Woolworth Building

1320: 1070: 1708:

the facade had let rain in, which caused the steel superstructure to rust. By 1976, the Woolworth Company had placed metal netting around the facade to prevent terracotta pieces from dislodging and hitting pedestrians. The issues with the facade were exacerbated by the fact that very few terracotta manufacturers remained in business, making it difficult for the company to procure replacements. The New York City Industrial and Commercial Incentives Board approved a $ 8.5 million tax abatement in September 1977, which was to fund a proposed renovation of the Woolworth Building. The Woolworth Company still occupied half the building; its vice president for construction said "we think the building merits the investment", in part because F. W. Woolworth had used his own wealth to fund the building's construction. Much of the remaining space was occupied by lawyers who paid $ 7 to $ 12 per square foot ($ 75 to $ 129/m).

1382:, then the tallest building in New York City and the world. On December 20, 1910, Woolworth sent a team of surveyors to measure the Metropolitan Life Tower's height and come up with a precise measurement, so he could make his skyscraper 50 feet (15 m) taller. He then ordered Gilbert to revise the building's design to reach 710 or 712 feet (216 or 217 m), despite ongoing worries over whether the additional height would be worth the increased cost. In order to fit the larger base that a taller tower necessitated, Woolworth bought the remainder of the frontage on Broadway between Park Place and Barclay Street. He also purchased two lots to the west, one on Park Place and one on Barclay Street; these lots would not be developed, but would retain their low-rise buildings and preserve the proposed tower's views. Such a tall building would produce the largest income of any building globally. 1403:

also faced practical conundrums, such as Woolworth's requirement that there be "many windows so divided that all of the offices should be well lighted", and so that tenants could erect partitions to fit their needs. Gilbert wrote this "naturally prevented any broad wall space". Woolworth commented at length on each of the dozens of drawings that Gilbert drew up. Woolworth and Gilbert sometimes clashed during the design process, especially because of the constantly changing designs and the architect's fees. Nevertheless, Gilbert commended Woolworth's devotion to the details and beauty of the building's design, as well as the entrepreneur's enthusiasm for the project. Such was the scale of the building that, for several years, Gilbert's sense of scale was "destroyed because of the unprecedented attuning of detail to, for these days, such an excessive height".

2333: 1412: 38: 1366:

Manhattan's tallest building. Woolworth was inspired by his travels in Europe, where he would constantly be asked about the Singer Building. He decided that housing his company in an even taller building would provide invaluable advertising for the F. W. Woolworth Company and make it renowned worldwide. This design, unveiled to the public the same month, was a 45-story tower rising 625 feet (191 m), sitting on a lot by 105 by 197 feet (32 by 60 m). Referring to the revised plans, Woolworth said, "I do not want a mere building. I want something that will be an ornament to the city." He later said that he wanted visitors to brag that they had visited the world's tallest building. Louis J. Horowitz, president of the building's main contractor

1428:

terracotta work and some of the interior design work. Gilbert requested Atlantic Terra Cotta use an office next to his while they drew several hundred designs. The construction process involved hundreds of workers, and daily wages ranged from $ 1.50 for laborers (equivalent to $ 46 in 2023) to $ 4.50 for skilled workers (equivalent to $ 139 in 2023). By August 1911, the building's foundations were completed ahead of the target date of September 15; construction of the skyscraper's steel frame began August 15. The steel beams and girders used in the framework weighed so much that, to prevent the streets from caving in, a group of surveyors examined them on the route along which the beams would be transported. The

1436: 968:

to be carved into the rock before the caissons could be sunk into the ground. The caissons were both round and rectangular, with the rectangular caissons located mainly on the southern and western lot lines. The caissons are irregularly distributed across the site, being more densely concentrated at the northeastern corner. This is because the building was originally planned to occupy a smaller site at the corner of Broadway and Park Place; when the site was enlarged, the caissons that had already been installed were left in place. The two basement levels, descending 55 feet (17 m), are constructed of reinforced concrete.

14684: 1000:

used. The portal braces on the building's exterior direct crosswinds downward toward the ground, rather than into the building. Interconnecting trusses were placed at five-floor intervals between the tower and the wings; these, as well as the side and court walls, provided the bracing for the wings. Directly above each of the tower's setbacks, the outer walls are supported by girders, as the columns beneath them are offset. Above the 28th floor, knee braces and column-girder connections were used; hollow-tile floors were installed because it would have taken too long to set the concrete floors, especially during cold weather.

1656: 919:, which contain windows into the maintenance levels inside. The pyramidal roof is topped by another pyramid with an octagonal base and tall pointed-arch windows. In turn, the octagonal pyramid is capped by a spire. The three layers of pyramids are about 62 feet (19 m), or five stories tall. An observation deck was located at the 55th floor, about 730 feet (220 m) above ground level. The deck was octagonal in plan, measuring 65 feet (20 m) across, was accessed by a glass-walled elevator. It was patronized by an estimated 300,000 visitors per year but was closed as a security measure in 1941 after the 1864:, bought the top 30 floors of the skyscraper for $ 68 million (about $ 89.2 million in 2023) from the Witkoff Group and Cammeby's International. The firm planned to renovate the space into 33 luxury apartments and convert the penthouse into a five-level living space. The lower 28 floors are still owned by the Witkoff Group and Cammeby's International, who planned to maintain them as office space. The project was expected to cost approximately $ 150 million including the $ 68 million purchase price. The Landmarks Preservation Commission approved the changes to the building in October 2013. 11682: 1767:. Venator shrunk its space in the building from eight floors to four; this was a sharp contrast to the 25 floors the company had occupied just before the sale. Witkoff also agreed to license the Woolworth name and invest $ 30 million in renovating the exterior and interior of the building. After purchasing the building, the Witkoff Group rebranded it in an attempt to attract entertainment and technology companies. In April 2000, the Venator Group officially moved their headquarters to 112 West 34th Street, and Witkoff indicated that he would sell the upper half of the building as residential 1424:'s Fuller Company was well experienced and had practically invented skyscraper construction, but Louis Horowitz's Thompson-Starrett Company was local to New York; despite being newer, Horowitz had worked for Fuller before, and thus had a similar knowledge base. On April 20, 1911, Thompson-Starrett won the contract with a guaranteed construction price of $ 4,308,500 for the building's frame and structural elements. The company was paid $ 300,000 for their oversight and management work, despite Woolworth's attempts to get the company to do the job for free due to the prestige of the project. 1743: 367: 1647:

world's tallest building, a distinction it held until 1929. Woolworth had purchased all of the Broadway-Park Place Company's shares from the Irving National Exchange Bank by May 1914; his company held no ownership stake in the building. The bank, whose only involvement in the building was now as a tenant, agreed to lease the entire second story for $ 100,000 a year. The building contained offices for as many as 14,000 employees. By the end of 1914, the building was 70% occupied and generating over $ 1.3 million a year in rents for the F. W. Woolworth Company.

1009: 11687: 9600: 1226: 2511: 398: 429: 1950: 1958:

its direct connections to two subway stations. The Irving Trust Company occupied the first four floors when the building opened. It had a large banking room on the second floor accessible directly from a grand staircase in the lobby, vaults in the basement, offices on the third-floor mezzanine, and a boardroom on the fourth floor. In 1931, the company relocated their general, out-of-town, and foreign offices from the Woolworth Building after building their own headquarters at 1 Wall Street.

1721:

considered the Woolworth Building for landmark designation in early 1982, shortly after the renovation was completed. Upon the request of the building's lawyers, the LPC postponed a public hearing for the proposed landmark designation to April 1982. That year, the building's entrance to the City Hall subway station was closed because of fears over crime. The LPC granted landmark protection to the building's facade and the interior of its lobby in April 1983. The Woolworth Company (later

1667:, only one of the Woolworth Building's then-14 elevators was turned on, and many lighting fixtures in hallways and offices were turned off. This resulted in about a 70% energy reduction compared to peacetime requirements. The building had more than a thousand tenants by the 1920s, who generally occupied suites of one or two rooms. These tenants reportedly collectively employed over 12,000 people in the building. In 1920, after F. W. Woolworth died, his heirs obtained a $ 3 million 715: 1194:

elevator shafts. The usable-space consideration affected the placement of the columns in the wings, as the columns in the main tower were positioned around the elevator shafts and facade piers. Each of the lowest 30 stories had 31 offices, of which ten faced the light court, eight faced Park Place, eight faced Barclay Street, and five faced Broadway. Above the 30th-story setback, each story had 14 offices. For reasons that are unknown, floor numbers 42, 48, and 52 are skipped.

