Empire State Building

Corporate brand

A landmark Art Deco skyscraper, office property, observatory attraction, and globally recognized symbol of New York City.

Last updated October 7, 2026

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Overview

The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper at 350 Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Completed in 1931 during the Great Depression, it became one of the defining architectural and cultural symbols of the United States. Its distinctive setbacks, limestone façade, illuminated tower, and central spire have made it one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The building was developed during a period of intense competition among New York developers to construct the city’s tallest skyscraper. Its principal development backers included John J. Raskob and former New York governor Alfred E. Smith, while the architectural design was produced by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon. Construction proceeded at remarkable speed, and the building opened on May 1, 1931. At 1,250 feet to the roof and 1,454 feet including its antenna, it surpassed the Chrysler Building to become the world’s tallest building, a distinction it retained until the completion of the original World Trade Center’s North Tower in 1972. The property combines commercial office space, retail, broadcasting infrastructure, public observation facilities, and extensive licensing and partnership activity. Its 86th-floor and 102nd-floor observatories are the best-known visitor offerings, providing views over Manhattan and the surrounding metropolitan region. The tower’s lighting system is used for public commemorations, cultural events, charitable initiatives, sports celebrations, product activations, and entertainment promotions. The building’s image and name are also licensed for approved merchandise, advertising, media, and experiential campaigns. The Empire State Building’s cultural influence extends far beyond real estate. Its appearance in King Kong, An Affair to Remember, Sleepless in Seattle, and many other films, television programs, photographs, and advertisements has embedded it in popular culture. The building is also associated with New York’s identity as a global business and tourism center. Its observatory operation treats the property as a destination brand rather than merely an office tower, using social media, public relations, digital advertising, partnerships, and projection events to attract visitors and maintain relevance. Ownership and control have undergone several important changes. In 1961, a group associated with Lawrence Wien and Harry Helmsley acquired control through a complex lease and investor structure involving thousands of individual participants. Decades later, the Malkin family pursued a restructuring that combined the Empire State Building with other New York-area properties in a publicly traded real estate investment trust. After litigation and shareholder opposition, Empire State Realty Trust completed its initial public offering in 2013 and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in October of that year. The building remains the trust’s flagship asset. A major modernization and repositioning program, including a substantial observatory redevelopment completed during the 2010s, sought to improve visitor circulation, interpretation, digital engagement, and the overall experience. The property has also been promoted as an energy-efficiency and sustainability example within the commercial office sector. Today, the Empire State Building remains an active office and retail property, a major New York tourist attraction, an advertising and licensing platform, and an enduring architectural landmark.

History

The Empire State Building was conceived during New York City’s late-1920s skyscraper race, when developers competed to establish new records for height and prestige. The project was associated with John J. Raskob and Alfred E. Smith, and the architectural work was undertaken by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon. The site had previously been occupied by the Waldorf-Astoria hotel. The building’s design used the setbacks required by New York zoning rules, producing its characteristic tiered silhouette and allowing daylight to reach surrounding streets. Construction began in 1930 and advanced with unusual speed. The structure opened on May 1, 1931, in the depths of the Great Depression. At 102 stories and 1,250 feet to the roof, it became the world’s tallest building, surpassing the Chrysler Building. Its intended mooring mast for airships was never used as originally envisioned, but the spire became an important part of the tower’s profile. The building’s early years were commercially difficult because the Depression limited demand for office space; its nickname, the “Empty State Building,” reflected high vacancy during the period. The skyscraper’s public identity grew rapidly through media and popular culture. Its role in the 1933 film King Kong made it an international cinematic symbol, while later appearances in films such as An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle reinforced its association with romance, ambition, danger, and New York itself. Its observation decks also established a durable tourism business alongside its office function. The building remained the world’s tallest until 1972, when the original World Trade Center’s North Tower took the title. After the World Trade Center was destroyed in 2001, the Empire State Building again became New York City’s most prominent completed skyscraper, although it was no longer the tallest building in the United States. Its tower lights became a flexible civic and cultural communications system, changing color for holidays, charitable causes, sporting achievements, public-health messages, and major events. A significant ownership transition began in 1961, when Lawrence Wien and Harry Helmsley became associated with control of the property through a long-term lease and a syndicate structure involving thousands of investors. This arrangement made the building unusual: control, economic interests, and management rights were distributed among related entities and individual participants. In the early 2010s, Peter and Anthony Malkin pursued a roll-up of the Empire State Building and other properties into a publicly traded REIT. The proposal generated sustained opposition and litigation from some investors, who questioned the consequences for their interests and the valuation of the transaction. Courts rejected a legal challenge in 2013, and the required shareholder approval was subsequently obtained. Empire State Realty Trust completed its initial public offering in October 2013, with the Empire State Building as its flagship asset. The public company structure placed the landmark within a broader portfolio of office and retail properties in New York and Connecticut. During the 2010s, the property underwent a major redevelopment of its observatories and visitor facilities. The project was intended to improve the arrival sequence, circulation, interpretation, digital content, and separation between office operations and tourism. Marketing agencies also helped move the building’s promotion from conventional commercial-real-estate advertising toward digital campaigns, email programs, social media, influencer content, and targeted advertising. In the 2020s, the building continued to operate as an office property and tourist attraction while expanding its role as a media and experiential platform. Its lighting, façade, name, image, and observation spaces support partnerships, licensing, product promotion, entertainment launches, and civic initiatives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Heroes Shine Bright campaign used the tower lights to honor first responders and essential workers. More recent marketing activity has emphasized the building’s personality, cultural meaning, and ability to serve as a highly visible creative canvas. The Empire State Building therefore functions simultaneously as historic architecture, commercial real estate, an attraction, a communications medium, and a globally licensed brand.

