Among the Sky-Scrapers

Progress, Volume XI, Issue 12, 1 August 1916, Page 700

Among the Sky-Scrapers

Reprinted from “Building” in the “Architects and Builders Journal”

The Australians strolled down Broadway and the wonder of the "Woolworth Building burst upon their vision with all the suddenness of the first glimpse of the Grand Canyon. It was inspiring to see its sixty storeys, and its green copper-capped tower rising 780 ft. above the street level. Entering its main hall they stepped into the elevator; it was an express for fifty-four storeys; and having arrived at that level they entered a second elevator that' continued the journey to the tower top. What a vision ! Looking up Broadway beyond the beautiful tower of the Civic Hall, the white tower of the Metropolitan building stood above the encircling peaks of giant structures. Looking down Broadway the Singer Building disputed pride of place with the Liberty Building; whilst beyond was the Bankers' Trust Building with a cloud of steam escaping from the apex of its pyramidal ton, like sacrificial incense from an Egytian temple. They turned to descend. A card caught their glance. It read: "This building has fortv acres of floor space, twentv-eight. lifts. 3.000 windows, 80.000 electric lights. 7.000.000 brinks, and ." But simple figures lose their expression. The height is sufficient. It is high enough to look over an area of three thousand square miles. "And vet," said the Editor, as they descended in the lift, "the most wonderful thing about this building is that, as a building, it is a financial failure. You will note that onlv one-third of it is occupied, and most of the upper offices are tenantless. lam told that the rule is the higher you rise the higher the rent. Yet the owner can afford to keep the place eraptv as he only built it as an advertisement. In almost every city and town in America is a 'Woolworth' shop. It is a 'five and ten cent' store; nothing is onoted higher. Tt sells what are known as 'fancy goods,' and as it is a cash business the turnover is very great. Woolworth put his money into bricks and steel. He wanted 'the highest building in America, sure.' He realised that very newspaper would talk about it and that this continual advertising of the Woolworth Building would be worth millions of dollars to his shops.