ny "Tallest building in the world!!" thru history

[thomasjfletcher]

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/SCC/parkrow2.jpg

THE PARK ROW BUILDING (http://www.nyc-architecture.com/SCC/SCC012.htm)

Tallest building in the world, 1899-1908.
119m / 391ft, 30 floors

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/GON/GON3D.jpg

Singer Building (http://www.nyc-architecture.com/GON/GON003.htm)
Tallest building in the world, 1908-1909
612 feet (187 meters) 41-stories

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/GRP/GRP019-104.jpg

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (http://www.nyc-architecture.com/GRP/GRP019.htm)

700 feet (213 meters)
Tallest building in the world, 1909-1913

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/SCC/SCC19-woolworth_pc.jpg

THE WOOLWORTH BUILDING (http://www.nyc-architecture.com/SCC/SCC019.htm)
Tallest building in the world, 1913-1930
792 feet, 241 meters. 55-stories.

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/LM/40_WALL_ST_1.jpg

TRUMP BUILDING (http://www.nyc-architecture.com/LM/LM037-TRUMPBUILDING.htm)
Tallest building in the world, 1930-1930
281,8m / 927.0ft. 72 floors.

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/MID-chrysler-scan.jpg

Chrysler Building (http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/MID021.htm)
Tallest building in the world, 1930-1931
77 floors, 319.5m (1048 feet)

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/073_EMP.jpg

Empire State Building (http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/MID073.htm)
Tallest building in the world, 1931-?

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/GON/GON1U.jpg

World Trade Center (http://www.nyc-architecture.com/GON/GON001.htm)
Tallest building in the world, 1970-1973
110 floors rising 1,353 feet

www.nyc-architecture.com

[Eugenius]

You can write in 1970 as the last year of the ESB's being tallest. It was surpassed in 1970 by the WTC.

[GLNY]

Good to see the Commodore Hotel on 42nd Street west of the Chrysler Building. The form is familiar, and the skeleton's still in place; sadly, it's all buried now beneath Donald's ill-conceived skin graft.

[NYatKNIGHT]

Love that ESB painting.


Did the NY World and St. Paul buildings hold the WTB title?

[thomasjfletcher]

I had real problems finding a history of the world's tallest buildings.

The New York Tribune Building, 1875. described at the time as "the highest building on Manhattan Island," but the spire was shorter than that on Trinity Church (285 feet).

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/GON/gon021-Tribune3.jpg

Washington Building, 1882-85. The "tallest office building in the world". 258ft.

http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Maze/9975/t_washli.gif

World Building, 1889 or 1890 309-349 ft

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/GON/world2.jpg

Manhattan Life Insurance Building,, 1894. In 1894, this was "the tallest building in the U.S." 348 ft.

http://www.officemuseum.com/Manhattan_Life_Ins_Co_Building_NYC_published_1898. jpg

St. Paul Building, 1898. "Tallest building in the US" when it was completed. 315-325 ft.

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/GON/t_stpaul.jpg

Times Building, NY, NY, 1905. 476 to top of flag pole

http://www.officemuseum.com/Times_Building_NYC_dd.jpg

As so many of these buildings claimed to be the "tallest building in the world" it's a bit confusing.

[TLOZ Link5]

Ugh to the Manhattan Life Company Building. A beautiful front façade, but just say no to bare party walls.

Wasn't the St. Paul Building demolished after something like 18 years?

[BrooklynRider]

I do believe that Philadelphia's City Hall held the WTB title for a while.

[thomasjfletcher]

http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~param/photos/eu04-philly/img_5563-lvl.jpg

Remarkable, doesn't seem that tall. I wish somebody had a definitive list of the wtb over the last 2 centuries or so.....!

[TLOZ Link5]

I think that Philly's City Hall isn't counted as having been a former WTB for the same reasons that churches and cathedrals weren't: all of the office space was in the lower nine stories of the building, and the tower itself is just a tower, with no purpose other than to be aesthetically pleasing.

[thomasjfletcher]

makes me homesick- philly has more than a passing resemblance to Sydney town hall!

http://www.ozoutback.com.au/postcards/postcards_forms/nsw_sydney/Image/aun20326.jpg

[1Tribeca]

Shouldn't the American Int'l building be in there too? Beautiful skyscraper!!

[BrooklynRider]

I think that Philly's City Hall isn't counted as having been a former WTB for the same reasons that churches and cathedrals weren't: all of the office space was in the lower nine stories of the building, and the tower itself is just a tower, with no purpose other than to be aesthetically pleasing.

Ah - Makes sense.

Maybe it laid claim to being the the country's tallest structure at one point?

But thanks, I've yet to make it down there during a time period where I can get on a tour of the place.

Sorry - Tangent - back to topic.

[TLOZ Link5]

Tallest structure still wouldn't work, since the Washington Monument was finished in 1880-something and is a bit taller.

[BrooklynRider]

Tallest structure still wouldn't work, since the Washington Monument was finished in 1880-something and is a bit taller.

Ok - Next time no pubs and beer while touring.