2025
Social-media and projection-led brand strategy highlighted
[9]Old Building, New Foundation: The Empire State Building’s Social Media Makeoveradweek.com
Empire State Realty Trust marketing leaders discuss using social content, cultural partnerships, and the building as a creative media canvas.
2020
Heroes Shine Bright
[8]The Empire State Building thanks first responders with Heroes Shine Brightexchange4media.com
The tower-lighting program honors first responders and essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2015
Observatory redevelopment period begins
[4]The Empire State Building Client Case Studyosborndesign.works
The observatory redevelopment becomes a central part of the property’s visitor-experience and marketing repositioning.
2013
IPO restructuring receives approval
[7]I.P.O. for Empire State Building Wins Backing of Shareholdersdealbook.nytimes.com
After litigation and a shareholder campaign, the building is combined with other properties under Empire State Realty Trust’s public-company structure.
2013
Empire State Realty Trust lists on the NYSE
[5]Empire State Building IPO prices at $13 per sharereuters.com
The REIT owning the landmark begins public trading under the ticker ESRT.
1972
Loses world-tallest-building title
[1]Empire State Buildingen.wikipedia.org
The original World Trade Center’s North Tower surpasses the Empire State Building in height.
1961
Long-term investor and lease structure begins
[10]Long-term investor and lease structure beginsreuters.com
Lawrence Wien and Harry Helmsley become associated with control through a complex lease and syndicate arrangement involving thousands of investors.
1933
King Kong establishes the building’s cinematic identity
[1]Empire State Buildingen.wikipedia.org
The building’s appearance in King Kong helps make it an enduring international symbol of New York.
1931
Building opens and becomes the world’s tallest
[1]Empire State Buildingen.wikipedia.org
The Empire State Building opens on May 1 and takes the title of the world’s tallest building at 102 stories.
1930
Construction begins
[1]Empire State Buildingen.wikipedia.org
Work begins on the planned Art Deco skyscraper at the former Waldorf-Astoria site in Midtown Manhattan.

Products and positioning

A premium global landmark and destination brand combining iconic architecture, Manhattan office real estate, cultural symbolism, tourism, and experiential marketing.

Tourism and attractions · 1931
86th Floor Observatory
The principal outdoor observation experience, located on the 86th floor, offers panoramic views of Manhattan and the wider New York metropolitan area. It is the building’s most established visitor attraction and a central component of the Empire State Building’s destination-brand identity.
Tourism and attractions · 1931
102nd Floor Observatory
An enclosed upper-level observation facility providing a higher-altitude viewing experience than the 86th-floor deck. It forms part of the modern observatory offering and supports premium visitor experiences.
Commercial real estate · 1931
Office and retail space
The building contains substantial Midtown Manhattan office space together with retail and dining uses. Leasing activity remains a core economic function, while the building’s historic identity and location support its positioning as a prestigious commercial address.
Experiential marketing
Tower lighting and projection platform
The illuminated tower and visible façade operate as a high-impact communications platform for civic tributes, charitable causes, cultural events, entertainment promotions, and brand partnerships. Activations can involve lighting changes, façade projections, social content, and media relations.
Licensing
Brand licensing
Approved partners may license the Empire State Building name, image, and likeness for advertising, media, apparel, merchandise, souvenirs, and other promotional uses. Licensing is managed separately from on-site partnership activations and is subject to brand standards.

