41 Park Row
Encyclopedia
41 Park Row, often called the New York Times Building is located near New York City Hall
in the New York City
borough
of Manhattan
, was the longtime home of The New York Times
, until it moved to Longacre Square
, now known as Times Square
. , the building still stands as the oldest of the surviving buildings of what was once "Newspaper Row
" and is owned by Pace University
The newspaper's first building was located at 113 Nassau Street
in New York City
. In 1854, it moved to 138 Nassau Street, and in 1858 it moved to a building on 41 Park Row, making it the first newspaper in New York City housed in a building built specifically for its use. The original building constructed for the Times was a five-story structure in the Romanesque revival style, designed by Thomas R. Jackson
, that occupied the site of the Brick Presbyterian Church. The 1851 building, located across from City Hall and dwarfing that of Horace Greeley
's New York Tribune
, was described by the Times in 2001 as "a declaration that the newspaper regarded itself as a powerful institution in civic life.... No politician standing on the broad steps of City Hall could fail to note the newspaper's presence. And after 1871, when The Times led the crusade against the Tweed Ring, no politician could afford to ignore it."
After Greeley's Tribune raised the stakes with a taller building of its own in the 1870s, the Times responded in 1889 with a commission for architect George B. Post
to design a grander — and taller — building at 41 Park Row to replace the existing structure. The 13-story Romanesque building, with arches carved from Maine granite and Indiana limestone, was constructed around the core of the original building. The printing presses were kept in place, and the new building constructed around it as the old one was demolished. The top floor was designated for use by the composing room to allow the printers access to more natural light. The paper was purchased by Adolph Ochs in 1896. Under Ochs' leadership, architect Robert Maynicke
was retained to remove the original mansard roof and add three additional stories of offices.
Five printing presses, capable of printing 12,000 newspapers an hour, were located below street level in a space that was later used by Pace University as a gym.
The building was purchased by Pace University in 1951, and has been used for classrooms and offices. 41 Park Row was granted landmark status by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
in 1999. A bronze statue of Benjamin Franklin
holding a copy of his Pennsylvania Gazette
stands in front of the building in Printing-House Square, currently known as 1 Pace Plaza. .
New York City Hall
New York City Hall is located at the center of City Hall Park in the Civic Center area of Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA, between Broadway, Park Row, and Chambers Street. The building is the oldest City Hall in the United States that still houses its original governmental functions, such as...
in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, was the longtime home of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, until it moved to Longacre Square
Longacre Square
Longacre Square in New York City, the predecessor of Times Square, Manhattan, formed a nexus of important roads to the north of the island at the intersection of 42nd Street, Bloomingdale Road and Seventh Avenue, today in Midtown Manhattan....
, now known as Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
. , the building still stands as the oldest of the surviving buildings of what was once "Newspaper Row
Park Row (Manhattan)
Park Row is a street located in the Financial District of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It was previously called Chatham Street and during the late 19th century it was nicknamed Newspaper Row, as most of New York City's newspapers located on the street to be close to the action at New...
" and is owned by Pace University
Pace University
Pace University is an American private, co-educational, and comprehensive multi-campus university in the New York metropolitan area with campuses in New York City and Westchester County, New York.-Programs:...
The newspaper's first building was located at 113 Nassau Street
Nassau Street (Manhattan)
Nassau Street is a street in the Financial District of the New York City borough of Manhattan, located near Pace University and New York City Hall. It starts at Wall Street and runs north to Frankfort Street at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, lying one block east of Broadway and east of Park Row...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1854, it moved to 138 Nassau Street, and in 1858 it moved to a building on 41 Park Row, making it the first newspaper in New York City housed in a building built specifically for its use. The original building constructed for the Times was a five-story structure in the Romanesque revival style, designed by Thomas R. Jackson
Thomas R. Jackson
Thomas R. Jackson was an English-born American architect who rose to the position of head draftsman in the office of Richard Upjohn , one of New York's most prominent designers; in his position in Upjohn's office he was one of the designers in the construction of Trinity Church, New York. The...
, that occupied the site of the Brick Presbyterian Church. The 1851 building, located across from City Hall and dwarfing that of Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
's New York Tribune
New York Tribune
The New York Tribune was an American newspaper, first established by Horace Greeley in 1841, which was long considered one of the leading newspapers in the United States...
, was described by the Times in 2001 as "a declaration that the newspaper regarded itself as a powerful institution in civic life.... No politician standing on the broad steps of City Hall could fail to note the newspaper's presence. And after 1871, when The Times led the crusade against the Tweed Ring, no politician could afford to ignore it."
After Greeley's Tribune raised the stakes with a taller building of its own in the 1870s, the Times responded in 1889 with a commission for architect George B. Post
George B. Post
George Browne Post was an American architect trained in the Beaux-Arts tradition.-Biography:Post was a student of Richard Morris Hunt , but unlike many architects of his generation, he had previously received a degree in civil engineering...
to design a grander — and taller — building at 41 Park Row to replace the existing structure. The 13-story Romanesque building, with arches carved from Maine granite and Indiana limestone, was constructed around the core of the original building. The printing presses were kept in place, and the new building constructed around it as the old one was demolished. The top floor was designated for use by the composing room to allow the printers access to more natural light. The paper was purchased by Adolph Ochs in 1896. Under Ochs' leadership, architect Robert Maynicke
Robert Maynicke
Robert Maynicke was an American architect. The New York Times called him "a pioneer in the building of modern loft buildings."...
was retained to remove the original mansard roof and add three additional stories of offices.
Five printing presses, capable of printing 12,000 newspapers an hour, were located below street level in a space that was later used by Pace University as a gym.
The building was purchased by Pace University in 1951, and has been used for classrooms and offices. 41 Park Row was granted landmark status by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The Commission was created in April 1965 by Mayor Robert F. Wagner following the destruction of Pennsylvania Station the previous year to make way for...
in 1999. A bronze statue of Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
holding a copy of his Pennsylvania Gazette
Pennsylvania Gazette
The Pennsylvania Gazette was one of the United States' most prominent newspapers from 1728, before the time period of the American Revolution, until 1815...
stands in front of the building in Printing-House Square, currently known as 1 Pace Plaza. .