2497: 1704:(LPC) considered giving the Woolworth Building official city-landmark status in 1970. The F. W. Woolworth Company called the landmark law "onerous" since it would restrict the company from making modifications to many aspects of the building. The commission ultimately declined to give the Woolworth Building a designated-landmark status because of the company's opposition to such a measure, as well as the increased costs and scrutiny. The lobby was cleaned in 1974. 15190: 772:, while Gilbert wanted to use limestone. The decision to use terracotta for the facade was based on both aesthetic and functional concerns. Terracotta was not only fireproof but also, in Gilbert's mind, a purely ornamental addition clarifying the Woolworth Building's steel construction. Each panel was of a slightly different color, creating a polychrome effect. The facade appeared to have a uniform tone, but the upper floors were actually darker and more 15210: 744:

Broadway and 200 feet (61 m) wide on both Park Place and Barclay Street. The base contains two "wings" extending westward, one each on the Park Place and Barclay Street frontages, which form a rough U-shape when combined with the Broadway frontage. This ensured that all offices had outside views. The U-shaped base is approximately 30 stories tall. All four elevations of the base are decorated, since the building has frontage on all sides.

15200: 14691: 1717:

custom-cut. The concrete was coated with a surface that was meant to be replaced every five years, like the glazing on the terracotta blocks. Similarly, the original copper windows were replaced with aluminum frames which allowed them to be opened, whereas the originals were sealed in place. The company also removed some decorative flying buttresses near the tower's crown and refaced four tourelles in aluminum because of damage.

943:

himself later wrote, the style was "light, graceful, delicate and flame-like". Gilbert considered several proposals for exterior lighting, including four powerful searchlights atop nearby buildings and a constantly rotating lamp at the apex of the Woolworth Building's roof. Ultimately, the builders decided to erect nitrogen lamps and reflectors above the 31st floor, and have the intensity of the lighting increase with height.

2483: 436: 405: 374: 1306:

able to manage the 18 floors on a 25-year lease. In addition, Irving would be able to control two of the Broadway–Park Place Company's seats, while Woolworth would control the other three seats and serve as that firm's president. While negotiations to create the Broadway-Park Place Company were ongoing, Woolworth and his real estate agent Edward J. Hogan purchased several parcels from the

652:, which also agreed to use the structure as its headquarters. The Woolworth Building had originally been planned as a 12- to 16-story commercial building but underwent several revisions during its planning process. Its final height was not decided upon until January 1911. Construction started in 1910 and was completed two years later. The building officially opened on April 24, 1913. 996:), supporting the building's overall weight of 233,000 short tons (208,000 long tons). Where the columns of the superstructure did not match up with the caissons, they were cantilevered above on plate girders between two adjoining caissons. These girders are extremely large; one such girder measures 8 feet (2.4 m) deep, 6.75 feet (2 m) wide, and 23 feet (7.0 m) long. 1676:

January 1924 at an assessed valuation of $ 11.25 million (about $ 159 million in 2023). The company paid $ 4 million in cash and obtained a five-year, $ 11 million mortgage from Prudential Life Insurance Company at an annual interest rate of 5.5%. The sale was finalized in April 1924, after which F. W. Woolworth's heirs no longer had any stake in the building.

1868:

using the elevators because of the active office tenants on the lower floors and the regular public tours of the landmarked lobby. The renovation included many restorations and changes to the building's interior. Two of the elevator shafts only went to the 29th floor, allowing extra floor space for the residents above. A new private lobby was also built for residents and the

819:; the left and right bays have two windows per floor, while the center bay has three windows. The elevations facing Park Place and Barclay Street each have six bays with two windows per floor. The base, on its lowest four stories, is divided into three-story-high entrance and exit bays, each of which has a one-story attic above it. There are nine entrances in total. 711:. Gilbert, by contrast, disliked the comparison to religious imagery. The architect ultimately used 15th- and 16th-century Gothic ornament on the Woolworth Building, along with a complementary color scheme. Though the building's steel frame was uncommon to neo-Gothic structures, its facade emphasizes vertical design elements, similarly to other neo-Gothic buildings. 1684:

by then, although it was now only the sixth-tallest building, and tourists no longer frequented the Woolworth Building. The building's terracotta facade deteriorated easily, and, by 1962, repairs to the terracotta tiles were occurring year-round. The Woolworth Company had considered selling the building as early as the 1960s, though the planned sale never happened.

886:, which protrude diagonally. There are six such piers on the Broadway elevation. In addition, horizontal belt courses run above the 4th, 9th, 14th, 19th, and 24th stories. The 25th and 26th stories, above the topmost belt course, are separated by dark-bronze spandrels. The 27th floor contains a canopy of projecting terracotta 787:, allowing them to bear large loads. Gilbert also asked that John Donnelly and Eliseo V. Ricci create full-size designs based on Atlantic Terra Cotta's models. In 1932, Atlantic Terra Cotta carried out a comprehensive cleaning campaign of the Woolworth's facade to remove blackening caused by the city's soot and pollution. The 1217:, a set of French Empire-style lamps with gold figures, and an inkwell with a depiction of Napoleon on horseback. The walls of the office contained portraits of Napoleon, and gold-and-scarlet chairs were arranged around the room. At some point, Woolworth replaced the portrait of Napoleon with a portrait of himself. 1779:

a spa in the basement. The developers planned to spend $ 60 to $ 70 million on the conversion and to be ready for occupancy by August 2002. The LPC opposed the plan because it would have required exterior changes to the roof. The commission eventually approved a modified version of the plan. Following the

723:

Building was 60 stories tall when completed in 1913, though this consisted of 53 usable floors topped by several mechanical floors. The building's ceiling heights, ranging from 11 to 20 feet (3.4 to 6.1 m), make it the equivalent of an 80-story building. It remained the tallest building in the world until

1932:

three of the building's 31 condos had been sold, since the developers had refused to discount prices, despite a glut of new luxury apartments in New York City. The still-vacant penthouse's asking price was reduced to $ 79 million. By 2021, Alchemy had sold 22 condominiums to tenants such as entrepreneur

2619:, p. 17, give a conflicting figure of three stories. This is because the second- and third-story windows are placed within the same arches, giving the impression of a single story. By this calculation, if the lowest section is cited as being three stories tall, then the U-shaped base is 29 stories tall. 1283:. Woolworth, who was looking for funding, mentioned his plans for the building at a lunch with Pierson. Woolworth offered to acquire shares in New York Exchange Bank and vote in favor of the merger if Pierson agreed to move the combined banks' headquarters to the F. W. Woolworth Company's new headquarters. 1205:, is preserved in its original condition. His office included a mahogany desk with a leather top measuring 7.5 by 3.75 feet (2.29 by 1.14 m). That desk contained a hidden console with four buttons to request various members of his staff. The marble columns in the office are capped by gilded Corinthian 1957:

On the building's completion, the F. W. Woolworth Company occupied only one and a half floors. However, as the owner, the Woolworth Company profited from renting space out to others. The Woolworth Building was almost always fully occupied because of its central location in Lower Manhattan, as well as

1838:

By 2007, the concrete blocks on the Woolworth Building's facade had deteriorated because of neglect. A lack of regular re-surfacing had led to water and dirt absorption, which stained the concrete blocks. Though terracotta's popularity had increased since the 1970s, Suskin had declined to say whether

1778:

The company unveiled an ambitious plan in November 2000 that would have converted the top 27 floors of the building into 75 condominiums, including a five-story penthouse. The plan would have included a new residential lobby on Park Place, a 100-space garage, a 75-seat underground screening room, and

1707:

The F. W. Woolworth Company commissioned an appraisal of the building's facade in 1975 and found serious deterioration in the building's terracotta. Many of the blocks of terracotta had loosened or cracked from the constant thermal expansion and contraction caused by New York's climate. The cracks in

1880:

appliances and custom cabinetry. Each unit also received space in a wine cellar, along with access to the restored private pool in the basement. The 29th floor was converted to an amenity floor named the "Gilbert Lounge" after the structure's architect, while the 30th floor hosts a fitness facility.

1343:

Gilbert was originally retained to design a standard 12- to 16-story commercial building for Woolworth, who later said he "had no desire to erect a monument that would cause posterity to remember me". By 1910, the plans called for a building with a 20-story base and 10-story upper section. Woolworth

1305:

Woolworth and the Irving National Exchange Bank then set up the Broadway–Park Place Company to construct and finance the proposed structure. Initially, the bank was supposed to purchase the company's stock gradually until it owned the entire company, and thus, the Woolworth Building. Irving would be

1241:

supplied the units, which were innovative in that there were "express" elevators, stopping only at certain floors, and "local" elevators, stopping at every floor between a certain range. There were 26 Otis electric elevators with gearless traction, as well as an electric-drum shuttle elevator within

1193:

At the time of construction, the Woolworth Building had over 2,000 offices. Each office had ceilings ranging from 11 to 20 feet (3.4 to 6.1 m) high. Gilbert had designed the interior to maximize the amount of usable office space, and correspondingly, minimize the amount of space taken up by the

1145:

The basement of the Woolworth Building contains an unused bank vault, restaurant, and barbershop. The bank vault was initially intended to be used for safe-deposit boxes, though it was used by the Irving National Exchange Bank in practice. In 1931, Irving moved some $ 3 billion of deposits to a

1843:

to create an "office club" on the top 25 floors building to attract high-end tenants like hedge funds and private equity firms. The plan would have restored the 58th floor observatory as a private amenity for "office club" tenants, in addition to amenities like a private dining room, meeting rooms,

