Which New York skyscraper was the world's tallest building from 1930 to 1931?

The Chrysler Building was the world’s tallest building from 1930 to 1931.

The Art Deco skyscraper stands at Lexington Avenue and 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan. Designed by architect William Van Alen for automobile magnate Walter Chrysler, it reached 1,046 feet (319 meters), including its distinctive stainless-steel spire. Construction began in January 1929, and the building officially opened on May 27, 1930.

The Chrysler Building won a fierce race with 40 Wall Street, whose developers had tried to claim the record. Its height surpassed the Woolworth Building on October 16, 1929, and the completed tower held the title of world’s tallest building from May 27, 1930, until May 1, 1931. The Empire State Building then overtook it.

A common mix-up is saying the Empire State Building held the record throughout the early 1930s. It became the tallest only in 1931. The Chrysler Building remains especially famous for its sunburst crown, triangular windows and stainless-steel automobile-inspired ornaments, including radiator-cap motifs and winged forms.