#155 l Woolworth Building l NEW YORK l 241m l 57fl

[RafflesCity]

Woolworth Building
New York, USA

HEIGHT: 241m/792 feet
FLOORS: 57 floors
COMPLETION: 1913
ARCHITECT: Cass Gilbert

Tallest building in the world from 1913-1930.

The project started life in 1909 when Frank W. Woolworth bought the long-coveted tract of land on Broadway opposite City Hall Park and hired Cass Gilbert -- already a distinguished designer -- as architect; Gilbert urged his client to make the new headquarters the tallest building in the world. Woolworth, in turn, influenced by his travels to Europe, wanted his architect to design it in neo-Gothic style.

Foundations were laid in August 1911 and, at the rate of one and a half storeys a week, the 60-storey building was completed two years later.

Rising from a 27-storey base, with limestone and granite lower floors, the tower is clad in white terra-cotta and capped with an elaborate set-back Gothic top, with the spire rising to the height of 241.5 m. It was to be the tallest building in the world for 17 years, until the completion of the 40 Wall Street.

For a payment of $13.5 million in cash(!), the building boasts a highly decorated, three-storey marble lobby in the plan form of a latin cross, with semicircular arches, bronze ornaments and sculpted corbels on the walls (one of which represents Mr. Woolworth himself counting his dimes) and the vaulted ceiling decorated with glass mosaic in Byzantine style. No wonder the building was dubbed the "Cathedral of Commerce."

The building was opened in April 1913 with a gala for 800 persons, and the building's lights were switched on by the President from the White House in Washington, D.C..

In 1980 the building exterior was restored to its original splendour, an assignment that cost more than the original construction work.

The Woolworth chain eventually went out of business and sold the building in June 1998 to the Witkoff Group for $155 million.

The NY University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies will expand to the first three office floors of the building (8,700 m²), with a separate entrance lobby on Barclay Street, equipped with new escalators. Also the top half of the building is facing new use, the space being converted into luxury condominiums.













The express elevator bank and the lobby/arcade


Check out the posts below for more great pics.

Not my favourite style, but still a classic.

7.5/10

[Muse]

What was it? The first skyscraper ever to be paid for up-front before its construction.

When I was in New York, this was the 2nd building i made a B-line to. After the Chrysler of course . Yeah, this type of building will always be 'bigger' than any of us, not just in height.

10

[AG]

Another nice art deco building outta NYC. It's roof is good, but the building's facade needs work.

8/10

[SUNNI]

10/10! almost the same class as the ESB

9/10 for her history, intricasy and resilience. She's been cleaned and detailed recently and is looking good despite her close proximity to the WTC collapse and resulting cloud of debris.

There is something slightly awkward about this building though, like a newborn giraffe. You've gotta love a baby giraffe though!







See her there between the towers?








Remember when they used pencils?










And my absolute favorite pic of her........

[Muse]

Nice collection you've added to Raffles' there enzo

[RafflesCity]

8/10

This building looks like a church. Amazing it has been around at the time of WW I !

enzo thanks for the extra pics!! Luckily no harm came to her on 9/11.

[SteelCity32]

They look good with the WTC looking over it...*sigh*

8/10

[cgrassham]

Classic design. 8/10

One of the all time greats before the age of the look-alikes. Still a 10 after all these years.

[man med]

another classic NYC scraper 8/10

[Caledon1981]

can you imagine how amazing this must have been to someone back when it was built in 1913!! man thats still tall today!! 9/10

[Duff]

nice and detailed
i gave it a 9

[Liz L]

10/10 - She's a "delicate, dignified icon" as somebody said (forget who) - and the perfect illustration of why Gothic is the historical style best suited to skyscrapers - Gothic is as much about height as 'scrapers are, so it's a perfect match. Love all that exquisite detailing, the graceful height - another NYC gem!

In that one pic, it almost looks like the Twin Towers were kind of watching over her, doesn't it?

[DrumCorpsAlum]

8.5/10. Classic.

When I see buildings of this age I think of great growth and prosperity, a time when things were different. It was a time when buildings had character. They were built and carved by hands where great effort was put into making them beautiful.

9/10

[Den Haag AvW]

I think this is one of the greatest buildings in New York.
9.5/10

[Bobdreamz]

the "Cathedral of Commerce" is what many people called this building...sadly Woolworth is no longer with us but I do remember shopping in their five & dime stores....she is an American classic....9.5/10..


the entrance

[Pablo]

6/10