Commercial Buildings

Times Square (2)

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Times Square in New York City, around 1905. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

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Times Square in 2014:

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The only building that is readily visible in both photos is the New York Times Building, which gives some kind of scale to show the amount of development that has occurred in the past 100+ years.  Hiding behind a variety of electronic billboards, the building is still there, and has not changed in height.  It’s hard to tell, but in the 2014 photo the top of the building is right around the bottom of the Toshiba sign.  In 1905, the building towered over the rest of the square; today, it is barely noticeable among the much taller skyscrapers that now front Times Square.

New York Times Building Under Construction

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The Times Square Building as it appeared during its construction, around 1904. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

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The building in 2014:

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As mentioned in this post, the New York Times Building is literally a shell of its former self.  Because of its narrow dimensions, it is more profitable to rent out the outside of the billboards, than to rent out the interior for offices.  Today, only the ground floor is used; as of 2014, it was the home to a Walgreens.  It looks completely different from the 1904 photo; it wasn’t even completed, and it still easily towered over its surroundings at Times Square.  Both the building and the square were named after the New York Times, and although the paper moved to a new location in 1913, the name stuck.

Seeing New York City, at the Flatiron Building

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New York tours at the Flatiron Building, around 1904. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

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The same scene in 2014:

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New York City sightseeing tours are nothing new, although the vehicles in the 1904 photo hardly resemble the tour buses that now roam the streets of New York.  Taken along the Fifth Avenue side of the Flatiron Building, the 1904 vehicles advertise that tours start at the “Flat Iron Building,” even though the sign above the door of the building is marked with its then-official name, the Fuller Building.  The vehicles also state “Telephone Connection,” which I presume means that the tour offices have a telephone.  One would think that the number would also be provided, though, but perhaps back then all one needed to do was tell the operator to connect them with “Seeing New York.”  The tour buses also look incredibly dangerous – there are no seat belts or other safety equipment, and it’s a long way down if anyone falls off.  I don’t know what eventually became of the company, but the Flatiron Building is still there, as is the other building visible to the right.

Metropolitan Life Insurance Building, New York City

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The view of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Building, looking east on 23rd Street in New York City, in 1900. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

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The same view in 2014:

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Prior to the construction of the tower, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company was headquartered in the 11-story building at the corner of Madison Avenue and 23rd Street.  It was built in 1893, and appears to dominate over its surroundings.  However, as seen here, it was soon dwarfed by the tower when it was completed in 1909.  It was demolished in the 1950s and replaced with the current, nondescript concrete and glass structure at the same location.

As an interesting historical note, the building in the 1900 photo has a banner on it that reads “Headquarters Republican National Committee,” and a huge banner over 23rd Street to promote the candidacy of William McKinley for president and Theodore Roosevelt for vice president.  They would go on to win the election in the fall, and a year later Roosevelt became president after McKinley’s assassination.

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower, New York City

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The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower, between 1909 and 1915. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

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The same building in 2014:

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Completed in 1909, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower was the tallest building in the world until the completion of the Woolworth Building in 1913.  It was the company’s headquarters until 2005, and the tower portion is now being converted into a hotel.  At the base of the tower in the first photo, to the right, is the original office building, which built in 1893 and replaced by the current one in the 1950s.

Flatiron Building, New York City

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The view of the Flatiron Building around 1902. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

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The same scene in 2014:

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Another view of the Flatiron Building, looking south with Broadway on the left and Fifth Avenue on the right.  Besides the Flatiron Building, a few other ones still exist from the 1902 photo, including the  building with the gold dome to the right, and the short, yellow brick building just beyond the Flatiron Building along Broadway.  Notice the horse-drawn cabs along the side of Broadway – this photo was taken from almost the same location as this one, except in the road instead of along the sidewalk.