| The 1453-foot, 103-story Empire State Building | | | | able to provide quality work, and willing to adhere |
| came to be a project because General Motors | | | | to the allotted timetable. Time had to be |
| executive John J. Raskob wanted to beat his | | | | scheduled nearly to the minute. |
| arch-rival in creating the tallest building in the world. | | | | The schedule dictated that each section of the |
| Excavation for the building began in January 1930 | | | | building process overlapped - not a moment was |
| and just two months later the construction of the | | | | to be wasted. Planning started immediately and a |
| building started. The schedule on this project was | | | | fast-track construction approach was adopted, |
| as adventurous as the design. The architects | | | | which is common place in the United States today. |
| planned that the project would be completed in | | | | This technique involves starting the construction |
| only eighteen months. The contractor employed | | | | process before the designs are fully completed in |
| for the project was general contractors Starrett | | | | order to reduce delays and inflation costs. |
| Brothers and Eken, who put in a bold bid to win | | | | Demolishing the existing building on the site and |
| the job. | | | | laying the foundations simultaneously helped to |
| Not only did they promise that they could get the | | | | save time too. Time was also saved by making |
| job done on time, but they announced that they | | | | the process of moving materials more efficient. A |
| would purchase custom-fitted equipment to fulfil | | | | railway was built at the construction site to move |
| the contract. Their opinion was that this would | | | | materials quickly: each cart held eight times more |
| cost less than renting second hand equipment and | | | | than a wheelbarrow. |
| would be more efficient. The investment group | | | | While the outside of the building was being |
| agreed with them. | | | | constructed, electricians and plumbers began |
| The supplies for the building had to be made at | | | | installing the internal necessities of the building. The |
| the plants in as close to finished state as possible, | | | | building was being erected at a rate of four and a |
| to minimize preparatory work needed at the site. | | | | half storeys a week! The project became a |
| The companies they hired had to be dependable, | | | | model of efficiency. |