Erecting a typical high-rise, 45 to 50 stories tall, takes about two years, James said, adding: "I'm doing two of those."
Why, I asked James, does it take so long to build a skyscraper today?
The 1,250-foot Empire State Building, a Depression-era wonder of riveted steel construction, went up in the astonishingly short time of
one year and 45 days. Trump's tower is expected to take roughly 4 1/2 years.
James offered several reasons beyond the fact that a concrete frame goes up more slowly:
In the throes of the Depression, with millions of Americans out of a job, wages for construction workers were low and there was an unlimited supply of labor. Work rules were far less safety-conscious. "In the 1930s, if somebody didn't like the work rules, there were 10 people in line waiting to get the job," James said. "You can't wear people out today."
The Empire State Building team followed a relentless schedule - seven days a week, virtually around the clock. In contrast, Chicago's overnight noise [ordinances] only allow construction from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays. The rules permit weekend building, but the wages are as much as double-time, discouraging Bovis from using a full crew.
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