Guessing is not a strategy: How to build decision velocity with AI and real-time data
June 10, 2026 | Live Webinar
Empire Lessons (Part 2)
Bob Weinstein is a journalist who covers technology, project management, the workplace and career development.
When Starrett Brothers & Eken undertook the building of the EmpireStateBuilding, they knew it was a project that would both advance the architectural design of skyscrapers and test classic project management principles.
The building would also be another opulent monument to the Astor family, which already owned some of the most prestigious locations in New York City. The site of the EmpireStateBuilding had been bought by William Backhouse Astor in 1827, when it was a farm. His descendents later built the Waldorf (1893) and the Astoria (1897) hotels. The combined Waldorf-Astoria was torn down and rebuilt in 1931 at its present location on 50th Street and Park Avenue.
Overcoming problems early on
Putting up the EmpireStateBuilding in the middle of crowded Manhattan meant dealing with two serious problems. The first was the bustling city traffic, constant for more than 12 hours every day. Hauling materials to and from the site would seriously interrupt the massive army of people scurrying through midtown. And second and most important, there was the possibility of serious, life-threatening accidents during the movement and placement of thousands of pounds of heavy equipment.
To avoid both these problems, a modular assembly type of construction was employed. Rather than import sections of the building so they could be assembled on-site, sections …
Please log in or sign up below to read the rest of the article.
ADVERTISEMENTS
|
The second day of a diet is always easier than the first. By the second day you're off it. - Jackie Gleason |