History of New York (state) to constrain New York City and capture control of the Legislature in 1894. Both parties have seen national political success: in the 39 presidential elections between 1856 and 2010, Republicans won 19 times and Democrats 20 times. By 1900, New York was the richest and most populous state. Two years prior, the five boroughs of New York City became one city. Within decades, the city's emblem had become the skyscraper: the Woolworth Building was the tallest building in the world from 1913, surpassed by 40 Wall Street in April 1930, the Chrysler Building in 1930, the Empire State Building in
Louis J. Lefkowitz Building Louis J. Lefkowitz Building The Louis J. Lefkowitz State Office Building is a prominent part of Manhattan’s Civic Center in New York City. Designed by William Haugaard, State Architect for the State of New York, the Lefkowitz Building is home, among other things, to the Manhattan Marriage Bureau. Governor Al Smith laid the building’s cornerstone on December 18, 1928. At the ceremony, Smith declared that he “pray[ed to] God it may stand here through the ages as a testimonial to the people of this great commonwealth.” The building opened in October of 1930, and was originally home to the New