^{Chrysler Building Spire, 2010 by James Maher.}

Prints of these photographs, along with more Chrysler Building images, are available in my Chrysler Building print gallery.

A Jewel in the Sky: The Chrysler Building

Updated July 2026 · by James Maher, photographer and NYC historian

The Chrysler Building is New York’s Art Deco masterpiece — completed in 1930, briefly the tallest building in the world thanks to a spire assembled in secret, and still the skyscraper New Yorkers point to when asked which one they love. I’m James Maher, a photographer and NYC historian, and I’ve spent over 20 years photographing and researching this building — the eagles, the lobby, the crown, and the stories behind them are all below.

The Chrysler Building is an example of a building caught up in the quest to become the tallest in the world, which it obtained briefly for 11 months before it was surpassed by the Empire State Building. But because of its iconic and beautiful design, the height of the building never really mattered.

A classic example of Art Deco architecture, the Chrysler Building is considered by many contemporary architects to be one of the finest buildings in the world. In 2005, New York’s Skyscraper Museum asked one hundred architects, builders, critics, engineers and historians to choose their 10 favorite New York towers. The Chrysler Building came in first place with 90% of people ranking it #1.

The Chrysler Building in 2026

Nearly a century in, the Chrysler Building is having one of the most dramatic chapters of its life — off camera. Cooper Union, which has owned the land under the building since 1902, evicted longtime operator RFR Holding in 2024 over more than $21 million in unpaid ground rent, and in 2026 Tishman Speyer entered exclusive talks to take the building over. It’s a strange fate for the most beloved skyscraper in New York: the crown still catches the evening light the way it did in 1930, while the paperwork underneath it churns. Whoever ends up holding the keys, the building has outlasted every owner it’s ever had — that’s rather the point of it.

History of the Chrysler Building

The project for the Chrysler Building began as a collaboration between architect William Van Alen and contractor William H. Reynolds. Van Alen’s original design was very ambitious, containing a decorative ‘diamond’ crown, showroom windows that were tripled in height and topped with a 12 story section of glass corners, lightening the look of the building. But his designs proved to be too expensive and advanced for Reynolds’ tastes, who sold the design and lease to industrialist Walter P. Chrysler.

Chrysler saw an opportunity in the project. The east 42nd street area, once glamorous in the time that Grand Central Station was completed, had become commercially cheap with lots of available space. Chrysler believed that he could breathe life back into the area with a brand new iconic building. So much so that Van Alen’s design turned out to be not ambitious enough, and he had Van Alen redesign his plans to add additional stories.

They were to go for the title of tallest building in the world.

The building also shifted its aesthetic to represent the Chrysler automobile and the machine age of the 1920s. Gargoyles and eagles ornamented the building like the hood ornaments of the Plymouth automobile. The corner ornaments were made to look like the 1929 Chrysler radiator caps.

The idea to become the tallest building in the world came out of Walter P. Chrysler’s hubris. It was, in his mind, a huge monument to himself. The project was financed out of his own pocket, ensuring that his sons would get ownership. He was to have an office suite and apartment with an exquisite dining room at the top and asked his builders to make sure his toilet was the highest in Manhattan, so that he could look down and as an observer put it, “shit on Henry Ford and the rest of the world.”

The quest for height supremacy continued in secret. Being built simultaneously, 40 Wall Street was also boasting of becoming the tallest building in the world. Financed by a 34-year-old banker nicknamed “the kid”, and designed by Craig Severance, Van Alen’s estranged former partner, 40 Wall Street’s spire was lengthened by 60 feet to push it to 925 feet, or 85 feet taller than the Chrysler building’s plan.

So Chrysler and Van Alen decided to add a surprise 186-foot spire. They hoisted 4 parts of the spire secretly to the top and riveted them together in 90 minutes. 40 Wall Street even held a celebration for being the tallest building in the world, without realizing that they had been passed.

But Chrysler’s victory would only last for 11 months when the Empire State Building passed it as the tallest building in the world. But here we see that the quest for the world’s tallest building didn’t really matter, as buildings will always be built taller. In the end, it was Van Alen’s design that is most iconic. It may not be the tallest building in New York, but it is the best looking.

