John Wolfe Building under construction
the old John Wolfe Building 1895
shorpy pic. 1902
facade
German American Ins. Building from 1907
1920s
John Wolf und German American Insurance Buildings
View from 40 Wall Street 1930s
1974 the end of this two Buildings
Johnston, Blair, Cable, Bankers Trust, and Hanover Bank Buildings, only Bankers Trust stands
Aerial view between 1933-1939
1930s view of Nassau Street showing the 14 Wall Annex, Equitable, and Guaranty Trust Buildings
Cable Building and Stock Exchange, 1937
Nassau Street c. 1945; Federal Reserve, Chase and Sinclair Buildings are shown, as well as the Cable Building
Broad Street c. 1945, showing the lost Broad Street buildings; at left is a 25-story art deco building at 60 Broad Street, demolished in 1959 (add this to the list of lost deco buildings)
Downtown, 1950
1950s Wall Street, sometime before 1953
Easter 1958, note 110 William Street under construction in the foreground
Bank of Manhattan Building c. 1959
I found a thread of old buildings that were torn down in other cities across America. I can across a couple pre 1900’s buildings a started to think objectively about how ugly some of these buildings were. I definitely feel like there are plenty of pre 1900’s building that were incredibly gaudy.
I kind of got some of the “yuck” vibes that I got when I visited some of the European palaces I went to.
For example when I went to the Louvre I went in a couple or rooms that I thought were terrible. I love ornamentation but I definitely think it got out of control on many of those buildings.
Like this one from New Orleans.
I think the ornamentation on a building like this is just too much.
That’s why I love 5th Ave from the Flatiron all the way to Washington Square. I feel like those buildings have the absolute perfect amount of detail.
This to me is the most perfect streetscape in the world.
The size of the street, the scale of the buildings, the subtle variety in design but at the same time uniformity of the buildings.
To me, if you got rid of the cars on this street, made it cobblestone and added some trees then it would be perfect. That’s just my opinion.
I still think lower Broadway is one of the best stretches of beautiful buildings in the world.
I just would love to see some developer re-cover some of those ugly buildings with stone.
I read somewhere that the building on the left was stripped and converted to the building on the right. Do you know if that’s true?
I feel like with modern 3D printing techniques restoring the original facade on some of these buildings is doable. Just need to find a developer with a soul.
Sadly true. It was a travesty. The building was gorgeous and very underrated
Lol. What the hell were they even thinking. Seriously who in their right mind said “yea this is definitely better”
People had horrible taste in the 60s, 70s, 80s. And I think history has proven it. Everyone seems to objectively hate all of the buildings from that era.
I still feel that lower Manhattan is a good place for a stroll. Walk around Twenty Exchange for example. That entire area has some great views.
Exchange Place in 1936: the Exchange Court Building is on the top-right
The arch in the light court
Seen in the early days; adjacent to it was New York’s first steel framed skyscraper, the Tower Building (1889-1914)
I noticed it came into frame in the movie Koyaanisqatsi, during the Pruitt Igoe part. It must be from about 1979 or 1980 assuming the renovation happened in 1981-1982.
Singer, City Investing and Hudson Terminal Buildings
Skyline 1902
Skyline 1906
March 1962
Mid Manhattan 1931
Shorpy pics.
MetLife Tower with the Hyde, Pullman, and MetLife Annex buildings in the foreground
Construction of the North building in 1939
The first half of the MetLife North Building is completed, 1940
Both buildings at night, 1947; note the other half preparing construction
The tower being renovated and stripped to its skeleton in the 1960s
I am still crossing my fingers that SL Green or another developer will finish it to something close to its original planned size at some point. I highly doubt it though as it would be difficult to get the air rights.
Larkin Tower a unbuilt Skyscraper from 1925.
Proposed in 1925, the Larkin Building would have contained up to 110 stories at 1208 ft. and was to be located on west 42nd street (McGraw Hill Building currently occupies the site).
walk behind the MetLife North Building and then take Park Ave all the way down to Union Square. That entire stretch of buildings is Incredible! Some of my favorites are located over there.
