Woolworth Building

Tribeca, United States

Exterior only

Visible from the street; the inside is private.

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The Woolworth Building is a 792-foot-tall Neo-Gothic skyscraper located at 233 Broadway in Lower Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood, designed by Cass Gilbert and completed in 1913. Originally conceived by F. W. Woolworth as a headquarters for his five-and-ten-cent store empire, the structure was jointly planned with the Irving Trust Company. The building consists of a 30-story base topped by a 30-story tower and features a facade clad primarily in architectural terracotta with limestone lower portions and thousands of windows. Its ornate lobby contains sculptures, mosaics, and architectural embellishments, while amenities once included an observatory on the 57th floor and a basement swimming pool. Upon its completion, the Woolworth Building held the distinction of being the world's tallest building until 1929. The structure has been substantially renovated, most notably between 1977 and 1981, and was converted in part to residential use after the top 30 floors were sold to developers in 2012. It remains a New York City Landmark and is listed on both the National Register and New York State Register of Historic Places.

Architect

Cass Gilbert

Movement

Gothic Revival

Built: 1912
Type: skyscraper
Heritage: New York State Register of Historic Places listed place, New York City Landmark
Height: 241 m
Place: Tribeca, United States

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Location

40.71240, -74.00822