1683:

By 1953, a new chilled water air conditioning system had been installed, bringing individual room temperature control to a third of the building. The old car-switch-control elevators had been replaced with a new automatic dispatching systems and new elevator cars. The structure was still profitable

1462:

ceremony took place two weeks ahead of schedule on July 1, 1912, as the last rivet was driven into the summit of the tower. After the building was topped out, Gilbert initially told Woolworth that he thought the building was about 787 feet (240 m) tall, but Woolworth's own engineers found

1402:

Gilbert had to reconcile both Woolworth's and Pierson's strict requirements for the design of the structure. The architect's notes describe late-night conversations that he had with both men. The current design of the lobby, with its arcade, reflected these conflicting pressures. Sometimes, Gilbert

1365:

structure with a 26-story base, topped by a square tower rising another 19 stories. After the latest design, Woolworth wrote to Gilbert in November 1910 and asked for the building's height to be increased to 620 feet (190 m), which was 8 feet (2.4 m) taller than the Singer Building, Lower

1352:

and stood 20 stories and 350 feet (110 m). A drawing by Thomas R. Johnson, dated April 22, 1910, shows a 30-story building rising from the site. Because of the change in plans, the organization of the Broadway-Park Place Company was rearranged. Woolworth would be the major investor in the

1120:

The staircase hall is a two-story room located to the west of the arcade. It consists of the ground level, which contains former storefronts, as well as a mezzanine level above it. The ground floor originally contained 18 storefronts. A 15-foot-wide (4.6 m) marble staircase leads westward from

967:

To give the structure a sturdy foundation, the builders used metal tubes 19 feet (5.8 m) in diameter filled with concrete. These tubes were driven into the ground with a pneumatic caisson process to anchor the foundations to the bedrock. Because the slope of the bedrock was so sharp, steps had

890:

arches. These decorative features make the tower section "appear to merge with the atmosphere", as architectural writer Donald Reynolds described it. Above the 28th floor, a two-story-tall copper roof with complex tracery in the Gothic style tops the canopies. The 29th and 30th stories of the north

858:

Decorated revolving doors are also located at the northern and southern entrances, at Park Place and Barclay Street respectively. The Park Place and Barclay Street entrances are nearly identical, except for the arrangement of the storefronts. Both entrances are located on the eastern sides of their

2573:

in 1913 gave the building's height as 782.5 ft (238.5 m) from ground floor to the pinnacle of the building's flagpole, with 55 usable floors. A 1913 brochure for the building gave the height as 784 ft (239 m); a 1916 brochure quoted 792 ft (241 m); and a 1995 brochure

2362:

each took photographs to document the structure's progression. These photos were often taken from close-up views, or from far away to provide contrast against the surrounding structures. They were part of a media promotion for the Woolworth Building. Both contemporary and modern figures criticized

1931:

provided a $ 220 million (about $ 274 million in 2023) construction loan for the residential conversion in June 2016. Due to delays, the conversion was expected to be completed by February or March 2019, about six and a half years after Alchemy bought the property. By February 2019, only

1867:

When the sale was first announced in 2012, the developers expected the building's conversion to be complete by 2015. However, construction took longer than expected. Workers could not attach a construction hoist to the building's landmarked facade without damaging it, and they were prohibited from

1808:

wrote in 2006 that a security guard had asked him to leave within twelve seconds of entering the Woolworth Building. However, there was renewed interest in restoring public access to the Woolworth Building during planning for its centennial celebrations. The lobby reopened to public tours in 2014,

1716:

to plans by the New York architectural firm Ehrenkrantz Group, involved the replacement of roughly one-fifth of the building's terracotta. Since there were so few remaining terracotta manufacturers, so Woolworth's replaced 26,000 of the tiles with concrete lookalikes; many of those tiles had to be

1457:

stories a week and the steelworkers set a speed record for assembling 1,153 tons of steel in six consecutive eight-hour days. By February 18, 1912, work on the steel frame had reached the building's 18th floor. By April 6, 1912, the steel frame had reached the top of the base at the 30th

1419:

In September 1910, wrecking crews demolished the five-and-six-story structures which previously occupied the site. Construction officially began on November 4, 1910, with excavation by the Foundation Company, using a contract negotiated personally by Frank Woolworth. The start of construction

1016:

Upon completion, the Woolworth Building contained seven water systems—one each for the power plant, the hot-water plant, the fire-protection system, the communal restrooms, the offices with restrooms, the basement swimming pool, and the basement restaurant. There are water tanks on the 14th, 27th,

999:

For the wind bracing, the entire Woolworth Building was considered as a vertical cantilever, and correspondingly large girders and columns were used in the construction. Continuous portal bracing was used between the 1st and 28th floors, except in the interior columns, where triangular bracing was

743:

The building's tower, flush with the main frontage on Broadway, joins an office block base with a narrow interior court for light. The base occupies the entire lot between Park Place to the north, Broadway to the east, and Barclay Street to the south. The site measures 155 feet (47 m) wide on

2381:

that, at the Woolworth Building, Gilbert "succeeded in uniting the respected traditions of architecture and decoration with modern technology". In a 2001 book about Cass Gilbert, Mary N. Woods wrote that "the rich and varied afterlife of the Woolworth Building ... enhances accomplishment".

1711:

The F. W. Woolworth Company began a five-year restoration of the building's terracotta and limestone facade, as well as replacement of all the building's windows, in 1977. Initially, the company had considered replacing the entire terracotta facade with concrete; this was canceled due to its high

1679:

In 1927, the building's pinnacle was painted green, and the observation tower was re-gilded for over $ 25,000 (about $ 352,973 in 2023). The Atlantic Terra Cotta Company cleaned the Woolworth Building's facade in 1932. Prudential extended its $ 3.7 million mortgage on the building by ten years in

1427:

The first potential tenants began applying for space in the building in May 1911, before work had even started. On June 12, 1911, the Atlantic Terra Cotta Company received a $ 250,000 contract to manufacture the terracotta. The next month, Donnelly and Ricci received the $ 11,500 contract for the

1394:

article two days later, Woolworth said that his building would rise 750 feet (230 m) to its tip. These plans called for a 30-story base and 25-story square tower above it. The 750-foot height was the absolute minimum that Woolworth would agree to, but Gilbert increased the height tp 792-foot

1389:

reported Woolworth was planning a 625 feet (191 m) building at a cost of $ 5 million. That month, Woolworth and Hogan acquired the final site for the project. In total, the site had cost $ 4.5 million (about $ 107 million in 2023) and measured 152 feet (46 m) on Broadway,

1646:

to write a 56-page brochure outlining the building's features. Schuyler later described the Woolworth Building as the "noblest offspring" of buildings erected with steel skeletons. On completion, the Woolworth Building topped the record set by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower as the

1471:

for the shorter versions of the skyscraper (equivalent to $ 154,000,000 in 2023). This was divided into $ 5 million for the land, $ 1 million for the foundation, and $ 7 million for the structure. Woolworth provided $ 5 million, while investors provided the remainder, and

942:

the roof electrically. The Gothic detailing concentrated at the highly visible crown is over-scaled, and the building's silhouette could be made out from several miles away. Gilbert's choice of the Gothic style was described as "an expression of the verticality of the tower form", and as Gilbert

899:

The 30th through 45th floors contain three bays on each elevation; the side bays contain two windows, while the center bay contains three windows. The 46th through 53rd floors also have three bays on each elevation, but the side bays only contain one window. At the 45th- and 50th-story setbacks,

798:

The building has several thousand windows: the exact number is disputed, but various sources state that the Woolworth Building has 2,843, 4,400, or 5,000 windows. Windows were included for lighting and comfort; because the Woolworth Building was built before air conditioning became common, every

751:

on the north and south elevations. There are additional setbacks along the north, south, and west elevations on the 45th and 50th floors. The 30th through 45th floors measure 84 by 86 feet (26 by 26 m); the 46th through 50th floors, 69 by 71 feet (21 by 22 m); and the 51st through 53rd

1799:

Prior to the September 11 attacks, the World Trade Center was often photographed in such a way that the Woolworth Building could be seen between the complex's twin towers. After the attacks occurred only a few blocks away, the Woolworth Building was without electricity, water and telephone

722:

The Woolworth Building was designed to be 420 feet (130 m) high but was eventually raised to 792 feet (241 m). Several different height measurements have been cited over the years, but the building rises about 793.5 feet (241.9 m) above the lowest point of the site. The Woolworth

2391:

In recognition of Gilbert's role as the building's architect, the Society of Arts and Sciences gave Gilbert its gold medal in 1930, calling it an "epochal landmark in the history of architecture". On the 40th anniversary of the building's opening in 1953, one news source called the building "a

1680:

1939, and the observation deck was closed after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Ten of the building's 24 elevators were temporarily disabled in 1944 because of a shortage of coal. The next year, the building's owners replaced the elevators and closed off the building above the 54th story.

