The Empire State Building became a National Historic Landmark in 1986.
The designation recognized the skyscraper’s exceptional importance in American architectural and cultural history. Designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon in the Art Deco style, it was built at remarkable speed between 1930 and 1931 and opened on May 1, 1931, during the Great Depression.
Several landmark dates are easy to mix up. New York City designated the building and its lobby as city landmarks in 1981. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, while its National Historic Landmark designation followed in 1986. These are separate preservation programs with different levels and purposes.
At 102 stories, the building was the world’s tallest from its completion until 1970, when the North Tower of the World Trade Center surpassed it. Its observation decks, limestone-and-aluminum ornament, setbacks, and illuminated spire made it an enduring symbol of New York and one of the best-known expressions of American Art Deco.