Company Story
1900 - John J. Raskob, a prominent businessman, and Pierre S. du Pont, a member of the wealthy du Pont family, conceive the idea of building the tallest skyscraper in the world.
1930 - Construction of the Empire State Building begins on March 17th.
1931 - The Empire State Building officially opens on May 1st, with President Herbert Hoover pressing a button in Washington, D.C. to turn on the building's lights.
1951 - The Empire State Building is sold to a group of investors led by Roger L. Stevens for $17 million.
1964 - The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) designates the Empire State Building as a National Historic Landmark.
1991 - The Empire State Building is purchased by a partnership of Leona Helmsley and her husband, Harry Helmsley, for $42 million.
2002 - The Empire State Building is purchased by the Malkin family, who form the Empire State Realty Trust (ESRT) to manage the property.
2011 - The Empire State Building undergoes a $550 million renovation to improve energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint.
2013 - The Empire State Realty Trust (ESRT) goes public with an initial public offering (IPO) of stock.