Extra, Extra
Extra, Extra
Extra, Extra
Extra, Extra
Early Addition
The Times has a nice article today about interior landmarks-- lobbies and other spaces that are either inaccessible or hard-to-access for the average New York citizen. One example-- the old AT&T building at 195 Broadway (pictures above):
Though AT&T left 23 years ago, the lobby lost no grandeur. It even kept such remnants of the telephone company as a muscular bronze figure by Chester Beach symbolizing "Service to the Nation in Peace and War," under a relief map of the United States commemorating the first transcontinental phone line of 1915."This building is a museum," Mr. Levinson said. Admiringly. Striding quickly over floors polished to an icy sheen, he pointed out acorn-topped door hinges, locks ringed by ornamental wreaths, a seven-foot-tall marble mailbox and cherubs frolicking above the elevator doors.
In the accompanying sidebar, David Dunbar reports on his efforts to gain entrance into the rest of the interior landmarks downtown. Most of the time he was rebuffed by security, which is a shame-- all of these places should be open to the public. Here's a list of the buildings he visited-- we've tried to find pictures of each one (mostly from NYC-Architecture.com, an amazing site for pictures of buildings.) If you can help find pictures of the ones we missed, please put them in the comments:
FORMER AT&T LONG DISTANCE BUILDING, 32 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS [Exterior shot]
FORMER UNITED STATES CUSTOM HOUSE, BOWLING GREEN
NEW YORK COUNTY COURTHOUSE, 60 CENTRE STREET [exterior]
FORMER NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY BUILDING, 346 BROADWAY
FORMER WESTERN UNION BUILDING, 60 HUDSON STREET
CITY HALL
TWEED COURTHOUSE, 52 CHAMBERS STREET
SURROGATE'S COURT, 31 CHAMBERS STREET [exterior]
FORMER EMIGRANT INDUSTRIAL SAVINGS BANK, 51 CHAMBERS STREET [exterior]
FORMER NATIONAL CITY BANK AND MERCHANTS' EXCHANGE, 55 WALL STREET
FEDERAL HALL NATIONAL MEMORIAL, WALL STREET
FORMER CUNARD BUILDING, 25 BROADWAY
VERIZON HEADQUARTERS, 140 WEST STREET
WOOLWORTH BUILDING, 233 BROADWAY
add to digg
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
email this
add to facebook
add to del.icio.us
I remember walking around downtown one day and strolling through the Woolworth Building lobby. Absolutely amazing. Few months later I tried going in with my daughter, and we were stopped at the door. This is a crime. There is no reason for this. We're going to protect the art by not getting anyone to look at it.
Friggin' fools.
If real estate people want to know why everyone thinks they suck, look here. Get on your phones and call the owners of the Woolworth Building and get this to change. People who want to appreciate your building don't need to have to deal with bullying, rude guards.
After 9-11, they decided that people couldn't just come in off the street and look around the Woolworth lobby. It was a security thing, I worked there at the time. I think they have tours though, but you have to sign up.
Both of my visits were after 9/11. No excuse.
The NY Life building has a rush-hours-only subway entrance on the corner of Park and 27th Street (the station is downtown only on the 6 line at 28th Street). You can catch a glimpse of the building's beautiful Beaux Arts lobby from there, although you won't be able to get past the security check to get a closer look (but the subway entrance itself is beautiful too).
You used to be able to get a modest view of the Cunard lobby when it was a post office. The PO closed about a year ago -- does anyone know if there are any plans for the space? It would be spectacular if they cleaned it up a bit, especially considering the history of the building.
I've always wanted to get into the red room at the Irving Trust Company building.
I'm not sure who was sponsoring it, but sometime last year a bunch of architecturally significant buildings all over the city opened their doors to the public. You were given little tours (sometimes guided) on buildings you normally wouldn't notice.
Can anyone give more information on this?
Ah, the Woolworth building. It's my favourite in the city and I haven't even been inside the lobby yet. Like the first poster said, it's a crime to never be allowed in there. I was hoping that during the Open NY weekend in the late summer/early fall when they allow visitors/tours of buildings that are generally closed would have one for the WB.
Doesn't help that I go to school right across the street.
Will get into that building one day even if it means taking a class at NYU or something.
The information about the Customs House is fascinating. I've always loved the sculpture of that building. Those 360 degree views revealed stuff I never knew was there.
jc - you're thinking of Open House New York
I tried the same thing with the lobby of the Chrysler Building, Tim. I couldn't get past the front door to even look up. However, if you go to the Woolworth Building after business hours (7 pm or later) you can generally get inside the lobby. You can
t go near the elevator banks, but you can at least get inside up to the security desk which is set pretty far back. I've had some nice security guards who let me look as long as I didn't try to get pushy about it.
Open House New York will be on again next October. Stay tuned for site listings. www.ohny.org