World Building - Early Skyscraper in New York

The World Building or The Pulitzer Building, located in Park Row, was the tallest building in New York City from 1890, when it was completed, to 1894, when it was surpassed by the Manhattan Life Building. The World Building was the headquarters of the New York World, a daily newspaper established in 1860, in New York City. In 1868, the paper also published the World Almanac.

The first headquarters of the New York World was at 37 Park Row, site of the Old Brick Church, next to the old NY Times Building, now occupied by the Potter Building. It faced on Park Row, Beekman Street and Nassau Street. It was the first World Building, although the building was erected in 1857 as Park Building and the New York World was established in 1860. Before it was burned down on January 31st, 1882, The World moved to 32 Park Row.

In May 1883, the publisher Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911) purchased the stock of the Press Publishing Company, the title of the corporation which published the New York World. In the following years the newspaper's circulation grew enormously. In 1888, Pulitzer bought the site of the French's Hotel at Park Row, corner of Frankfort Street. The dimension of the lot was 115 by 136 feet. The old hotel was demolished in the same year.

The architect was George B. Post. Post also designed the present neoclassic NYSE building, the New York Times Building (41 Park Row), the Produce Exchange, St. Paul Building, the Bronx Borough Hall and the Wisconsin State Capitol, among other buildings.

The cornerstone of the 309-foot World Building (18 floors above ground floor) was laid on October 10, 1889, and it was completed in December, 1890. The pinnacle above the dome reached 350 feet (110 m), surpassing the spires of the Cathedral of Saint Patrick, then the tallest structure in New York.

Under the building there were great cavernous spaces for the machinery and for the delivery department. Six elevators could carry the occupants to the upper stories. The walls on Park Row and Frankfort Street were of red Corsehill Scotch sandstone, with buff terra-cotta and polished granite ornamentation. The domed tower rose five stores higher.

Pulitzer died in 1911 and left funds to erect a fountain in Grand Army Plaza. The New York World was published until 1931, when it was merged with the New York Evening Telegram (founded 1867) to become the New York World-Telegram, later New York World-Journal-Tribune, finally closing in 1967. The World Building was demolished in 1955. More: Park Row in 19th Century ►