The Woolworth Building — Attraction in New York

The Woolworth Building is an amazing and iconic skyscraper located in the Tribeca neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City.

Designed by renowned architect, Cass Gilbert and fully completed in April of 1913, the Woolworth Building is considered to be one of New York City’s earliest skyscrapers and reigned as the tallest building in the world from 1913-1929. It’s height is over 790 feet tall and has 60 floors, 30 of which is part of the base of the building and the other 30 is located at the building’s tower section. It is also one of the few New York destinations that has its own zip code.

The construction of the Woolworth Building was financed by Frank Winfield Woolworth, a successful pioneering retailer whom founded a popular brand of 5 & 10 cent stores in the early twentieth century. Woolworth, whom the building is named after, built the skyscraper to house the headquarters of his retail empire, and serve as a living testament of his extraordinary wealth and power, and his immense success in the retail industry.

Other early tenants included the Irving National Bank, whom also helped to finance the building’s construction, prominent railroad companies; such as the New York Central Railroad, the Union Pacific Railroad, and the telecommunications giant, the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America. Today, the building is jointly owned by the Witkoff Group & the KC Properties.

Its resemblance to Neo-gothic style cathedrals and its connections with huge and successful enterprises gave the Woolworth Building its most famous nickname, “The Cathedral Of Commerce.” Due to impressive architectural design, and its impact on urban planning and skyscraper construction, the Woolworth Building is listed on the National Register Of Historic Places and is recognized as a U.S National Historic Landmark.

In February of 2019, I brought and treated my wife and myself for a guided tour of the Woolworth Building to celebrate our Happy One Year Wedding Anniversary!!! I also brought her to visit the building as a way of paying homage to the wonderful childhood memories she had when visiting and shopping at the Woolworth stores with her late mother.

Both my wife and I were in absolute awe of the Woolworth Building’s beauty and glamour and were impressed with its limestone facade and glazed architectural terracotta panels. Our tour guide did a fabulous job on explaining the building’s ground breaking architectural design, its inclusion of many modern day amenities, its notable tenants and its influence on future of skyscraper development. The highlight of our tour was getting the chance to see and learn about the building’s ornate and breathtaking lobby. It certainly is a sight to behold. My wife and I enjoyed seeing and taking pictures of lobby’s domed ceiling, the gorgeous glass mosaics that decorates the ceiling, and the plasters that hold grotesques which portray important figures that played a crucial role in the building’s development.

Sadly, the Woolworth Building is not open for public viewing or tours and this has been the case since the COVID pandemic began in 2020. Hopefully one day, and in the near future, the Woolworth Building will be open to public giving others the chance to visit and learn about this important New York landmark.

My wife and I had an extraordinary time visiting and touring the Woolworth Building and highly recommended this location as must see destination, especially when it reopens...

This is one of Cass Gilbert's Gothic buildings commissioned by Woolworth at the height of his business empire (after 300 stores were installed). Once the tallest building in NYC and now a historical landmark. The building was the first to offer co-located luxury residence and commercial space in NYC creating a city within a city for the city's elite. Stocked with a barber shop, Romanesque pool and spa, as some of the amenities. The lobby and balcony are Romanesque cathedral nave inspired marble, gold leaf, crystal mosaic vaulted ceilings all culminating to 2 stunning murals of Christian inspired allegorical representations of Commerce and Labor. Very intricate detail including a few gargoyles some representing Woolworth and Gilbert. If you are fortunate to get/request Barbara Christen, architectural historian and resident Gilbert expert, you will get a thorough analysis of the building, the period, and the majesty of the...

I worked in this building for several years. Before then, I worked in another Wall Street area building for years where I could see the copper roof and all the Gothic gargoyles. It was the tallest building in the world from 1913 when it was finished until 1930 when the Chrysler building surpassed it. So I was excited when my company moved there. The lobby is beautiful. It is dark- the facilities manager explained that it tried to keep the original feel and to highlight the sunshine which came in through the stained glass windows. The inside is almost reminiscent of a church. In fact, I read that it was designed almost as a temple to modern commerce. That said, the offices in the building are old and not very well maintained. We had leaks and mold in our office. But for a visitor, it’s worth a visit. You must book a tour because it’s not open...