1675:

to pay off $ 8 million in inheritance tax. By this point, the building was worth $ 10 million and grossed $ 1.55 million per year in rent income. The Broadway-Park Place Corporation agreed to sell the building to Woolco Realty Co., a subsidiary of the F. W. Woolworth Company, in

752:

floors, 69 by 61 feet (21 by 19 m). The tower has a square plan below the 50th-story setback and an octagonal plan above. Though the structure is physically 60 stories tall, the 53rd floor is the top floor that can be occupied. Above the 53rd floor, the tower tapers into a pyramidal roof.

1327:

Woolworth commissioned Cass Gilbert to design the new building. There are few print documents that indicate early correspondence between Woolworth and Gilbert, and news articles as late as March 1910 mentioned that no architect had been chosen. Gilbert later mentioned that he had received the

1720:

The building's renovation was completed without fanfare in 1982. The estimated cost of the project had risen from $ 8 million to over $ 22 million. Much of the renovation was financed through the city government's tax break, which had increased to $ 11.4 million. The LPC again

1184:

A private pool, originally intended for F. W. Woolworth, exists in the basement. Proposed as early as 1910, the pool measured 15 by 55 feet (4.6 by 16.8 m) and had a marble perimeter. The pool was later drained but was restored in the mid-2010s as part of the conversion of the Woolworth

1125:

surrounded by the names of several nations. The skylight contains the dates 1879 and 1913, which respectively signify the years of the Woolworth Company's founding and the building's opening. The skylight is also surrounded by sculpted grotesques, which depict merchandising activities in the

1057:

ceilings. One passageway runs between the arcade's west wing at the Woolworth Building's "staircase hall" and the east wing at Broadway. The other runs between the north wing at Park Place and the south wing at Barclay Street. A mezzanine crosses the arcade's north and south wings. Where the

1420:

instantly raised the site's value from $ 2.25 million to $ 3.2 million. The contract of over $ 1 million was described as the largest contract for foundation construction ever awarded in the world. It took months for Woolworth to decide upon the general construction company.

1356:

By September 1910, Gilbert had designed an even taller structure, with a 40-story tower on Park Place adjacent to a shorter 25-story annex, yielding a 550-foot (170 m)-tall building. The next month, Gilbert's design had evolved into a 45-story building roughly the height of the nearby

1900:

to market the units. The building's penthouse unit, dubbed "The Pinnacle", was listed at $ 110 million, the highest asking price ever for an apartment in downtown Manhattan. If it had sold at that price, the unit would have surpassed the record $ 50.9 million penthouse at

1104:

depicting major figures in the building's construction, are placed where the arcade and the mezzanine intersect. These ornaments include Gilbert with a model of the building, Aus taking a girder's measurements, and Woolworth holding nickels and dimes. Two ceiling murals by

1032:

10 mJ); the plant could support 50,000 people. The building also had a dedicated heating plant with six boilers with a capacity of 2,500 horsepower (1,900 kW). The boilers were fed from subterranean coal bunkers capable of holding over 2,000 tons of

2166:

was also established on the seventh floor, originally as the School of Accounting. By 1929, the school's combined programs at the Woolworth Building had over 3,000 enrolled students. Between 1916 and 1943 the building was also home at various times to the

634:, and it features thousands of windows. The ornate lobby contains various sculptures, mosaics, and architectural touches. The structure was designed with several amenities and attractions, including a now-closed observatory on the 57th floor and a private 934:, give the building its upward thrust. This was influenced by Aus's belief that, "From an engineering point of view, no structure is beautiful where the lines of strength are not apparent." The copper roof is connected to the Woolworth Building's steel 2602:

quote the building as having 55 usable stories (counting the tower as being 25 stories tall), and two below-ground levels. The count depends on whether the 55th-story former observation deck is included. There are no floors numbered 42, 48, or

1242:

the tower once construction was complete. Of these, 24 were passenger elevators, which were arranged around cruciform elevator lobbies on each floor. Two freight elevators and two emergency staircases were placed at the rear of the building.

655:

The Woolworth Building has undergone several changes throughout its history. The facade was cleaned in 1932, and the building received an extensive renovation between 1977 and 1981. The Irving National Exchange Bank moved its headquarters to

2408:

The Woolworth Building has had a large impact in architectural spheres, and has been featured in many works of popular culture, including photographs, prints, films, and literature. One of the earliest films to feature the skyscraper was

1809:

when Woolworth Tours started accommodating groups for 30- to 90-minute tours. The tours were part of a partnership between Cass Gilbert's great-granddaughter, Helen Post Curry, and Witkoff's vice president for development, Roy A. Suskin.

1245:

The elevators are accessed from bays in the eastern and western walls of the arcade. The walls are both divided by two bays with round arches, and there are four elevators on each wall. The elevator doors in the lobby were designed by

1021:, much of it is filtered and reused. A dedicated water system, separate from the city's, was proposed during construction, but workers abandoned the plan after unsuccessfully digging 1,500 feet (460 m) into Manhattan's bedrock. 803:, or triangles between the top corners of the window and the top of the arch, have golden Gothic tracery against a bright blue backdrop. On the 25th, 39th, and 40th stories, the spandrels consist of iconography found in the 1150:, and the Woolworth Building's vault was converted into a storage area for maintenance workers. There is also a basement storage room, known as the "bone yard", which contains replacement terracotta decorations for the facade. 799:

office is within 10 feet (3.0 m) of a window. Most of the windows are the same size, and each story is the same height. Some of the Woolworth Building's windows are set within arch-shaped openings. Most of the building's

859:

respective elevations, lining up with the tower above them, and contain a wide arch flanked by two narrower arches. The three entrances feed into the arcaded lobby. The building's Park Place entrance contained a stair to the

15012: 15007: 15095: 7258:

Wallach, Amei (April 11, 1978). "Preserving The People's Architecture: Corporations Are Refurbishing the Woolworth and Chrysler Buildings, And a Public Outcry Apparently Will Save Radio City Music Hall from Destruction".

1762:

for $ 155 million (about $ 270 million in 2023). Before the sale was finalized in December 1998, Witkoff renegotiated the purchase price to $ 137.5 million (about $ 240 million in 2023), citing a declining

15090: 2376:

wrote in 1984 that the lobby's lighting, ceiling mosaic, and gold-leaf decorations "combine for a church-like atmosphere", yet the grotesques provided a "touch of irreverence". Richard Berenholtz wrote in his 1988 book

15160: 1725:) continued to own the building for a decade and a half. After struggling financially for years, and with no need for a trophy office building, Venator Group began discussing a sale of the building in 1996. To raise 15310: 2568:

Different sources gave varying accounts, and even the building's own pamphlets gave different figures. A building permit issued in April 1911 listed the height as 750 feet (230 m) with 51 usable floors, while

1641:

The building was declared ready for occupancy on May 1, 1913, and Woolworth began renting the offices at a minimum rate of $ 4 per square foot ($ 43/m). To attract tenants, Woolworth hired architecture critic

13764: 850:

with more niches, as well as two carvings of owls hovering above a "W" monogram. There are salamanders within niches on either side of the main entrance. Inside the triumphal arch, there is a smaller arch with a

2102:

maintained his offices in the building while investigating racketeering and organized crime in Manhattan. His office took up the entire fourteenth floor and was heavily guarded. The regional headquarters of the

14952: 2225:

was destroyed in the September 11 attacks, the commission's 334 employees moved into 140,000 square feet (13,000 m) across five floors of the Woolworth Building. The SEC left for a larger space in

8692: 7943:

Picture 11 of 19: The World Trade Center, shown under construction in 1970, and other modern skyscrapers eventually dwarfed the Woolworth Building, visible here at the center between the Trade Center's two

1370:, said of Woolworth, "Beyond a doubt his ego was a thing of extraordinary size; whoever tried to find a reason for his tall building and did not take that fact into account would reach a false conclusion." 1310:

estate and other owners. The entire footprint of the current building, a rectangular lot, had been acquired by April 15, 1910, at a total cost of $ 1.65 million (about $ 39 million in 2023).

15100: 15002: 14932: 14727: 15085: 14992: 14912: 14847: 14832: 14737: 2544: 9879: 1800:

service for a few weeks; its windows were broken, and falling rubble damaged a top turret. Increased post-attack security restricted access to most of the ornate lobby, previously a tourist attraction.

1353:

Broadway–Park Place Company, contributing $ 1 million, and the bank would contribute the other $ 500,000. The Irving Bank would take up a 25-year lease for the ground floor, fourth floor, and basement.