Marketing campaigns

2025Social-media and cultural-canvas strategy
United States · International
The Empire State Building’s marketing team emphasized personality-led social content, cultural relevance, partnerships, and the use of the tower as a projection and promotional canvas. Examples discussed publicly included entertainment-related activations involving major media brands.
Outcome. The strategy was presented as a way to broaden the building’s identity beyond an observation deck and maintain engagement with New York residents, travelers, and online audiences.
Source
2020Heroes Shine Bright
United States · International
A weeklong lighting initiative dedicated the tower’s colors to first-responder organizations and essential workers during the COVID-19 crisis. The campaign used the building’s most recognizable physical asset to express solidarity and gratitude.
Outcome. The campaign generated public recognition for frontline workers and encouraged audiences to participate through the #HeroesShineBright theme.
Source
2015Observatory redevelopment marketing and digital repositioning
United States · International
Empire State Realty Trust and agency partners developed marketing, design, websites, landing pages, email automation, influencer materials, and targeted digital advertising around the observatory redevelopment and broader property portfolio.
Outcome. The program helped shift promotion from traditional commercial-real-estate and out-of-home formats toward integrated digital and performance-oriented marketing.
Source

Brand decisions

2015
Modernization and repositioning of the observatory experienceStrategy
Background
The landmark sought to improve visitor experience and strengthen the observatory’s role within a broader destination and marketing strategy.
Action taken
Empire State Realty Trust pursued redevelopment and supported new digital, social, email, influencer, and advertising programs around the observatories.
Aftermath
The observatory became a more deliberately designed tourism and brand-engagement product rather than only a traditional viewing deck.
Source
2013
Roll-up into Empire State Realty TrustM&A
Background
The building’s longstanding ownership structure involved thousands of investors and generated disagreement over whether the property should remain in its existing arrangement or be combined with other assets in a public REIT.
Action taken
The controlling Malkin interests pursued shareholder approval to combine the Empire State Building with 18 other New York-area properties and create a publicly traded real estate investment trust.
Aftermath
A court challenge was rejected, the approval threshold was reached, and Empire State Realty Trust subsequently completed its IPO and listed on the NYSE.
IPO price per share. $13 per share at the 2013 IPO (2013)
Source

Recent events

2021.12.14
Reported2021.12.14
Empire State Building announces updated student curriculum[11]帝国大厦宣布推出更新版学生课程prnewswire.com
The Empire State Building, in partnership with Bank Street College of Education, announced updated interactive lesson plans for student group visits to its Observatory Experience.
2021.07.29
Reported2021.07.29
Empire State Building announces Observatory pop-up program with My Cookie Dealer[12]帝国大厦宣布与 My Cookie Dealer 合作推出观景台快闪项目prnewswire.com
The Empire State Building announced an Observatory pop-up program with New York businesses, naming My Cookie Dealer as its first vendor. My Cookie Dealer was scheduled to begin operating at the Observatory on August 5, 2021.
2021.07.04
Reported2021.07.05
Empire State Building partners with Macy’s for July 4 fireworks[13]帝国大厦与梅西百货合作呈现7月4日烟花表演prnewswire.com
The Empire State Building partnered with Macy’s for the July 4 fireworks celebration, with fireworks launched from the building as part of the show.
2020.04.28
Reported2020.04.28
Empire State Building launches #HeroesShineBright campaign[14]帝国大厦启动 #HeroesShineBright 活动indiantelevision.com
The Empire State Building announced the launch of its #HeroesShineBright campaign to thank first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign included nightly tower lightings from April 24 through May 2.
2020.03.30
Reported2020.03.30
Empire State Building and iHeartMedia collaborate on a light-and-sound show[15]帝国大厦与 iHeartMedia 合作推出灯光音乐秀business-standard.com
Empire State Realty Trust and iHeartMedia collaborated on a light-and-sound show featuring the Empire State Building's tower lights and New York radio station Z100. The show began March 27 and was scheduled to continue through April 2.
2019.10.11
Reported2019.10.11
Empire State Building announces opening of renovated 102nd-floor observatory[16]帝国大厦宣布翻新后的102楼观景台将开放prnasia.com
Empire State Building announced that the completed third phase of its Observatory Experience renovation, the renovated 102nd-floor observatory, was scheduled to open to the public on October 12, 2019. The observatory features floor-to-ceiling glass windows.
2015
Reported2016.01.11
Empire State Building wins observation deck award[17]帝国大厦荣获观景台奖项eturbonews.com
The Empire State Building won the “Best Observation Deck” category in the 2015 AttractionTix Worldwide Attraction Awards.

Sources18 sources

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