van alen , though , had a surprise up his sleeve - or rather down his shaft - when a matter of just weeks after the bank of manhattan building was finished , from the fire shaft of his own building , he hoisted up , in one completed , twenty-seven ton piece , the exquisite art deco spire , which , forever since , has come to symbolise a halcyon , almost innocent age of skyscraper construction and which , when added to the top of his now completed structure , meant the chrysler buildings completed height of 1046 feet , not only towered far , and beautifully , above its upstart neighbour , but also outstripped the height of the eiffel tower , which had stood , unchallenged , as the tallest structure in the world since 1889 .