14937: 14817: 8049: 3996: 14977: 14967: 14942: 14927: 14922: 14872: 14812: 14807: 14787: 14772: 14767: 14762: 14757: 14747: 14712: 14621: 12619: 2201:

By the early 2000s, the Woolworth Building was home to numerous technology tenants. Digital advertising firm Xceed occupied 65,000 square feet (6,000 m) across four floors as its headquarters,

15019: 14962: 14957: 14887: 14877: 14862: 14837: 14797: 14752: 14742: 2539: 1153:

The basement also contains closed entrances to two New York City Subway stations. There was an entrance to the Park Place station directly adjacent to the building's north elevation, served by the

10465: 15114: 14987: 14982: 14947: 14902: 14897: 14892: 14882: 14867: 14852: 14842: 14802: 14792: 14732: 14722: 14707: 10372: 8398: 8194: 15124: 15052: 15024: 14997: 14972: 14827: 14782: 3131: 6582: 5492: 4347: 3467: 1896:

to lead the effort. However, the new sales director left at the end of 2015 for Extell Development Company amid rumors of slow sales at the project. Following his departure, the company hired

15300: 14777: 7851: 7341: 3955: 1133:

with a blue-green background. The crossbeams contain Roman portrait heads, while the cornice contains generic sculpted grotesques. The lobby also contains a set of German chimes designed by

15105: 8524: 2370:

wrote in 1978 that the building resembled "a giant cathedral absurdly stretched in a gigantic fun mirror" and that the lobby "certainly looks like a farmboy's dream of glory". A writer for

10687: 8329: 6308: 2257:

pension fund signed a lease for 56,000 square feet (5,200 m) on the 19th and 25th floors in April 2002. The pension fund renewed their lease for another 20-year term in October 2010.

15134: 15129: 15119: 2696: 1835:

on the office portion of the building. At the time, the building was 96% occupied, appraised at $ 320 million, and generated almost $ 18 million a year in net operating income.

1302:

and Reade Street several blocks north. He decided against it because of the prestige that a Broadway address provided; despite its name, West Broadway is a separate street from Broadway.

9735: 7892: 15139: 10828: 6459: 956:

In contrast to other parts of Manhattan, the bedrock beneath the site is relatively deep, descending to between 110 and 115 feet (34 and 35 m) on average. The site also has a high

668:

in 1998. The top 30 floors were sold to a developer in 2012 and converted into residences. Office and commercial tenants use the rest of the building. The Woolworth Building has been a

10954: 10280: 15144: 15047: 5071: 10150: 8852: 8782: 8365: 15193: 15070: 15042: 14907: 10247: 8076: 7442: 7183: 6986: 4957: 2354:

to document the building's construction. These photographs were distributed to Woolworth's stores nationwide to generate enthusiasm for the project. During construction, Underhill,

3426: 10913: 8258: 7709: 5251: 891:

and south wings are of similar depth to the six narrow bays on the Park Place and Barclay Street elevations but contain five bays. A small tower with three bays caps these wings.

10890: 8627: 8588: 5101: 13519: 8296: 2384: 10311: 7363:

Morehouse III, Ward III (February 23, 1979). "Skyscraper Renaissance: Seven New Towers Are Rising in New York as Dozens of Old Ones like the Woolworth Building Are Renovated".

15075: 14917: 14614: 12629: 12614: 10496: 834:

of the arch contains 23 niches. The topmost niche depicts an owl; the lowest niches on both sides depict tree trunks; and the other twenty niches depict animated figures. The

8555: 8433: 1443:

The first above-ground steel had been erected by October 1911, and installation of the building's terracotta began on February 1, 1912. The building rose at the rate of

14442: 2189:

Center for Global Affairs leased 94,000 square feet (8,700 m) on the second, third, and fourth floors in 2002 from defunct dot-com startup FrontLine Capital Group. The

7078: 10403: 7486: 2304: 10434: 9910: 9303: 7227: 6909: 1892:

in late 2014, units at the building were officially listed for sale in mid-2015. Alchemy initially intended to leverage an in-house sales staff and hired a director from

1620:; and reportedly between 69 and 80 congressmen who arrived via a special train from Washington, DC. Additional congratulations were sent via letter from former President 13674: 13664: 13654: 13143: 12609: 10184: 9971: 2455:

used the Woolworth Building as the 'Meade Publications' building, a major location in the series, while one of the vacant condominiums was used in filming the TV series

11337:

Springer, J. F. (September 1, 1912). "Tallest Office Building in the World: The 55-Story Woolworth Building in New York City—The Work of Construction—Its Foundations".

8724: 5213: 915:

but is now green. The pyramidal roof, as well as the smaller roofs below, used 40,000 square feet (3,700 m) of gold leaf. The main roof is interspersed with small

15080: 15060: 14857: 14717: 13749: 13744: 13739: 13734: 13719: 8821: 5145: 15325: 15265: 15203: 15065: 14822: 14607: 14451: 12779: 8225: 7784: 1576: 1378:

Even after the revised height was unveiled, Woolworth still yearned to make the building even taller as it was now close to the 700-foot (210 m) height of the

15290: 8755: 8684: 8493: 1280: 10341: 8661: 8008: 8460: 1181: trains, but this was closed in 1982 because of concerns over crime. The area in front of the former entrances was used as a bike-storage area by the 2010s. 626:

to its east, Park Place to its north, and Barclay Street to its south. It consists of a 30-story base topped by a 30-story tower. Its facade is mostly clad with

11090: 9862: 7967: 7139: 5535: 4439: 3741: 2168: 1340:

in London, which was designed in the Gothic style. At the time, Gilbert was well known for constructing modern skyscrapers with historicizing design elements.

8032: 3979: 15275: 11978: 8885: 4099: 2054:

was present at the building's opening, occupying the southern half of the 18th floor after signing a lease in January 1913. Other early tenants included the

11440: 11164: 10529: 8109: 7517: 4661: 4602: 15168: 11838: 2816: 2534: 1888:'s office approved Alchemy's plan to sell 34 condos at the newly branded Woolworth Tower Residences for a combined total of $ 443.7 million. After a 7548: 6694: 6250: 1485:

The building opened on April 24, 1913. Woolworth held a grand dinner on the building's 27th floor for over 900 guests, and at exactly 7:30 p.m.

1092:

that contain blue, green, and gold tiling with red accents decorate the ceilings. There are other Gothic-style decorations in the lobby, including on the

14673: 14663: 13384: 10457: 10214: 2059: 1319: 960:, which is as shallow as 15 feet (4.6 m) beneath ground level. Due to the geology of the area, the building is supported on either 66 or 69 massive 783:

provided the original terracotta cladding. The panels were manufactured in shades of blue, green, sienna, and rose. The terracotta panels were partially

10364: 9196: 9173: 8177: 7400: 5624: 14242: 10985: 8388: 8150: 6755: 6399: 4287: 2670: 2186: 1771:. That October, the company proposed a two-story addition to the 29th-floor setbacks on the north and south elevations of the tower, to be designed by 1548: 1121:

the arcade to a mezzanine, where the entrance to the Irving National Exchange Bank office was formerly located. The mezzanine contains a stained-glass

10033: 7579: 3450: 3112: 2392:

substantial middle-aged lady, with a good income, unconcern over years—and lots of friends". A one-third-scale replica of the Woolworth Building, the

2382:

Dirk Stichweh described the building in 2005 as being "the Mozart of skyscrapers". In 2007, the building ranked 44th among 150 buildings in the AIA's

1463:

the true height to be 792 feet (241 m). The skyscraper was substantially completed by the end of 1912. The final estimated construction cost was

15330: 15285: 14435: 11570: 9514: 9481: 9415: 9382: 9255: 9222: 9134: 7930: 6655: 6565: 5904: 5475: 4330: 2235: 1986: 864: 461: 9448: 9346: 9059: 6363: 6210: 6164: 6106: 6041: 5983: 5785: 5736: 3853: 2162:

was founded on the building's 28th floor in the same year and a new Teachers' College quickly followed on the seventh floor. In September 1920, the

1053:(LPC) as "one of the most spectacular of the early 20th century in New York City". It consists of two perpendicular, double-height passageways with 15320: 12508: 11611: 7834: 7325: 5182: 3938: 2355: 2247: 2006: 1396: 1328:

commission for the Woolworth Building after getting a phone call from Woolworth one day. The architect had recently finished designing the nearby

1271:" (5- and 10-cent stores). He began planning a new headquarters for the F. W. Woolworth Company in 1910. Around the same time, Woolworth's friend 15173: 14398: 14252: 13814: 13774: 11458: 11436: 10671: 8881: 8516: 8319: 6291: 2927: 2587: 1701: 1272: 1050: 343: 5589: 14366: 14355: 14291: 14247: 14227: 12770: 11525: 10720: 10121: 9718: 7875: 2529: 2445: 616: 10946: 10820: 6451: 15315: 15240: 13779: 12604: 11988: 10271: 6428: 2051: 1126:

five-and-dime industry. Heinigke and Brown manufactured the leaded glass of the mezzanine ceiling, as well as the barrel vault of the lobby.

