Tower Building

The Tower Building at the corner of Broadway and Wall Street is a slender steel frame structure with 12 floors from 1889. The very narrow foundation was possible because of the innovative steel frame system that carried weight down through vertical columns instead of needing thick walls.

The building rose in 1889 as the first high-rise in New York City to use a steel skeleton as its main structure instead of stone walls. This new building technique made it possible to go much higher and opened the door for modern skyscraper development in the city.

The building represents a turning point in how architects thought about constructing in the city, where steel made it possible to build higher and tighter in less space. Visitors can still see the effects of this idea rippling through the skyline around the city today.

The building sits at a very busy street corner with heavy foot traffic and is easy to reach on foot. The exterior areas offer the best view of the facade and the building's distinctive slim shape.

The building was designed by architect Bradford Gilbert, who borrowed ideas from railroad bridge construction to develop a new system for skyscraper building. This unusual inspiration showed that engineering knowledge from completely different fields could transform city architecture.

Location: Manhattan

Floors above the ground: 12

Height: 48 m

GPS coordinates: 40.70634,-74.01252

Latest update: December 10, 2025 15:58