Woolworth Building

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Woolworth Building
Woolworth Building
Basic data
Place: New York City , United StatesUnited StatesUnited States 
Construction time : 1910-1913
Opening: April 24, 1913
Renovation: 1977–1981 for US $ 20 million and 2000
Status : Built
Architectural style : Neo-Gothic
Architect : Cass Gilbert
Use / legal
Usage : office
Owner : Witkoff Group
Main tenant: Control Group Inc.
New York University
Client : Winfield Woolworth
Technical specifications
Height : 241.4 m
Height to the top: 241.4 m
Rank (height) : 22nd place (New York)
Floors : 57
Elevators : 34
Usable area : 120,000 m²
Building material : Structure: steel ;
Facade: granite , limestone , glass
Building-costs: 13.5 million US dollars
address
Address: 233 Broadway

The Woolworth Building on Broadway in Manhattan , New York City was built between 1910 and 1913. The building cost its owner Frank Winfield Woolworth $ 13.5 million, which he paid in cash. At 241 meters, it was the tallest building in the world until the Bank of Manhattan Building (now 40 Wall Street) was completed on Wall Street in 1930.

History and architecture

When the building was inaugurated on April 24, 1913, it was considered the eighth wonder of the world. Frank Winfield Woolworth invited 800 guests to this festive occasion. During the ceremony, President Woodrow Wilson's White House in Washington switched on lighting for the building.

The executive architect was Cass Gilbert , who also built the New York Life Insurance Building and the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse in New York City. The lobby features sculptures by Frank Woolworth, Cass Gilbert and Louis Horowitz , the builder of the building , among others . Today the building belongs to the Witkoff Group.

The building consists of a 29-storey high substructure and an additional 28-storey tower on top. At night the upper part of the tower is illuminated green and white. When Cass Gilbert constructed the Woolworth Building, he wanted to combine Gothic elements with the modern idea of ​​the skyscraper. As a result, you can find gargoyles , corner turrets, painted terracotta panels and floating pillars on the facade . Above the entrance there is a tympanum on which the personification of the trade can be seen. Because of its aesthetics and function, the Woolworth Building has been nicknamed the "Cathedral of Commerce". The name goes back to a 1916 booklet of the same title by Reverend S. Parkes Cadman. There was also direct underground access to the now disused City Hall station .

In November 1966, the Woolworth Building was granted National Historic Landmark status. This was linked to the entry in the National Register of Historic Places .

It was renovated for $ 20 million between 1977 and 1981. The last major renovation took place in 2000 . In mid-2012, plans were announced to convert the upper floors into luxurious apartments. The redesign of the last 30 floors is planned. This was still being worked on in 2018.

Views

  • The Woolworth Building during construction, February 1912

  • The still unfinished Woolworth Building 1912

  • Historical recording from 1913 (revised)

  • View from the street

  • Spire

  • View of the building from a distance

  • View from the front

  • View of the building's lobby

See also

literature

Web links

Commons : Woolworth Building  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Celebrate Woolworth Building Centennial: The Woolworth Building  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / woolworth100.com  
  2. ↑ Equivalent to $ 333,000,000 in 2014 purchasing power
  3. ^ A b c Study for Woolworth Building, New York . December 10, 1910. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
  4. ^ Philip Sutton: The Woolworth Building: The Cathedral of Commerce . In: Blogs . New York Public Library . Retrieved July 25, 2013.
  5. ↑ Listing of National Historic Landmarks by State: New York. National Park Service , accessed February 2, 2020.
  6. ^ Woolworth Building on the National Register Information System. National Park Service , accessed February 2, 2020.
  7. ^ Woolworth Building's Top Floors Will Become Luxury Condos
before Tallest skyscraper in the world after that
Metropolitan Life Tower 241 m
1913-1930		 Bank of Manhattan Company Building


Coordinates: 40 ° 42 ′ 44 ″  N , 74 ° 0 ′ 29 ″  W.