15270: 10859: 8844: 5054: 1458:

floor and work then began on constructing the tower of the Woolworth Building. Steel reached the 47th floor by May 30 and the official

14428: 14349: 13784: 13659: 13439: 12085: 11270: 10143: 8778: 8355: 2159: 1525: 989: 270: 10923: 10238: 8072: 7426: 7166: 6622: 4949: 3362: 2892: 15305: 15213: 14466: 13809: 13759: 13689: 13536: 12599: 11055: 10640:"Cass Gilbert Gets Gold Medal As Woolworth Building Designer: Arts and Sciences Society Calls Structure Epochal Architectural Landmark". 8971: 4252: 3409: 2727: 2239: 2055: 10795: 9826: 8579: 8248: 7692: 5241: 3891: 3792: 2862: 366: 14455: 14097: 12886: 11671: 11666: 11636: 11421: 10882: 10002: 9661: 8611: 7032: 5093: 2284:

moved the company's headquarters to the entire 11th floor, occupying 30,500 square feet (2,830 m) of space. In February 2016, the

2243: 334: 8286: 3113:"Woolworth Building After 50 Years Is Still a 'Cathedral of Commerce'; Gothic Tower Is Kept Up to Date, But Retains Charm of Past Era" 15295: 14521: 14201: 11499: 10303: 9800: 9694: 2151: 2002: 1978: 1379: 62: 10488: 7637:

Seckler, Valerie (April 29, 1998). "Woolworth Building Put On the Block: Landmark Woolworth Building For Sale, Could Fetch $ 100M".

2040:

also occupied an office in the Woolworth Building beginning in 1914; he was evicted after a year because he could not pay his rent.

15250: 12290: 2022: 1923:

provided a $ 320 million loan on the office portion of the building to refinance the maturing Bank of America loan from 2005.

1069: 804: 788: 428: 8547: 8422: 1816:

provided $ 201 million in financing for the property spread across a $ 125.4 million senior loan, a $ 49.6 million

776:. Behind the terracotta panels were brick walls; the terracotta pieces are attached to the brick walls by metal rods and hangers. 14658: 14308: 14047: 13724: 13709: 13704: 11893: 7061: 3498: 2218: 10395: 7469: 14082: 14012: 13729: 13594: 13499: 12341: 12167: 10426: 10090: 9902: 9295: 7210: 6893: 2030: 1587: 1058:

passageways intersect, there is a domed ceiling. The dome contains pendentives that may have been patterned after those of the

10176: 9963: 5273:

Mortimer, George T. (July 1912). "The Woolworth Building, Most Modern Example of the Fireproof Skyscraper; How It Was Built".

397: 14092: 14052: 13769: 13714: 13669: 13504: 13173: 12624: 12533: 11983: 11945: 11772: 11563: 11462: 11415: 11370: 11323: 11290: 11241: 11214: 11187: 11130: 11105: 11049: 10789: 9010: 8965: 5205: 4246: 3563: 3081: 2985: 2943: 855:

and a Tudor window; it is flanked by standard doors and framed with decorations. There is a pelican above this smaller arch.

11329: 11193: 9016: 8805: 8715: 6492: 6292:"Obtains $ 8,000,000 For Big Skyscraper; Gillespie Finds Abroad the Balance of $ 13,000,000 For 55-Story Woolworth Building" 5863: 14630: 14232: 13804: 13794: 13679: 12821: 12538: 11950: 6618:

The Commercial & Financial Chronicle ...: A Weekly Newspaper Representing the Industrial Interests of the United States

5128: 2222: 1981:

occupied the ground floor retail space with ticket offices. Other railroad companies that leased office space included the

316: 8217: 7767: 2332: 15280: 14134: 13872: 13479: 13282: 12936: 12548: 11863: 11807: 9940: 1829: 1632: 747:

The tower rises an additional 30 stories above the eastern side of the base, abutting Broadway. Above the 30th floor are

11016: 10610: 8747: 1432:

provided steel for the building from their foundries in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh; manufacturing took over 45 weeks.

14566: 13947: 13942: 13927: 12763: 10333: 8650: 8483: 8105: 7991: 2190: 2179:, and the rest of the schools moved to nearby 302 Broadway because of reduced attendance because of World War II. 2150:

schools in the early 20th century. In 1916, Fordham created "Fordham Downtown" at the Woolworth Building by moving the

2014: 1788: 1784: 8456: 2745: 791:

restored the building's facade between 1977 and 1981. During the renovation, much of the terracotta was replaced with

14494: 13962: 13862: 13469: 11797: 11082: 7962: 4811: 2266: 2075: 1897: 1845: 1595: 1555: 1514: 1018: 673: 7957: 7131: 4422: 2234:

took over the commission's space on November 1, 2005 and used it as offices for approximately 200 staff of the

15260: 14007: 13897: 13847: 13394: 13036: 12172: 12078: 11621: 11556: 2227: 2155: 1177: 1171: 875: 869: 765: 10672:"Cass Gilbert Gets Arts Gold Medal; Woolworth Building Designer Hailed as Prophet of New Movement in Architecture" 8874: 4089: 15255: 14057: 14037: 13952: 13789: 13261: 13168: 12841: 12660: 11873: 11154: 10715: 10520: 8101: 7509: 4651: 2254: 2231: 2063: 1625: 1606: 11686: 2828: 826:, surrounded on either side by two bays: one narrower than the main arch, the other wider. The five bays form a 648:, conceived the skyscraper as a headquarters for his company. Woolworth planned the skyscraper jointly with the 14022: 13992: 13857: 13414: 13307: 13266: 13073: 12966: 12891: 12836: 12725: 12503: 11833: 11757: 7540: 3287: 2104: 1329: 11681: 10206: 1411: 15245: 14077: 14032: 13972: 13574: 13546: 13474: 13123: 12756: 12690: 12513: 9163: 7392: 2765: 1994: 1772: 1565: 1166: 10977: 9188: 8133: 6566:"Skyscrapers Obey Ruling Rigorously; Balked by Prospect of Climbing Steps, Most Business Men Take a Holiday" 6391: 2658: 14002: 13892: 12563: 12528: 11762: 11631: 10144:"Prospectus – Lease: U.S. Probation Office & U.S. Pretrial Services Office, 233 Broadway, New York, NY" 10025: 7914: 7571: 2285: 2214: 2026: 1967: 1569: 780: 11506: 9503: 9470: 9404: 9371: 9244: 9211: 9123: 6644: 5900: 3980:"Streetscapes/Metropolitan Life at 1 Madison Avenue;For A Brief Moment, The Tallest Building in the World" 2700: 2171:, a summer school, and the short-lived School of Irish Studies. In 1943, the Graduate School relocated to 1336:, whose architecture Woolworth admired. Woolworth wanted his new structure to be of similar design to the 14217: 13907: 13138: 13021: 12871: 12739: 12655: 12071: 12054: 12016: 11919: 11868: 11626: 11122: 9437: 9326: 9039: 6343: 6190: 6144: 6102: 6021: 5963: 5765: 5716: 3849: 2071: 1362: 1085: 1059: 688: 87: 37: 20: 14599: 11359: 9616: 9544: 8911: 6966: 5172: 1129:

There is a smaller space west of the staircase hall with a one-story-high ceiling. This room contains a

14476: 14042: 13982: 13937: 12981: 12876: 12518: 12498: 12280: 11656: 11646: 11145: 9863:"Commercial Real Estate: Regional Market – Downtown; N.Y.U. Is Leasing Space In the Woolworth Building" 9657: 3072: 2964:

Gilbert, C.; Heilbrun, M.; Heilbrun, P.M.; New-York Historical Society; Hardy, H.; Gotbaum, B. (2000).

2163: 1910: 1813: 1697: 1435: 669: 325: 2296:

namesake fashion brand, Altuzarra, signed on to occupy the 14th floor in June 2016. In November 2017,

1267:

The entrepreneur F. W. Woolworth immigrated to the U.S. in 1886 and became successful because of his "

1062:. The walls of this intersection vault are laid out in an octagonal shape, with mailboxes at the four 664:) continued to own the Woolworth Building for most of the 20th century. The structure was sold to the 14344: 14279: 13842: 13454: 13297: 13246: 12670: 12398: 12021: 11843: 11651: 10710: 5585: 4857: 2973: 2312: 2261:

opened a 1,500-square-foot (140 m) location on the ground floor in the spring of 2003. In 2006,

2091: 2010: 1998: 1885: 1367: 1210: 280: 12748: 10113: 9599: 3919: 1844:

and a new dedicated lobby. The partners planned to complete the project by the end of 2008, but the

14387: 14237: 14196: 13494: 13444: 13093: 13083: 13031: 12881: 12650: 12483: 12336: 12036: 11315: 8488: 8428: 8221: 2079: 1990: 1101: 641: 627: 11283:

The Architecture of New York City: Histories and Views of Important Structures, Sites, and Symbols

6424: 1856:

On July 31, 2012, an investment group led by New York developer Alchemy Properties which included

1307: 14485: 14420: 14161: 14143: 14127: 13882: 13589: 13584: 13183: 13158: 12991: 12929: 12805: 12553: 12356: 12351: 12177: 11848: 11579: 9089: 6533: 5359: 4597: 2666: 2344: 1729:

for its other operations, Venator formally placed the Woolworth Building for sale in April 1998.

1502: 1498: 1429: 1345: 1063: 964:

that descend to the bedrock. The caissons range in depth from 100 to 120 feet (30 to 37 m).

