The pressure was on to construct the Empire State Building quickly in order to keep costs down. With a looming deadline of 18 months from drawing board to dedication ceremony, the [L3 305 / builders] had to find many ways to move quickly and stick to the [L3 306 / schedule] without sacrificing safety or quality. A building that tall would require, among other things, larger heating ducts and plumbing pipes, more and faster elevators, and sturdier building [G 03 / columns].
Construction of the Empire State Building established many records that have not been broken to this day. That it did so is a tribute to the imagination, talent and organization, not just of the architects, but of the engineers and subcontractors as well. Just as important, the [L3 427 / craftsmen] who built the structure, did so with dedication and love.
[L3 205 / William Lamb] introduced many efficiencies in his [L3 431 / design] in order to facilitate the work. New York zoning laws required [G 13 / setbacks] in buildings so that sunlight would reach the ground and so that air could circulate. [L3 301 / Lamb's design] turned this potential drawback into an asset. Another innovation was his approach to the 6,500 [L3 302 / windows] in the building.
After the Waldorf-Astoria had been razed and cleared, excavation for the Empire State's [G 08 / foundation] began on January 22, 1930. However, because of the Waldorf's deep sub-basements, the new building required only an additional five feet of digging, thus saving time and money. Excavation went on 24 hours a day; foundations were laid on one side, while digging continued on the other.
