‘Rockefeller, Rockefeller, you’re my rockefella’
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/con4tini/51198626819/
The iconic photograph ‘Lunch atop a Skyscraper’, depicting workers resting for a meal during the construction of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, has been hanging in my office for many years.
Photo: Washington Post, “One of the most iconic photos of American workers is not what it seems”
Rockefeller Center is a large complex consisting of 19 commercial buildings covering 89,000 m² between 48th Street and 51st Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The 14 original Art Deco buildings, commissioned by the Rockefeller family, span the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue, split by a large sunken square and a private street called Rockefeller Plaza.
Photo: Samuel Herman Gottscho
For the project, 228 buildings on the site were razed and some 4,000 tenants relocated. The RKO Building was the first structure to be completed, in September 1932, followed by the Music Hall in December 1932 and the British Empire Building in April 1933.
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/con4tini/51060099412/
The complex’s famed Christmas tree in the center of the plaza was erected for the first time in December 1933. John Rockefeller installed a ceremonial final rivet on November 1, 1939, marking the completion of the original complex.
The construction of the project employed between 40,000 and 60,000 people. The complex was the largest private building project ever undertaken in contemporary times.
About the Author:
Bruno Dursin – Managing Director at Believe in Steel. Bruno has more than 30 years of experience in promoting steel & steel solutions. His clients benefit from his extensive network within the building industry.
