Woolworth Building

For other uses, see List of Woolworth buildings.

Woolworth Building
The Woolworth Building in 2009
Interactive map of the Woolworth Building area
Record height
Tallest in the world from 1913 to 1929[I]
Preceded by	Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower
Surpassed by	40 Wall Street
General information
Architectural style	Neo-Gothic
Location	233 Broadway Manhattan, New York, US
Construction started	November 4, 1910 (1910-11-04)
Topped-out	July 1, 1912 (1912-07-01)
Completed	1912
Opening	April 24, 1913 (1913-04-24)
Renovated	1977–1981
Cost	US$13.5 million (equivalent to $440,000,000 in 2025)
Owner	Witkoff Group, Cammeby's International (bottom 30 floors) KC Properties (top 30 floors)
Height
Roof	792 ft (241 m)
Technical details
Floor count	55
Lifts/elevators	34
Design and construction
Architect	Cass Gilbert
Developer	F. W. Woolworth
Structural engineer	Gunvald Aus and Kort Berle
Main contractor	Thompson–Starrett Co.
Renovating team
Renovating firm	Ehrenkrantz Group
Website
woolworthbuilding.com
Woolworth Building
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
New York State Register of Historic Places
New York City Landmark
Location within New York City Location within New York Location within the United States
Coordinates	40°42′44″N 74°00′29″W
Area	0.5 acres (0.2 ha)
NRHP reference No.	66000554
NYSRHP No.	06101.001790
NYCL No.	1121, 1273
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	November 13, 1966
Designated NHL	November 13, 1966
Designated NYSRHP	June 23, 1980
Designated NYCL	April 12, 1983
References

The Woolworth Building is a 792-foot-tall (241 m) residential building and early skyscraper at 233 Broadway in the Tribeca neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City, United States. Designed by Cass Gilbert in the Neo-Gothic style, the Woolworth Building was originally an office skyscraper. It was the tallest building in the world from 1913 to 1929, and it remains one of the United States' 100 tallest buildings as of 2024.

The Woolworth Building is bounded by Broadway and City Hall Park to its east, Park Place to its north, and Barclay Street to its south. It consists of a 30-story base topped by a 30-story tower. Its facade is mostly clad with architectural terracotta, though the lower portions are limestone, and it features thousands of windows. The ornate lobby contains various sculptures, mosaics, and architectural touches. The structure was designed with several amenities and attractions, including an observatory on the 57th floor and a private swimming pool in the basement.

Frank W. Woolworth was the founder of F. W. Woolworth Company, a popular five-and-ten-cent store, and he conceived the skyscraper as a headquarters for his company. Woolworth planned it jointly with the Irving Trust, which also agreed to use the structure as its headquarters. The Woolworth Building had been planned as a 12- to 16-story commercial structure, but it underwent several revisions during its planning process. Its final height was not decided upon until January 1911. Construction started in 1910 and was completed two years later. The building officially opened on April 24, 1913.

The Woolworth Building has undergone several changes throughout its history. The facade was cleaned in 1932, and the building received an extensive renovation between 1977 and 1981. The Irving National Exchange Bank moved its headquarters to 1 Wall Street in 1931, but the Woolworth Company (later Venator Group) continued to own the Woolworth Building for most of the 20th century. The structure was sold to the Witkoff Group in 1998. The top 30 floors were sold to a developer in 2012 and converted into residences. Office and commercial tenants use the rest of the building. The Woolworth Building has been a National Historic Landmark since 1966, and a New York City designated landmark since 1983.