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Building an Empire: How a Single Structure Influenced a City

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Submitted By onewolverine
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Most Americans standing before the Empire State Building do not stare beyond its facade and question the history that has made it one of New York City's most prized landmarks. It is often viewed two-dimensionally, as a vertical line amongst other vertical lines in an impressive skyline. However, the Empire State Building is not so much a building as a capsule encompassing a three-dimensional space loaded with histories. It is necessary to address these histories dynamically, and from multiple historical angles in order to gain a more complete and multi-faceted understanding of the building. To discuss the Empire State Building, this paper will look beyond its presence as a building and question its history on a micro level, as well as the history it produced on a macro level, from the impact it had on the lives of poor laborers, to its impact throughout the entire nation and the rest of the world.
This discussion of the Empire State will start at the beginning, and address two characters that were foundational to its creation. The first of these men is John Jacob Raskob, the financial support that was necessary for the building's realization. Raskob chose real estate as a venue in which to invest because it was popularly regarded as safe and secure (Tauranac 98). He was not interested in investing in something that was perceived as glamorous and rather chose the path he imagined to have the least risk. The second man is Alfred E. Smith; he became a spokesperson of sorts to the building. As a politician, Smith was recognizable and well-liked by the public, and thus provided the Empire State with a positive image before it was even erected (Tauranac 90-91). The combined efforts of this dynamic duo made the construction of the building possible, but they would have been unable to actualize their dream without the help of hundreds of others.
These countless others were

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