908: 11259: 10851: 9823:"Fordham's Dodransbicentennial – 175 Years of Fordham: Fordham in the City Celebrates 100 Years" 6481:

Schuyler, Montgomery (1961). "The Woolworth Building". In Jordy, William H.; Coe, Ralph (eds.).

2977: 1966:

in the skyscraper. In 1917, Columbia made what are considered the first jazz recordings, by the

992:

designed the steel frame. Each column carries a load of 24 short tons per square foot (2.3

14653: 14584: 13867: 13852: 13347: 12856: 12300: 12151: 11908: 6616: 3354: 2884: 2798: 2456: 2393: 2340: 1974: 1839:

the facade would be modified, if at all. Around the same time, Witkoff planned to partner with

1572: 1536: 1528: 1506: 1206: 1097: 984:

was relatively thin, which enabled Gilbert to maximize the building's interior area. Engineers

931: 748: 12326: 11039: 9277: 8949: 4236: 1905:

Walker Tower, and even the $ 100.5 million record price for a Manhattan penthouse set by

14668: 14648: 14575: 14557: 13799: 13754: 13292: 13153: 12366: 11390:

The Master Builders: A Record of the Construction of the World's Highest Commercial Structure

11342: 11266: 10779: 10653: 10580: 10068: 9822: 9102: 7811: 7744: 7673: 7642: 7619: 7606:

Kirkpatrick, David D. (June 22, 1998). "Accord Is Reached To Sell Landmark Woolworth Tower".

7368: 7306: 7272: 7113: 6947: 6875: 6844: 6813: 6790: 6729: 6546: 5372: 5327: 4473: 3885: 3786: 3282: 3175: 2851: 2824: 2018: 1693: 1628: 1583: 1544: 1337: 1238: 961: 901: 708: 11399: 10519: 10270: 10237: 9994: 9861: 9653: 8714: 8421: 8176: 8132: 8031: 7990: 7874: 7833: 7766: 7691: 7468: 7209: 7060: 7015: 7014: 6564: 6290: 5474: 5127: 5053: 4421: 4329: 3978: 3449: 3408: 2926: 1399:, completed in April 1911, are the first official materials that reflect this final height. 1390:

192.5 feet (58.7 m) on Barclay Street, and 197.83 feet (60 m) on Park Place. In a

1117:, are located above the mezzanine where it crosses the south and north wings, respectively. 13997: 13917: 13699: 13694: 13684: 13643: 13459: 13379: 13332: 13113: 12951: 12924: 12783: 12645: 12590: 12523: 12473: 12468: 12121: 12031: 12011: 11994: 11969: 11853: 11787: 11400:"In the Camera's Eye: The Woolworth Building and American Avant-Garde Photography and Film" 10918: 6245: 4891: 4889: 4887: 4885: 4883: 4881: 4879: 4181: 4179: 4177: 4175: 4173: 4171: 4169: 4167: 4165: 2502: 2429: 2127: 1924: 1920: 1780: 1672: 1613: 1287: 1276: 1162: 1025: 939: 860: 596: 98: 9796: 9684: 6452:"Accounting for the Strange Faces That Adorn the Woolworth Building (And Other Fun Facts)" 735:, 10279; it was one of 41 buildings in Manhattan that had their own ZIP Codes as of 2019. 8: 13967: 13957: 13404: 13312: 13041: 12438: 12346: 12295: 12182: 11858: 9529: 9496: 9463: 9430: 9397: 9270: 9237: 9149: 8957: 8360: 8324: 6670: 5177: 2488: 2183: 2042: 1902: 1713: 1643: 1621: 1609: 927: 920: 883: 839: 731:, both in New York City, were constructed in 1929–1930. The building is assigned its own 692: 5803: 4876: 4162: 1872:

ceiling from F.W. Woolworth's personal 40th floor office was relocated to the entryway.

1655: 815:

On the part of the base facing Broadway, as well as the tower above it, there are three

14324: 14120: 13987: 13624: 13337: 13327: 13178: 13163: 13128: 12956: 12946: 12680: 12543: 12141: 11792: 11641: 11616: 11203: 11179: 11159: 11115: 7293:

Horsley, Carter B. (April 4, 1976). "Decaying Facades a Latent Hazard to Pedestrians".

5859: 4656: 3907: 3555: 3118: 2966: 2574:

gave a height of 792 ft (241 m), with 60 stories "from subbasement to tower".

2434: 2397: 2280:

As of 2010, the Lawrence Group handles leasing at the Woolworth Building. In May 2013,

2147: 2131: 2112: 1832: 1562: 1551: 1521: 1295: 816: 14112: 3490: 1746:

The Woolworth Building in 1985, right, the former World Trade Center in the background

1532: 507: 15209: 14548: 14503: 14409: 14371: 14070: 13922: 13902: 13541: 13429: 13342: 13118: 12901: 12700: 12558: 12433: 12428: 12418: 12403: 12203: 12131: 11777: 11745: 11725: 11411: 11388: 11376: 11366: 11319: 11296: 11286: 11247: 11237: 11220: 11210: 11183: 11126: 11117:

The Skyscraper and the City: The Woolworth Building and the Making of Modern New York

11045: 10785: 10679: 10645: 10086: 10060: 9871: 9727: 9628: 9556: 9338: 9094: 9051: 9006: 8961: 8923: 8813: 8619: 8186: 8142: 8041: 8000: 7922: 7884: 7843: 7776: 7736: 7701: 7665: 7611: 7478: 7434: 7333: 7298: 7264: 7219: 7175: 7105: 7070: 7024: 6978: 6939: 6901: 6867: 6836: 6782: 6721: 6574: 6538: 6355: 6300: 6202: 6156: 6033: 5975: 5777: 5728: 5527: 5484: 5364: 5137: 5063: 4817: 4807: 4431: 4339: 4242: 3988: 3947: 3569: 3559: 3459: 3418: 3123: 3077: 2981: 2939: 2759: 2591: 2524: 2424: 2372: 2363:

the photos as "'standard solutions' at best and 'architectural eye candy' at worst".

2300: 2288:

leased the entire 32,000 square feet (3,000 m) fifth floor for the Department's

2116: 2047: 1821: 1817: 1775:, who were also leading the renovation of the building. The LPC denied the proposal. 1726: 1598: 1510: 1486: 1106: 1024:

The Woolworth Building was the first structure to have its own power plant with four

977: 843: 728: 615:, it was the tallest building in the world from 1913 to 1929, and remains one of the 10458:"As 50th Anniversary Approaches, Nonprofit Signs Deal to Move to Woolworth Building" 5820: 5818: 2779: 1237:

capable of traveling 650 feet (200 m) or 700 feet (210 m) per minute. The

1209:. Woolworth's reception room contained objects that were inspired by a visit to the 764:. Above that, the exterior of the Woolworth Building was cast in limestone-colored, 15335: 14634: 13514: 13509: 13240: 13220: 13098: 13016: 12665: 12478: 12413: 12408: 12321: 12305: 12254: 12244: 12198: 12026: 11740: 11710: 11661: 9168: 4094: 3713: 3329: 3327: 3325: 2439: 2351: 2297: 2293: 2262: 2206: 2143: 2130:

opened an office in the building. In 1975, the city signed a lease for state judge

2123: 1963: 1959: 1893: 1635: 1558: 1494: 1421: 1395:(241 m) so the architectural proportions would fit. Renderings by illustrator 696: 592: 413: 11451: 11429: 11099: 8685:"Blackstone Lends $ 320Mln Against Office Space at Manhattan's Woolworth Building" 7806:"Developer Will Sell Upper Half of Famed Woolworth Building in NY as Residences". 5686: 5684: 5476:"In the Real Estate Field; Woolworth & Co. Buy Broadway and Park Place Corner" 5409: 5407: 5405: 5403: 4393: 3711: 3709: 3707: 3705: 3703: 3701: 3699: 3697: 3695: 3693: 3616: 3614: 3612: 3610: 3608: 3606: 3524: 3522: 3520: 3518: 3516: 3323: 3321: 3319: 3317: 3315: 3313: 3311: 3309: 3307: 3305: 2963: 2722: 2209:

used two floors. Xceed terminated its lease in April 2001 during the midst of the

1712:

cost and potential backlash from preservationists. The renovation, carried out by

14512: 14404: 14361: 14334: 14329: 14065: 13977: 13932: 13887: 13877: 13614: 13489: 13302: 13236: 13203: 12916: 12146: 11935: 11903: 11782: 11752: 11715: 11309: 11260:

National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: The Woolworth Building

11173: 10657: 9002: 8994: 7646: 6817: 6482: 5853: 5815: 5619: 5331: 3179: 2462: 2416: 2359: 2281: 2107:

also moved into the building in 1937, shortly after its founding in 1935. During

2099: 1873: 1825: 1805: 1759: 1517: 1358: 1291: 1286:

Having received a commitment from the banks, Woolworth acquired a corner site on

1034: 904:

at each corner of the tower. The northeast corner turret concealed a smokestack.

