The History of Skyscrapers

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how the skyscrapers of Manhattan were built for several reasons, including limited land, but also to show off power and wealth. The paper discusses how many skyscrapers there were in Manhattan by 1930 and whether there were concerns expressed about the impact of skyscrapers on the city and its people. The paper looks at how land values were affected by the boom in Manhattan skyscrapers and explores what it was like to work on the skyscrapers in Manhattan in the early 1900s. The paper notes that urban America will likely never see an architectural explosion like that again.

Outline:
How Many Skyscrapers Were There in Manhattan by 1930?
Were There Concerns Expressed about the Impact of Skyscrapers on the City and its People?
How Were Land Values Affected by the Boom in Manhattan Skyscrapers? What Was it Like to Work on the Skyscrapers in Manhattan in the Early 1900s?
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The skyscrapers of Manhattan were built for several reasons; the most pragmatic reason of course, was that the New York City (Manhattan) land area was very limited, and buildings had nowhere to go but up. Other pivotal reasons for the emergence of skyscrapers, according to author Karen Barss (www.infoplease.com), include these: "...big buildings have been used to show off power and wealth"; there has been shown in cities a need to "...stretch the limits of what's possible"; and there was a sense of "competition among owners, families, architects, and builders.""

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bass, Karen, "The History of Skyscrapers: A Race to the Top," InfoPlease, 2006, Available from http://www.infoplease.com/spot/skyscraperhistory.html.
• Hagberg, Eva and English, Katharine. "A Short History of the Manhattan Skyscraper Or:Why We Build Tall Buildings." Project Rebirth. 2005. Available from http://www.projectrebirth.org/rebuild/architecture/ManhattanSkyscrapers/zone.html.
• Halsall, Paul. "The Woolworth Building." Medieval New York: The Woolworth Building Fordham University. 2004. Available from http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/medny.html.
• Leonard, Devin. "Curse of the Skyscraper." Fortune. 5 September, 2005. Available fromExpanded Academic ASAP Plus
• Mitchell, Joseph. "The Mohawks in High Steel (1949)." American Experience: The Center of The World - New York: A Documentary Film. Available fromhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/newyork/filmmore/ps_02.html.

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