Singer Building
Encyclopedia
The Singer Building or Singer Tower at Liberty Street
and Broadway
in Manhattan
, was a 47-story office building completed in 1908 as the headquarters of the Singer Manufacturing Company
. It was demolished in 1968 and is now the site of 1 Liberty Plaza.
, the head of the Singer Sewing Machine Company. He hired noted architect Ernest Flagg
, who was an early exponent of the Beaux-Arts architectural style. Flagg had also designed the company's previous headquarters at 561 Broadway
between Prince and Spring Streets – in what is now the SoHo
neighborhood – which was referred to as the "Little Singer Building" after the new building was erected. Plans and working drawings were prepared by George W. Conable
(1866–1933).
Flagg believed that buildings more than 10 or 15 stories high should be set back from the street, with the tower occupying only a quarter of the lot. The 12-story base of the building filled an entire blockfront, while the tower above was relatively narrow. The tower floors were squares only 65 feet (20 m) on a side.
New York Times architectural critic Christopher Gray
wrote in 2005:
At 612 feet (187 m) above grade, the Singer Building was the tallest building in the world from its completion until the completion in 1909 of the 700 feet (213.4 m) Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower
at 23rd Street
and Madison Avenue in Manhattan.
Skyscraper zoning legislation, enacted in 1916 at Flagg's urging, incorporated many of his ideas for setbacks in tall buildings.
In 1961, Singer sold the building and subsequently moved to Rockefeller Center
. The building was then acquired by real estate developer William Zeckendorf
, who sought unsuccessfully for the New York Stock Exchange
to move there. In 1964 United States Steel acquired the building, along with the neighboring City Investing Building
, for demolition. By the 1960s the building was uneconomical because of its small interior dimensions. The tower portion of the building contained only 4200 square feet (390.2 m²) per floor, compared with 37000 square feet (3,437.4 m²) per floor of the building that replaced it, the U.S. Steel Building (currently known as 1 Liberty Plaza).
Although New York had a newly created Landmarks Preservation Commission
by the time demolition commenced in 1967, and the Singer Building was considered to be one of the most notable buildings in the city, it did not receive landmark designation that would have prevented demolition. Alan Burnham, executive director of the commission, said in August 1967 that if the building were to have been made a landmark, the city would have to either find a buyer for it or acquire it. Demolition commenced in August 1967 and was completed the following year. At the time, it was the tallest building ever to be destroyed. This record was surpassed in 2001 when the September 11 attacks caused the collapse of the nearby World Trade Center
, making the Singer Building the 3rd tallest building to be destroyed, but it is still the tallest building ever peacefully demolished. The earlier Singer Building in SoHo
remains standing.
File:Singer City Investing Hudson Terminal 1909 crop.jpg|Singer Building with the Hudson Terminal
File:SingerBuilding2.jpg|The building seen from Broadway
File:SingerBuilding15.jpg|The interior view of one of the hallways
Liberty Street (Manhattan)
Liberty Street is a street in New York City that stretches east-west from the middle of Lower Manhattan almost to the East River. It borders such sites as One Chase Manhattan Plaza, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, One Liberty Plaza, Liberty Plaza Park, the World Trade Center site, the World...
and Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
in 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 a 47-story office building completed in 1908 as the headquarters of the Singer Manufacturing Company
Singer Corporation
Singer Corporation is a manufacturer of sewing machines, first established as I.M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer with New York lawyer Edward Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, then The Singer Company in 1963. It is...
. It was demolished in 1968 and is now the site of 1 Liberty Plaza.
History
The building was commissioned by Frederick BourneFrederick Gilbert Bourne
Frederick Gilbert "Commodore" Bourne was President of the Singer Manufacturing Company between 1889 and 1905. He made the business "perhaps the first modern multinational industrial enterprise of any nationality." Bourne greatly expanded global production as well as international sales of the...
, the head of the Singer Sewing Machine Company. He hired noted architect Ernest Flagg
Ernest Flagg
Ernest Flagg was a noted American architect in the Beaux-Arts style. He was also an advocate for urban reform and architecture's social responsibility.-Biography:...
