Singer Tower
| Singer Building | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Record height | |
| Tallest in the world from 1908 to 1909 | |
| Preceded by | Philadelphia City Hall |
| Surpassed by | Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower |
| General information | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Type | Commercial offices |
| Location | 149 Broadway New York City, New York |
| Coordinates | 40°42′35″N 74°00′36″W / 40.70982°N 74.01001°WCoordinates: 40°42′35″N 74°00′36″W / 40.70982°N 74.01001°W |
| Completed | 1908 |
| Demolished | 1968 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 186.57 m (612.1 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 47 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Ernest Flagg |
| Structural engineer | Boller & Hodge |
| Main contractor | General Supply & Construction Company |
| References | |
The Singer Building or Singer Tower, at Liberty Street and Broadway in Lower Manhattan's Financial District, was a 47-story office building completed in 1908 as the headquarters of the Singer Manufacturing Company. It was the tallest building in the world from 1908 to 1909. It was demolished in 1968, together with the adjacent City Investing Building, and is now the site of One Liberty Plaza. When it was demolished, it was the tallest building ever to be demolished, and is still the third-tallest building ever to be destroyed (after the World Trade Center towers) and the tallest to be purposely demolished by its owner.
The building was commissioned by Frederick Bourne, the head of the Singer Sewing Machine Company. He hired architect Ernest Flagg, who was an early exponent of the Beaux-Arts architectural style. Flagg had also designed the company's previous headquarters at 561 Broadway between Prince and Spring Streets – in what is now the SoHo neighborhood – which was referred to as the "Little Singer Building" after the new building was erected. Plans and working drawings were prepared by George W. Conable (1866–1933).
Flagg believed that buildings more than 10 or 15 stories high should be set back from the street, with the tower occupying only a quarter of the lot. The 12-story base of the building filled an entire blockfront, while the tower above was relatively narrow. The tower floors were squares only 65 feet (20 m) on a side.
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