<P> Technical challenges overcome, there was a boom in skyscraper construction in Chicago from 1888 onwards, the city leading the way in the new form . By 1893, Chicago had built 12 skyscrapers between 16 and 20 stories tall, tightly clustered in the centre of the financial district . Chicago's skyscrapers, however, were constrained by the contemporary limits of steel - frame design and the muddy sub-soil in the city, which together limited most of their skyscrapers to around 16 or 17 stories . Chicago's skyscrapers rapidly became tourist destinations, for the views of the wider city they provided from their upper floors and as attractive sites in their own right . Tourists were advised to hire cabs for street tours of the skyscrapers--by lying back in the cab, they would be able to safely take in the tops of the tall buildings . </P> <P> The Masonic Temple was the most prominent of these new skyscrapers . Built by the Freemasons of Chicago in 1892, at a time when the Masons was a fast - growing social community, the lavish 302 - foot (92 m) tall skyscraper had 19 stories, the bottom ten holding shops and the higher levels containing the Masons' private suites and meeting halls, some able to hold up to 1,300 people . At the top was a roof garden and observation gallery . The Freemasons were competing with their local rivals the Odd Fellows, who intended to build a much higher skyscraper, 556 feet (169 m) tall, that they announced would be the tallest building in the world . Newspapers picked up the story, circulating facts about the size of the Temple and making comparison to historical buildings such as the Capitol or the Statue of Liberty . The Odd Fellows project failed, but the Masonic Temple capitalized on the publicity, being declared the "tallest commercial building in the world". </P> <P> In comparison, New York trailed behind Chicago, having only four buildings over 16 stories tall by 1893 . Part of the delay was caused by the slowness of the city authorities to authorize metal - frame construction techniques; it was not until 1889 that they relented and allowed Bradford Gilbert to construct the Tower Building, an 11 - story iron - framed skyscraper . This encouraged the building of more skyscraper towers in New York, although the city remained cautious about the technology for some years . Finally, in 1895 a breakthrough was made with the construction of the American Surety Building, a twenty - story, 303 - foot (92 m) high - steel development that broke Chicago's height record . From then on, New York thoroughly embraced skeleton frame construction . In particular, New York newspaper companies adopted the skyscraper, building several along Park Row, sometimes termed "Newspaper Row", in the 1880s and 1890s . A few early skyscrapers were also constructed in Baltimore, Boston, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Buffalo, including the Wainwright and the Guaranty Buildings . Early examples on the West Coast include the Old Chronicle Building and the Call Building in San Francisco, as well as the Luzon Building in Tacoma, Washington . </P> <P> The architects of early skyscrapers faced a number of challenges . The most fashionable architectural style in the late 19th century was the French Beaux - Arts movement, sometimes termed the Italian Renaissance style, which applied Classical aesthetic principles to modern buildings . American architects trained in the Beaux - Arts style at the Parisian Académie des Beaux - Arts began to return home in the 1880s, bringing these ideals and standards with them . Applying contemporary Beaux - Arts standards to early skyscrapers, however, was not straightforward . The buildings that the Beaux - Arts movement emulated and built were typically much shorter and broader than any skyscraper, and it was impossible to accurately reproduce the style in a tall, narrow building . </P>

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