World Building - Early Skyscraper in New York

The World Building or The Pulitzer Building, located in Park Row, was the tallest building in New York City from 1890, when it was completed, to 1894, when it was surpassed by the Manhattan Life Building. The World Building was the headquarters of the New York World, a daily newspaper established in 1860, in New York City. In 1868, the paper also published the World Almanac.

The first headquarters of the New York World was at 37 Park Row, site of the Old Brick Church, next to the old NY Times Building, now occupied by the Potter Building. It faced on Park Row, Beekman Street and Nassau Street. It was the first World Building, but the it existed since 1857, before the New York World was established in 1860. It was also known as Potter Building (the old one) or Park Building. Before it was burned down on January 31st, 1882, The World moved to 32 Park Row.

In 1883, the publisher Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911) purchased the New York World. In the following years the newspaper's circulation grew enormously. In 1888, Pulitzer bought the site of the French's Hotel at Frankfort Street, corner of Park Row. The hotel was demolished in the same year

The construction of the 309-foot World Building (18 floors) began in October 1889 and it was completed in December, 1890. The architect was George B. Post. The pinnacle above the dome reached 350 feet (110 m).

Pulitzer died in 1911 and left funds to erect a fountain in Grand Army Plaza. The New York World was published until 1931, when it was merged with the New York Evening Telegram (founded 1867) to become the New York World-Telegram, later New York World-Journal-Tribune, finally closing in 1967. The World Building was demolished in 1955.