Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City

The 1920s was a decade of great ambition and non-stop exuberance, and no place on Earth reflected the spirit of the times more than New York City. Higher is the story of the 1929 race to build the tallest skyscraper in the world. Vying for the title were two men representative of their times: the powerful and idealistic Walter Chrysler (of the Chrysler Building) and George Ohrstrom, the young aggressive financier whose ambition resulted in the Manhattan Bank Building at 40 Wall Street. But, at the heart of the projects were two brilliant architects William Van Allen and Crag Severance, who shared a past but had distinct visions for the future. The contest between the Chrysler Building and the Manhattan Bank Building (and later the Empire State Building) would embody the aspirations of a powerful, emerging nation in the midst of a tumultuous decade.