The United States of America is home to several manmade wonders. Amongst these are buildings and dams. These are not just structures but architectural marvels, symbolising the power of engineering globally.
The Chrysler Building
Standing tall at 405 Lexington Avenue, Manhattan, New York is one of world’s most famous buildings – The Chrysler Building. This work of art and science both was designed by architect William Van Alen and is now owned by Abu Dhabi Investment Council. With its Art deco style of architecture it is amongst the finest building in the City of New York. The gothic aesthetics add to its attraction.
It was constructed between 1928 and 1930 for a car manufacturing company. Walter P. Chrysler the founder of the Chrysler Corporation bought the design and lease before starting working on this project. He added Chrysler radiator caps and eagle head hood ornamentsmade of stainless-steel to the original design. With 77 floors and height of over 1000 feet it became the tallest building in the World when it was completed. Soon after though it was surpassed by America’s other landmark – Empire State Building.
Today this iconic landmark features of several lists including the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, then the U.S. National Historic Landmark (1976) and the NYC Landmark (1978).
Chrysler Building together with the Chrysler East forms the Chrysler Center. Even though the original structure was constructed in 1930 it was recently renovated in 1998 and by middle of the year 2000 renovations were complete. It is noteworthy that this landmark is certified LEED® Gold for Existing Building and has a total rentable area of some 2,062,772 square feet.
There are no restaurants or observations decks on this skyscraper yet the lobby is a must visit. The remaining building has been leased to businesses from different industries and is not open to public. During the weekdays which are not federal holidays the lobby can be visited and there is no fee for that. Initially the lobby of the building was decked up with with Red Moroccan marble walls. The floors were sienna coloured. Edward Trumbull had artfully painted the ceiling murals. Later in the year 1978 the refurbishing of the lobby of this commercial office tower was undertaken by Joseph Pell Lombardi and JCS Design Associates.
Previously there was a private dining club on the 66 to 68 floors. While the 71st floor had a visitor centre which offered stunning views of the city. Without doubt the building can be easily spotted in the city during both day and night times. The accent lights make it a must view after the sun goes down. It has been shown in movies and remains one of the favourite buildings amongst the people in New York City.
America and its various tourist attractions are visited by millions every year. These include foreign nationals on tourist visa. Some also use the Visa Waiver Program as they are citizens of selected countries that may travel without any visa but with ESTA. If you have already applied for a Visa under this program; then you may always check your Esta Status.
