Singer Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Singer Building |
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| Record height | |
| Tallest in the world from 1908 to 1909 | |
| Preceded by | Philadelphia City Hall |
| Surpassed by | Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower |
| General information | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Type | Commercial offices |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| Location | 149 Broadway Manhattan, New York City |
| Coordinates | 40°42′35″N 74°00′39″W / 40.70972°N 74.01083°W |
| Construction started | 1897 |
| Completed | 1900 |
| Renovated | 1906–1908 |
| Demolished | 1968 |
| Height | |
| Tip | 674 ft (205 m) |
| Roof | 612 ft (187 m) |
| Top floor | 41 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 41 (+1 below ground) |
| Lifts/elevators | 15 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Ernest Flagg |
| Developer | Singer Manufacturing Company |
| Structural engineer | Boller & Hodge |
The Singer Building (also the Singer Tower) was an office building and early skyscraper in Manhattan, New York City. Serving as the headquarters of the Singer Manufacturing Company, it was at the northwestern corner of Liberty Street and Broadway in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan.
The building was commissioned by Frederick Gilbert Bourne, leader of the Singer Company, and designed in multiple phases by architect Ernest Flagg, an early proponent of the Beaux-Arts architectural style, from 1897 to 1908.
The completed Singer Building was composed of a 14-story base covering the entire land lot, as well as a tower rising an additional 27 stories above a small section of the base. Included in the base were the original Singer Building at 149 Broadway, the Bourne Building on Liberty Street, and subsequent additions to both buildings. The facade was made of brick, stone, and terracotta, and the tower was capped by a dome with a lantern. The foundation of the tower was excavated to the underlying bedrock, while the base rested on relatively shallow foundations. The Singer Building used a steel skeleton, though the original structure was initially supported by load-bearing walls prior to modification. When completed, the building had a large lobby, 16 elevators, and an observatory.
The original 10-story Singer Building was erected between 1897 and 1898, while the 14-story Bourne Building was built adjacent to it from 1898 to 1899. The Singer Building's tower was built between 1906 and 1908 as part of another expansion, and both original buildings were expanded, becoming the base of an enlarged Singer Building. The Singer Tower was the tallest building in the world from 1908 to 1909, with a roof height of 612 feet (187 m). The Singer Building and the adjacent City Investing Building were razed in 1968 to make way for One Liberty Plaza, despite being regarded as a city icon. The Singer Building was the tallest building ever to be demolished at the time of its destruction.
Images for kids
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The Singer Building seen from Broadway, looking north from the Equitable Building, September 1967
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The original Singer Building formed part of the base of the completed building. September 1967
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Singer Building in 1910
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Typical floor plan in the tower section
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The interior view of the lobby mezzanine, September 1967. By this time, demolition had already commenced; masonry debris can be seen on the floor in this photo.
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Aerial view of Lower Manhattan in 1919 looking east; the Singer Tower is at center right
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Singer Building with the Hudson Terminal in 1909
See also
In Spanish: Singer Building para niños