^{Grand Central Station and Chrysler Building, 2012 by James Maher}

^{Chrysler Building from 42nd Street, 2012 by James Maher}

The Chrysler Building Lobby

The Chrysler Building Lobby is possibly the most ornate and expensive lobby in the entire city. When walking in, the first thing that hits you is the amazing mural that covers the entire ceiling. A tribute to the age in which it was created, it is filled with Deco triangles, sharp angles, slightly curved lines, chrome detailing, and a multitude of patterns.

The lobby shows scenes primarily of the workers that created the building, as well as tributes to the airplane and the age of flight.

The lobby is open to the public on weekdays during business hours — free, no ticket required — and since the observation deck closed in 1945, it’s the only part of the building visitors can see. It’s also one of the great free things to see in New York. I end one of my private NYC photo tours here — it’s the best finale in Midtown.

The gorgeous walls of the lobby are made with a very expensive African marble. It is clear that no expense was spared when creating the building. The random yet repeated patterns play off the style of the rest of the lobby extremely well.

The lighting in the lobby was fairly sparse and somewhat dim, even though the fixtures were powerful and iconic. Both factors created wonderful mood lighting and enhanced the scene.

Facts:

– Floors: 77

– Elevators: 34

– Tallest building in the world from 1930 to 1931

– Cost: $15 million

– The Chrysler Corporation sold the building in the mid 1950s

– 391,831 rivets used

Chrysler Building FAQ

What is the Chrysler Building famous for?

Its Art Deco design — the sunburst stainless-steel crown, the eagle gargoyles modeled on Chrysler hood ornaments, and the race for the sky: architect William Van Alen assembled the 125-foot spire in secret and raised it through the roof in 1930 to snatch the “world’s tallest” title from 40 Wall Street. It held that title for less than a year before the Empire State Building passed it.

When was the Chrysler Building built?

Construction ran from 1928 to 1930 at the frantic pace of about four floors a week, and the building was completed on May 28th, 1930.

How tall is the Chrysler Building?

1,046 feet (318.9 meters). It was the first man-made structure in the world to stand taller than 1,000 feet, and it was the tallest building in the world from 1930 to 1931.

How many floors is the Chrysler Building?

The Chrysler Building has 77 floors, served by 34 elevators.

Who designed the Chrysler Building?

The Chrysler Building was designed by architect William Van Alen but pushed to become the tallest building in the world by financier and industrialist Walter P. Chrysler. Many of the design elements of the building are directly related to Chrysler automobiles.

Why was the Chrysler Building built?

Walter P. Chrysler saw an opportunity for the East 42nd Street area to grow substantially, but mainly he wanted the building to be a personal monument to himself — he financed it out of his own pocket so his sons would inherit it.

Can you go inside the Chrysler Building?

The lobby, yes — it’s open to the public on weekdays during business hours, free, no ticket. The red Moroccan marble, the Edward Trumbull ceiling mural, and the marquetry elevator doors are worth the trip alone. There is no observation deck — it closed in 1945 — so the lobby is the only part visitors can see.

Who owns the Chrysler Building?

It’s complicated — and historic. Cooper Union has owned the land beneath the building since 1902. In 2024 it evicted RFR Holding, the building’s operator, over more than $21 million in unpaid ground rent, and as of 2026 Tishman Speyer is in exclusive talks to take over the building. Chrysler itself hasn’t owned it since the 1950s.

What are the gargoyles on the Chrysler Building?

Steel eagles on the 61st floor — the ones in the famous photographs — plus winged radiator-cap ornaments and a band of hubcaps and fenders on the 31st. Walter Chrysler wanted the building to advertise his cars, so the decoration is automotive top to bottom.

What is the Chrysler Building address?

The Chrysler Building is located at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, right next to Grand Central Terminal.

What are the worst ways to spell Chrysler Building?

Crysler Building, Chrystler Building, Crisler building, Chrisler Building.