Jerry Tobin, Jim Maguire,NYHISTers & NYC-Rootsers,


On 02/03/2000 (8:54:10 PM EST), Jerry Tobin ([log in to unmask])
relayed to the [log in to unmask] list a posting by Jim Maguire
([log in to unmask]) originally posted to the "NYHIST [log in to unmask]", as:

"I am trying to write a time line of the tallest New York City building.

The first significant building was Trinity Church. But I don't know what
buildings filled in the sequence until the Flatiron Building was erected.

With the Flatiron Building the sequence follows;
Flatiron
New York Life Tower
Singer
Wollworth
Chrysler
Empire State
World Trade (Tower One)

Can anyone help me fill in the sequence before the Flatiron."


The first skyscraper in the world and hence also in NYC (the word skyscraper
comes from the tallest mast on a sailing vessel) was the Tower Building at 50
Broadway.  This was the first building that replaced the traditional masonry
construction, with the walls very thick at the bottom and thinner at the top,
with a steel frame clad in brick.  This particular building is now longer
standing and the current building that has the 50 Broadway address is 3 times
as wide and a lot taller.

The skyscraper that held the height record until the Empire State Building is
40 Wall Street.  That building is still there.

There is a Museum of the Skyscraper located in the building on the north side
of Wall Street, just west of its intersection with Nassau Street (Broad
Street becomes Nassau Street as it crosses north over Wall Street).