How New York Got Its Skyline
Why do so many of New York's older skyscrapers have a similar design? The answer can be traced back to a monumental 1916 zoning law, which established ...
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In a city packed with iconic skyscrapers, the Equitable Building, in the heart of New York City's Financial District, might not seem to stand out. But according to legend, this skyscraper was once considered so obscenely large that it led to the first major zoning law in the United States. And because of that law, it was the last skyscraper of its kind. (light contemporary orchestral music) When it was completed in 1915, the Equitable Building was the largest office building in the world, and an engineering marvel. The building had one problem: it was too big. Designed to maximize rentable office space, it was basically a 40-story H-shaped box crammed onto an acre-sized city block. When it was built, New Yorkers were in an uproar over the "evil effect" of its size. Neighb...
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In a city packed with iconic skyscrapers, the Equitable Building, in the heart of New York City's Financial District, might not seem to stand out. But according to legend, this skyscraper was once considered so obscenely large that it led to the first major zoning law in the United States. And because of that law, it was the last skyscraper of its kind. (light contemporary orchestral music) When it was completed in 1915, the Equitable Building was the largest office building in the world, and an engineering marvel. The building had one problem: it was too big. Designed to maximize rentable office space, it was basically a 40-story H-shaped box crammed onto an acre-sized city block. When it was built, New Yorkers were in an uproar over the "evil effect" of its size. Neighb...
