Chrysler building essays

William Van Alen, an extremely talented and elaborate architect working under William H. Reynolds, drew up blueprints for the sixty-seven-story skyscraper to be built on 405 Lexington Avenue. [ 2] Reynolds, failed to fund the project, but owned a valuable sixty-seven-year lease on an extraordinary site.

Chrysler was one hell of a man and could provide the site with what it deserved: a mind-blowing masterpiece that would accent the New York City skyline for decades to come. Obstacles occurred such as the race to the sky with the Manhattan Company Building, but the clever Chrysler always overcame them.

A month and a day after Chrysler’s reveal, The Manhattan Company released word that a 63 story building capped by a sparkling finial would finish by May 1, 1930. Its architect, Craig Severance cleared up, however, that it would actually be 67 stories, the same as the Chrysler building, and have fifty feet on it.

Old, reliable techniques such as the “plug and feather” and “growler” methods, where stone would get chipped away chunk by chunk, became popular among the demo crew. Another process included quicklime, a chemical that releases gas. It prompted the expansion of gases to break away tougher spots.