Page 85 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

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g Empire State to build this 102-story lime-
Building stone and brick skyscraper,
with an average of four and
Map D3. 350 5th Ave. Tel (212) 736- a half stories added every week.
3100. q B, D, F, N, Q, R, 1, 2, 3 to The 102nd floor can be visited
34th St; 6 to 33rd St. @ Q32, for an additional fee. Each
M1–M5, M16, M34. Observatories: February, the annual Empire
Open 8am–2am. Last elevators
at 1:15am. & 7 9 0 State Run-Up is held, when
∑ esbnyc.com 150 runners race up the 1,576
steps from the lobby to the
The Empire State Building is 86th floor (known for its
New York’s tallest and most outdoor observation decks),
impressive skyscraper. Construc- in 10 minutes.
tion began in March 1930, not
long after the stock market 102nd-floor The building was
crash, and, by the time it opened observatory planned to be 86 Macy’s 34th Street entrance
in 1931, space was so difficult stories high, but a
150-ft (46-m)
to rent that it was nicknamed mooring mast for h Herald Square
“the Empty State Building.” Only zeppelins was added. Map D3. 6th Ave. q 34th St- Penn
the immediate popularity of the The mast, Station.
observatories saved the now 204 ft (62 m),
transmits TV and
building from bankruptcy – radio to the city and Named after the New York
to date, they have attracted four states. Herald, which had its offices
more than 120 million visitors – here from 1893 to 1921, the
but the building soon became square was the hub of the
a symbol of the city the world rowdy, mid-19th-century theater
over. It only took 410 days district known as the Tenderloin
High- District. Theaters, dance halls,
speed
Colored floodlighting of the elevators hotels, and restaurants kept
top 30 floors marks special and travel at up the area humming with life
seasonal events. to 1,000 ft until reformers clamped down
(305 m) a on sleaze in the 1890s. The
The framework is made from minute. ornamental clock, on an
60,000 tons of steel and was built island where Broadway meets
in 23 weeks. 6th Avenue, is all that survives
of the Herald Building.
Aluminum panels Herald Square became a
were used instead of mecca for shoppers after the
stone around the Manhattan Opera House was
6,500 windows. The
steel trim masks rough Ten million razed in 1901 to make way
edges on the facing. bricks were for Macy’s. The “world’s largest
used to line store” began modestly. It was
the entire founded by former whaler
building. Rowland Hussey Macy in
Sandwich space
between the floors 1857; the red star logo was
houses the wiring, from his tattoo, a souvenir of
pipes, and cables. his sailing days. The store was
sold in 1888 and moved to
its present premises in 1902.
The 34th Street façade still
has its original clock, canopy,
and lettering.
Macy’s sponsors New York’s
famous Thanksgiving Day
parade (see p41) and the Fourth
of July fireworks. Its annual
Spring Flower Show draws
thousands of visitors.
= Macy’s
151 W 34th St. Tel (212) 695-4400.
Open 9:30am–10pm Mon–Fri,
Fifth Avenue Entrance Lobby, 10am–10pm Sat, 11am–9pm Sun.
Empire State Building Closed public hols. ∑ macys.com

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