9. The spire was installed in about 90 minutes
The architects behind the construction of both the Chrysler Building and 40 Wall Street wanted to build the tallest building in the world, In order to trick their opponents, the masterminds behind the Chrysler Building decided to construct the spire secretly inside the building.
On October 23, 1929, the construction employees lifted four separate pieces of the spire onto the dome of the building. Riveted to each other, the pieces of the spire slowly climbed. By the time the spire was installed, the Chrysler Building was 1,046 feet tall. Today, the spire stands at 197 feet and weighs 300 tons.
