Times Square before Times Building, New York

That was the site of Times Building, before 1899, when a 9-story Pabst Hotel building was erected on the north side of 42nd Street (not in this photo). Title: Long Acre Square, Manhattan: looking down 7th Avenue (on the right) from 43rd Street. Broadway is on the left. Photograph by Brown Brothers. Source: New York Public Library.

In the late 19th century, the city’s development worked its way uptown, pushing the theater district into this area. Longa Acre Square received asphalt paving in 1897 and the subway came in 1904.

The 4-story building in the foreground belonged to the estate of Amos R. Eno. The demolition of the buildings to make way for the Times Building began in the late 1902. Hotel Metropole, former Rossmore on Broadway (left) opened in 1876 and was demolished in 1984.

The old Victoria Theatre was also under construction (right) on the corner of West 42nd Street and 7th Avenue. It opened in 1899.