, who was an early exponent of the Beaux-Arts architectural style. Flagg had also designed the company's previous headquarters at 561 Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
between Prince and Spring Streets – in what is now the SoHo
SoHo
SoHo is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, notable for being the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and also, more recently, for the wide variety of stores and shops ranging from trendy boutiques to outlets of upscale national and international chain stores...
neighborhood – which was referred to as the "Little Singer Building" after the new building was erected. Plans and working drawings were prepared by George W. Conable
George W. Conable
George W. Conable , AIA, was an American architect practicing in New York City in the early to mid 20th century specializing in churches. In 1905 he was an assistant to noted architect Ernest Flagg and prepared plans and working drawings for the Singer Building. His office was at 15 Myrtle Avenue,...
(1866–1933).
Flagg believed that buildings more than 10 or 15 stories high should be set back from the street, with the tower occupying only a quarter of the lot. The 12-story base of the building filled an entire blockfront, while the tower above was relatively narrow. The tower floors were squares only 65 feet (20 m) on a side.
New York Times architectural critic Christopher Gray
Christopher Gray
Christopher Gray is an American journalist and architectural historian noted for his weekly New York Times column "Streetscapes", about the history of New York architecture, real estate and public improvements...
wrote in 2005:
The lobby had the quality of "celestial radiance" seen in world's-fair and exposition architecture of the period, as the author Mardges Bacon described it in her 1986 monograph "Ernest Flagg" (Architectural History Foundation, MIT Press). A forest of marble columns rose high to a series of multiple small domes of delicate plasterwork, and Flagg trimmed the columns with bronze beading. A series of large bronze medallions placed at the top of the columns were alternately rendered in the monogram of the Singer company and, quite inventively, as a huge needle, thread and bobbin.
At 612 feet (187 m) above grade, the Singer Building was the tallest building in the world from its completion until the completion in 1909 of the 700 feet (213.4 m) Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower
The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower, also known as the Metropolitan Life Tower or Met Life Tower, is a landmark skyscraper located on East 23rd Street between Madison Avenue and Park Avenue South, off of Madison Square Park. in the borough of Manhattan in New York City...
at 23rd Street
23rd Street
23rd Street may refer to:* 23rd Street , a street in New York City* 23rd Street , a street in Richmond, California.* 23rd Street Grounds, a former Chicago, Illinois baseball park used during the late 19th century...
and Madison Avenue in Manhattan.
Skyscraper zoning legislation, enacted in 1916 at Flagg's urging, incorporated many of his ideas for setbacks in tall buildings.
In 1961, Singer sold the building and subsequently moved to Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
. The building was then acquired by real estate developer William Zeckendorf
William Zeckendorf
William Zeckendorf, Sr. was a prominent American real estate developer. Through his development company Webb and Knapp – for which he began working in 1938 and which he purchased in 1949 – he developed a significant portion of the New York City urban landscape.-Career:Zeckendorf's...
, who sought unsuccessfully for the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
to move there. In 1964 United States Steel acquired the building, along with the neighboring City Investing Building
City Investing Building
The City Investing Building was an early New York City skyscraper, one of the largest buildings of its era, erected in 1908, and razed in 1968....
, for demolition. By the 1960s the building was uneconomical because of its small interior dimensions. The tower portion of the building contained only 4200 square feet (390.2 m²) per floor, compared with 37000 square feet (3,437.4 m²) per floor of the building that replaced it, the U.S. Steel Building (currently known as 1 Liberty Plaza).
Although New York had a newly created 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...
by the time demolition commenced in 1967, and the Singer Building was considered to be one of the most notable buildings in the city, it did not receive landmark designation that would have prevented demolition. Alan Burnham, executive director of the commission, said in August 1967 that if the building were to have been made a landmark, the city would have to either find a buyer for it or acquire it. Demolition commenced in August 1967 and was completed the following year. At the time, it was the tallest building ever to be destroyed. This record was surpassed in 2001 when the September 11 attacks caused the collapse of the nearby World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
, making the Singer Building the 3rd tallest building to be destroyed, but it is still the tallest building ever peacefully demolished. The earlier Singer Building in SoHo
SoHo
SoHo is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, notable for being the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and also, more recently, for the wide variety of stores and shops ranging from trendy boutiques to outlets of upscale national and international chain stores...
remains standing.
Gallery
File:Singer City Investing Hudson Terminal 1909 crop.jpg|Singer Building with the Hudson Terminal
Hudson Terminal
Hudson Terminal was an urban railway station on the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad in Lower Manhattan, New York City, and the office skyscraper built to serve the terminal.- Station :...
File:SingerBuilding2.jpg|The building seen from Broadway
File:SingerBuilding15.jpg|The interior view of one of the hallways
