Building the Metropolis

Alexander Wood

The growth of New York City between the 1880s and the 1930s produced a remarkable building boom that reshaped the landscape of the city. In these years the city acquired its modern skyline, many of its civic monuments, and much of the housing its residents live in today. The development of new architectural styles, building materials, and construction methods in this period also introduced profound changes in the way buildings were produced. The soaring demand for new construction stimulated the rise of new kinds of architecture, building, and contracting firms, revitalized the building trades, and transformed the city’s building industry. This dissertation explores the building of the city from the perspective of those who were engaged in its production to shed new light on the history of the city. Focusing on the creation of some of the city’s most important buildings, it traces the...