NEW YORK | Woolworth Building | 792 FT / 241 M | 57 FLOORS | 1913

[Upward]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

What's the deal with those metal braces (lower portion)? Were these always in place?

I think they are part of the original design. They can be seen in this vintage photo that was posted on the first page of the thread:

[STR]

^Yeah, they're original. I've never seen them close up before. I had always thought they were walkways between the two wings.

[NYguy]

King of the world...

Beast 1

[MolsonExport]

^outstanding.

[HomrQT]

OK, THOSE PHOTOS ARE 10/10.. I live to see scenery such as that... Thanks NYGUY...

[NYguy]

Yeah, that's one of the best photos of the era I've seen. You can get a sense of how majestic the Woolworth must have been as the world's tallest building.


ASdeVera

[CarlosV]

I had an office on the 23rd floor of the Woolworth Building in 1997...i was even lucky enough to go to the top look out tower and had amazing views of the original WTC. I should dig up those old fotos...


DSC_1939 by Ceva321, on Flickr

[Whynottaller]

When were those four small turrets so poorly/tackily remodeled?

Back in late 1912:

[CarlosV]

they butchered the entire crown...all the architectural spires were removed! even the one on top of the crown...shame

[MolsonExport]

Shame indeed. From Gothic to Awfic.

[ChiSoxRox]

Originally Posted by NYguy

King of the world...

Beast 1

What is the gabled skyscraper next to the Singer in that picture?

Edit: Found it: City Investing Building, torn down with the Singer Building in 1968

[marvelfannumber1]

Originally Posted by Whynottaller

When were those four small turrets so poorly/tackily remodeled?

Back in late 1912:

What the ffffffffffff.

When the heck did that happen man that is horrible.

[CarlosV]

Copyright by The Pictorial News Co., N.Y. No. NN 98. {{PD-US}}




heres a photo that i took back in 1997, when i was working there, it shows the mediocre way they restored the corner pyramids.

(this photo is currently posted at NYArchitecture.com, without my permission and taken from SSC)


WWtower1997 by Ceva321, on Flickr

[Whynottaller]

It looks like it was in the late 1970s refurbishment when the top of the building was ruined, as can be seen in this Reinhart Wolf's pic:



What we lost:

[Troyeth]

There appears to be three women on the balcony, the fourth level up from the bottom of the picture. Terrific.

[CarlosV]

Originally Posted by Troyeth

There appears to be three women on the balcony, the fourth level up from the bottom of the picture. Terrific.

i counted 9 people in that balcony...by the way I have been to the balcony, I have to look for the pics! back in 1997

[Matthew]

The steel beams between the two wings are eight wind braces. Many tall U-shaped buildings from this time period feature wind bracing in the light-well to meet code for wind stress.

If I remember correctly, the turrets were removed because they presented a danger to people below. In the 1960s and 1970s, many Neo-Gothic structures from the 1910s and 1920s had this problem. Some experienced reclads and others had ornamentation removed, because it was falling from the buildings on the streets below or could fall on someone below. A building in North Carolina had four Neo-Gothic turrets removed and was almost reclad in the 1970s in response to this deterioration. The Woolworth Building replaced its turrets and to most people from street level, you can't tell anything was changed. With today's technology, I would like to see an attempt to more accurately recreate the originals with a material that will last.

[Whynottaller]

Two events taking place in this 1978 pic: Woolworth's turrets being replaced and the massive 1WTC antenna being installed.

[CarlosV]

testing of the lights for the tribute on sept 11 2011


DSC_2589 by Ceva321, on Flickr

[marshall]

Ive always loved the Woolworth building in Lower M. What exactly do they call the design? Seems much more ornate than even later masonry skyscrapers like Chrysler bldg.