 1250-foot Empire State Building, the world's tallest skyscraper from 1931 to 1971, was a marvel of modern engineering. The frame rose more than a story a day; no comparable building since has matched that rate of ascent." (from Norton Spring 1998 catalog)


(2)

The Empire State Building : The Making of a Landmark
John Tauranac
Paperback - 383 pages (May 1997)
St. Martin's Press; ISBN: 0312148240

Editorial Reviews:

Nathan Glazer, The New York Times Book Review, December 3, 1995:
"Mr. Tauranac knows the architecture and buildings of New York as few do. He takes us through the story of the skyscraper as a form, the zoning that emerged to control the tall buildings, the real-estate boom of the 20's, the history of the site, the careers of John J. Raskob and Al Smith and the architects and builders who designed and erected the building, and the building's subsequent career."

The New Yorker, January 8, 1996:
"Although the Empire State Building is no longer the tallest building in the world (or even in New York City), it remains mythical, iconic. This entrancing book is at once an appreciation of the structure as a practical work of art and an exploration of the building's role in the city and the world."




David W. Palmquist
Head, Chartering Program
NY State Museum
State Education Department
3090 Cultural Education Center
Albany NY 12230
518-473-3131
FAX 518-473-8496
e-mail:  [log in to unmask]
web site:  www.nysm.nysed.gov/charter/

>>> [log in to unmask] 10/01/01 08:05AM >>>
I found the following message in my inbox this morning. Perhaps someone on this listserv can be helpful?

Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to you from Quintet Publishing in London, part of the Quarto
Group of companies.

Back in August I began research on a book project that we had under study
here regarding the construction of the Empire State Building, provisionally
entitled THIRTEEN MONTHS TO GO.

Much has happened since then and we have all been shocked and appalled by the
terrible events of September 11. Of course the proposal was put to one side
as it seemed inappropriate to pursue the subject in the face of everything
that had happened.

However we have now made the decision to move ahead with our original idea,
based on our commitment that the book shall celebrate the construction of a
building that symbolized the beginning of hope and optimism for New York
during the Great Depression, but also as a tribute to the spirit of New
Yorkers, then and now, whose determination remains in the face of adversity
and atrocity.

The book concept is a gloriously illustrated account of the construction of
the Empire State Building from its foundations to its peak; the immense labor
and sweat involved by the thousands of construction wokers, electricians,
welders, and grafters who swung from cables, scaled girders, and balanced on
precipices - many of whom even managed a determined smile for the camera.  We
would like to capture the mood and tone of the era with photography,
illustration, and ephemera to set the construction of this great building in
its social and historical context.

Initially I am looking for someone to prepare a synopsis for this title.
Primarily I need someone with the relevant knowledge and expertise but also
someone with the ability to tell a good story. I would be very grateful if
you could suggest some individuals, societies, or organisations I could
contact.

Please do not hesitate to contact me by 'phone or email if you would like to
know more about the project.

Kindest regards


Debbie Foy
Commissioning Editor
T: 0207 700 8522
E (home): [log in to unmask]
E (work): [log in to unmask]

Judy P. Hohmann
Director of Public Programs and Outreach
New York State Archives
9B70 Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230
Phone: (518) 473-9098
Fax: (518) 473-9987