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The Park Row Building is a skyscraper in New York City built in 1899. At 391 ft (119.2m) tall it was the tallest skyscraper in the world from 1899 until 1908 when it was surpassed by the Singer Building. In 1901 an announced building project by Aetna, to be located at 33rd Street and Broadway, would have overtaken Park Row as the tallest building at 455 feet high — but it was never built. The Park Row Building is 29 stories tall, 26 floors with two three-story cupolas.
The foundation of the Park Row Building was made of 3,900 Georgia spruce piles driven into wet sand and topped by granite blocks. Upon completion, approximately 4,000 people a day worked there.
Critical review
The architectural critics of New York were not impressed with 15 Park Row. The New York Times quoted a critic, who in 1898 wrote in The Real Estate Record and Guide, "New York is the only city in which such a monster would be allowed to rear itself," and called the blank side walls "absolutely inexpressive and vacuous." In a 1908 article in The New York Times, a French architect, Augustin-Adolphe Rey wrote that "one side of it is an entirely bare wall -- what difference does it make how the other sides are treated?" Critic Jean Schopfer, in a 1900 article printed in the magazine Architectural Review, an article titled American Architecture from a Foreign Point of View simply called the building "detestable."
Recent developments
In 1999 the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Park Row Building a landmark.
In 2000 plans were developed for a gut renovation of the entire structure. It included converting all floors above the 11th into 210 rental apartments, at a cost of over $30 million. All floors below the 11th were to remain commercial. The most unique apartments would be the pair made out of the two three-story cupolas.
A recent listing showed the makeup of the building as: *
- Gross square footage: 191,576
- Upper-floor Apartments:
- 105 - studio apartments
- 30 - convertible studios
- 60 - 1 bedrooms
- 15 - 2 bedrooms
References
- New York Times Streetscapes The Park Row Building, 15 Park Row; An 1899 'Monster' That Reigned High Over the City; March 12, 2000
See also
External links
Park Row Building | בניין פארק רו | Park Row Building | 公園街大樓
"Park Row Building"