773: 700: 604: 256: 11346: 10584: 10072: 9106: 7815: 7748: 7677: 7623: 7372: 7310: 7276: 7117: 6951: 6879: 6848: 6794: 6733: 6550: 5376: 4477: 2311:

signed a lease for the entire 28,100 square feet (2,610 m) 16th floor. The

2246:

in late October 2017, both offices moved into newly vacated space in the nearby

1973:

Shortly after the building opened, several railroad companies rented space. The

14539: 14392: 14262: 14027: 13287: 13215: 12809: 12675: 12393: 11898: 11767: 11606: 11516: 10365:"SHoP Architects Doubles Space in Move to Woolworth Building as Business Booms" 9689: 8584: 6689: 5681: 5400: 3690: 3603: 3513: 3302: 2931: 2784: 2210: 2176: 2067: 1982: 1861: 1617: 1591: 1579: 1540: 1490: 1349: 1333: 1202: 1198: 1077: 981: 935: 852: 827: 724: 704: 623: 72: 9932: 9581: 8102:"Banc of America Commercial Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2005-3" 1225: 807:. Gold-on-blue tracery is also found on the 26th, 27th, and 42nd floors. 703:, who had devised the idea for the Woolworth Building, had proposed using the 15234: 14339: 14285: 14257: 14166: 14087: 13604: 13599: 13579: 13531: 13526: 13484: 13322: 13317: 13277: 13256: 13251: 13230: 13225: 13148: 12911: 12866: 12695: 12493: 12285: 12264: 12107: 11592: 11354: 11251: 11008: 10683: 10649: 10618: 10064: 9875: 9731: 9632: 9560: 9342: 9098: 9055: 8927: 8817: 8779:"The Penthouse of NYC's Woolworth Building Just Got a $ 31 Million Price Cut" 8651:"Woolworth Building's $ 110M Penthouse May Just Be Aspirational, Say Brokers" 8623: 8517:"JP Forbes Leaves Alchemy Amid Rumblings of Slow Sales at Woolworth Building" 8291: 8190: 8146: 8045: 8004: 7926: 7888: 7847: 7780: 7740: 7705: 7669: 7615: 7482: 7438: 7337: 7302: 7268: 7223: 7179: 7109: 7074: 7028: 6982: 6943: 6905: 6871: 6840: 6786: 6725: 6578: 6542: 6488: 6359: 6304: 6240: 6206: 6160: 6037: 5979: 5781: 5732: 5531: 5488: 5368: 5141: 5067: 4435: 4343: 4090:"Go Inside the Rarely Seen Underbelly of New York's Famed Woolworth Building" 3992: 3951: 3573: 3463: 3422: 3127: 2316: 2274: 2202: 1755: 1751: 1722: 1668: 1299: 1268: 1247: 1147: 993: 784: 665: 661: 657: 645: 635: 608: 476: 463: 382: 194: 11535: 11380: 11300: 11224: 6747: 6684: 5614: 5519: 4821: 4592: 4279: 3733: 2545:

National Register of Historic Places listings in Manhattan below 14th Street

1791:, the status of the plan was in doubt, and the proposal was later canceled. 1467:(equivalent to $ 416,000,000 in 2023), up from the initial estimates of 1254:

tracery patterns in etched steel set off against a gold-plated background".

14181: 13619: 13609: 13464: 13419: 13399: 13271: 13133: 13108: 13103: 13088: 13078: 13061: 13026: 13011: 13006: 12996: 12986: 12976: 12971: 12906: 12896: 12705: 12685: 12463: 12458: 12453: 12448: 12443: 12234: 11940: 11914: 11735: 11730: 3067: 2595: 2467: 2308: 2172: 2108: 2037: 1933: 1906: 1857: 1840: 1602: 1134: 1054: 907:

There is a pyramidal roof above the 53rd floor, as well as four ornamental

714: 684: 649: 612: 246: 11450: 5809: 4895: 4652:"Water Supply System in the Fifty-Five Story Woolworth Building, New York" 4185: 1949: 980:, which by necessity were extremely thick, the Woolworth Building's steel 15311:

Office buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Manhattan

14629: 14191: 14176: 14147: 14017: 13912: 13449: 13434: 13409: 13389: 13001: 12861: 12851: 12846: 12488: 12423: 12249: 11828: 11720: 11407: 7660:"Nation in Brief / New York; Woolworth Building Sold for $ 155 Million". 2599: 2540:

List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan below 14th Street

2516: 2420: 2270: 1889: 1768: 1764: 1664: 1459: 1275:

was having difficulty getting shareholder approval for the merger of his

1008: 985: 957: 266: 5520:"New Woolworth Building on Broadway Will Eclipse Singer Tower in Height" 2315:

left the building's 12th floor a few months later for a larger space in

1962:

was one of the Woolworth Building's tenants on opening day and housed a

12831: 12826: 12219: 12126: 4062:

Gilbert, Cass (May 1923). "The Tenth Birthday of a Notable Structure".

2849: 2803: 2594:

consider the building to have 53 usable stories. Architectural writers

2451: 1089: 823: 792: 8287:"Woolworth Renovations Are a Perfect Blend of the Past and the Future" 6270: 6268: 707:

as a model for the building; he reportedly also admired the design of

699:

dubbed it "The Cathedral of Commerce" in a booklet published in 1916.

13424: 13367: 12961: 12791: 12787: 12778: 12568: 12371: 12361: 12259: 12136: 12103: 11802: 11588: 10489:"CallisonRTKL Signs 10-Year Lease at Woolworth Building in Manhattan" 8033:"Woolworth Building's Grand Arcade Is Once Again a Sight All Can See" 5246: 4736: 4734: 4732: 4730: 4535: 4533: 4531: 4529: 4371: 4369: 4367: 4365: 3451:"Streetscapes: 40 Wall Street; A Race for the Skies, Lost by a Spire" 2307:

moved into the 21st floor. In May 2018, architecture and design firm

2258: 1928: 1742: 1415:

Photograph of the Woolworth Building under construction in April 1912

1251: 1046: 1017:

28th, 50th, and 53rd floors. Although the water is obtained from the

847: 842:, classical god of commerce, while that above the right side depicts 800: 761: 631: 102: 10947:"Woolworth Tower Apartment Featured in "Succession" Sells for $ 20M" 7835:"Commercial Real Estate; Change the Woolworth? No Way, A Board Says" 4331:"Commercial Real Estate; Updating a Skyscraper That Woolworth Built" 3277: 2697:

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

2095: 12239: 9964:"F.W. Woolworth Didn't Sleep Here: Landmark Tower Goes Residential" 6265: 2885:"The Woolworth Building—Accompanying 3 Photos, Exterior, From 1975" 2728: 2685: 2411: 1234: 1214: 1213:

shortly after the building opened. These included a bronze bust of

1122: 1088:

provided the interior lights for the lobby and hallways. Patterned

835: 831: 768:

panels. F. W. Woolworth initially wanted to clad the skyscraper in

732: 14450: 11311:

Fordham: A History of the Jesuit University of New York, 1841-2003

10852:"'Fantastic Beasts': 5 Secrets in Our Photo You Might Have Missed" 7326:"Hotel Project on Site of Landmark On Madison Ave. Gets Abatement" 6071: 5919: 5878: 4921: 4919: 4727: 4634: 4632: 4550: 4548: 4526: 4362: 2443:(2007), as well as the setting of major organizations, such as in 879: trains, inside the westernmost bay of the building entrance. 14171: 12229: 12094: 11428: 8356:"A Star Is Horn: How Ken Horn Redeveloped the Woolworth Building" 5824: 5690: 5413: 5242:"Finally, Go Inside the Woolworth Building's Splendid Model Unit" 5012: 4703: 4399: 3717: 3620: 3528: 3333: 2750: 2205:

took 112,000 square feet (10,400 m), and advertising agency

1828:

provided a $ 250 million (about $ 375 million in 2023)

1093: 916: 912: 769: 600: 14690: 11481: 11365:. Photographs by Christopher Little. New York: Abbeville Press. 10304:"Ugly Betty Offices IRL; Fireworks Beef; Damn High Rents; More!" 9381:. Vol. 100, no. 2592. November 17, 1917. p. 659. 8612:"Woolworth Building Penthouse Hits the Market for $ 110 Million" 5696: 5094:"Inside the Epic Safe Deposit Vault in NYC's Woolworth Building" 3850:"The Woolworth Building @ 100: Restoring Woolworth's Terracotta" 14186: 12331: 11548: 9133:. Vol. 96, no. 2489. November 27, 1915. p. 908. 8845:"Healthcare Data Exec Snaps up Woolworth Condo at 40% Discount" 8655: 8548:"Alchemy Brings in Sotheby's to Ramp up Sales at the Woolworth" 8393: 8253: 5644: 5642: 5298: 5296: 4916: 4676: 4629: 4545: 4238:

F.W. Woolworth and the American Five and Dime: A Social History

2461:

in 2021. The building has also appeared in literature, such as

1869: 1130: 1081: 13201: 9513:. Vol. 95, no. 2444. January 16, 1915. p. 100. 9511: