Building the Skyline

The Manhattan skyline is one of the great wonders of the modern world. In Building the Skyline, Jason Barr chronicles the history of the Manhattan skyscrapers and provides insights into the economic forces that have created its distinctive and iconic panorama. Bedrock is Manhattan's natural and geological history, which influenced early land use and the development of neighborhoods, including the dense tenement neighborhoods of Five Points and the Lower East Side. Barr sheds light on why skyscrapers emerged downtown and why they appeared three miles to the north in midtown--but not in between the two areas-and debunks myths that geology was the cause. Rather, the patterns of skyscraper construction reflected economic and demographic forces at the time, which in turn influenced subsequent developments. As the first rigorous investigation of innovative ways to accommodate as many people as possible on the same location, Building the Skyline is an important contribution to understanding the growth and life of cities.


Architectural Record Recommended 2017 Summer Reading

A deeply informed, literate account of the skyscaper's role in New York City history. Barr is a leading scholar in the economics of skyscrapers, and he turns out to be an outstanding storyteller as well. A towering achievement!

-- Donald Davis, Ragnar Nurkse Professor of Economics, Chairman, Department of Economics, Columbia University

This beautifully written and impressively researched economic history of tall buildings in Manhattan will beguile the reader. It punctures long-held myths and explains such puzzles as why there are no skyscrapers between downtown and midtown, which buildings are taller than they should be, why we are now building skyscrapers for residents and not corporate offices, and why New Yorkers no longer seek to build the tallest building in the world. Ranging from Manhattan's earliest days to the present, it concludes with some thought-provoking recommendations for the future.

-- John Mollenkopf, Distinguished Professor, Political Science and Sociology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York

Skyscraper economist, Jason Barr, takes the reader on a captivating historical journey from the European settlement of Manhattan to the rise of the present day NYC skyline. Along the way, we learn the answers to fascinating questions concerning the role of bedrock in forming the skyline; the timing, formation, and growth of midtown; the use of tenements during periods of intense immigration; and the changing value of Manhattan real estate over time. Building the Skyline is essential reading for anyone interested in NYC real estate history and the rise of the Manhattan skyline.

-- Troy Tassier, Department of Economics, Fordham University

Given the magnitude of the project, I doubt anyone will find the courage to take on such a massive undertaking anytime soon. For that reason alone this book is an instant classic.

-- SkyHigh.City