It boasts some of the world’s most famous and instantly recognisable architecture.
And now, an organisation, based in New York, has revealed details of how Scots were responsible for creating many of the famous structures, including the Empire State Building.
The American-Scottish Foundation has created a new app about the Big Apple to highlight the achievements of a group of Scots and Americans with Scottish heritage.
There are some well-known names on the list, such as Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Andrew Carnegie.
But there are others, such as Robert Livingston, who came to New York in the 1670s and became one of the wealthiest men in the colony.
Among his business associates was Captain William Kidd, a Scot from Dundee, who is now better known for being a notorious pirate.
The new app, called “The Scots Who Built New York”, will be launched later this year, but the president of the ASF explained to the Press and Journal yesterday that the project has already grown.
Camilla Hellmann MBE said: “We decided to look at this in 100-year segments and this allowed us to focus our research in a structured way.
“We initially thought it would include 30 or so buildings, but we now have over 90 buildings and points of interest.
“As the project has developed, we felt strongly that it was important to ensure the research wasn’t lost and more people could know and enjoy everything the Scots and Scottish American have done to develop this great city.
“So the American Scottish Foundation board agreed that we needed to make this a legacy project, develop the app and look to have a book alongside it.
“It is a large venture that seems to be forever growing tentacles.”
Some of the featured architects include John McComb, senior and junior, who were pivotal in the reconstruction of New York in the 18th and 19th century.
McComb jnr has eight extant landmarks in NYC, including City Hall and St Mark’s Church.
Another Scottish-American, Charles McKim, was a senior partner in McKim, Mead and White, the premier architectural firm in the United States at the start of the 20th Century.
Among his most outstanding buildings are The Loeb Library, The University Club and the former Pennsylvania Station.
Others who will feature on the app include William Lamb, whose family originally hailed from Scotland, and who was responsible for creating the Empire State Building.
John Kinnear, the ASF’s leading historian and architect, said: “William was one of the architects of 40 Wall Street, the tallest building in the world for a few months.
“After it was topped off, the Chrysler Building – almost complete – hoisted a spire which was secretly constructed within the building and it became the tallest building in the world for about a year.
“Then the Empire State Building was completed in 13 months, opening in May 1931, claiming the title of the world’s tallest building.
“It was financed by John Raskob, former chairman of General Motors. His order to Lamb was to keep building until the money ran out.
“It turned out there was enough money to build the tallest building in the world at the time.”
