Chrysler Building
Why it's listed
Rising 77 stories above Lexington Avenue at 42nd Street in Manhattan, this skyscraper was designed by William Van Alen and built by Fred T. Ley & Company between 1928 and 1930. Walter Chrysler took over the project from earlier plans for another developer, and the tower design was revised. For a few months it was the tallest building in the world, at roughly 1,048 feet. The exterior combines grey, white and black enameled brick with white marble, black granite and 'Nirosta' rust-resisting steel. Its ornament is drawn from automobile parts: gargoyles recall radiator caps, and decorative bosses echo hub caps. Inside, a triangular lobby of red marble and travertine is topped by a large ceiling mural by Edward Trumbull. The nomination treats the building as a monument to the American machine age and a leading example of Style Moderne, praised by critics of its day for its sense of movement and originality.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a monument to America's machine age and one of the finest statements of the Style Moderne (Art Deco) in American architecture. It was briefly the tallest building in the world at about 1,048 feet. Its ornament draws on automobile parts, and Van Alen's design won contemporary critical notice.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 76001237, listed December 8, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 405 Lexington Ave., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | December 8, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001237 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1928-1930 |
| Architect / builder | William Van Alen (1882-1954), architect; Fred T. Ley & Company, Inc., builder |
| Architectural style | Style Moderne (Art Deco) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 8, 1976 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Marked occupied, in excellent condition, unaltered and on its original site; privately owned. |
| Acreage | 1.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.75159, -73.97539 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 76001237.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q11274
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.