| Tower Building | |
|---|---|
 Entrance to the Tower Building | |
 Interactive map of Tower Building | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival architecture |
| Location | Manhattan,New York City |
| Construction started | 1888 |
| Completed | 1889 |
| Demolished | 1913 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Bradford Gilbert |
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TheTower Building was a structure in theFinancial District ofManhattan,New York City, located at 50Broadway on a lot that extended east to New Street.[1][2] It was arguablyNew York City's firstskyscraper,[3] and the first building with asteel skeleton structure.[1]
ArchitectBradford Gilbert filed plans for its construction on April 17, 1888, it was completed on September 27, 1889 and demolished beginning in 1913.[1][2]
Though it was 108 ft (33 m) deep, the building had just 21.5 ft (6.6 m) offrontage on Broadway, necessitating its novel design.[1] Chicago'sHome Insurance Building (completed 1884) was the first to use structural steel, but that building did not fully support its masonry elements on the steel frame.[4][5] On the narrow lot, a conventional design with load-bearing masonry walls would have left little room on the ground floor, but architect Gilbert asked, "Why can't I run my foundation far up in the air and then begin my building?"[5] Gilbert's design came from a railroad bridge turned on its end.[6] Cast iron columns about 20 feet (6.1 m) apart formed the skeleton, and the walls of each floor hung on a "shoe" instead of transmitting the load to the wall of the floor below.[7] The resulting structure was 128 feet (39 m) in height, and 11 stories high.[8] Gilbert made models to convince the city to permit the construction of his unusual design.[9] It was quickly followed by taller steel-skeleton buildings, including the Columbia Building in 1890.[7]
The Tower Building was sold by John N. Stearns in 1905, along with two adjacent buildings, for a reported price of about $1.5 million.[10] In 1909, Morris Building Company, a holding company ofStandard Oil Company, purchased it in foreclosure for $1.68 million.[8] No longer profitable by 1913 due to its lack of tenants, it was vacated in December of that year and demolition began.[8] Demolition was complete in 1914; at this point the tallest building in New York, theWoolworth Building, was 792 feet (241 m).[7]
40°42′24″N74°00′44″W / 40.7067°N 74.0123°W /40.7067; -74.0123