King's Views of New York - XVIII

Welcome to week 18 of our King's Views of New York series. As always, click on the "See Large" link beneath each photo to see them in much more detail.




(See Large)
World's Tower Building - 108, 110, 112 West Fortieth Street, 30 story structure, tallest office building ever built in the world on this size plot, also one of the most handsome. Owner and builder, Edward West Browning, who also holds a number of other world's records in the building line.


(See Large)
Bush Terminal Sales Building - 30 story building on 42nd Street between 6th Ave. and Broadway, erected by the Bush Terminal Company at the cost of $2,000,000. The three lower floors are to be used by the Buyer's Club. The other 27 will be occupied by permanent exhibets belonging to Bush Terminal shippers.


(See Large)
Times Square - formerly called Longacre, formed by the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Ave., extending from the "Times" Building, at 42nd St., to 47th St., centre of the theatre and hotel district; 37 of the foremost playhouses in America within 250 yards, with seating capacity for audiences aggregating 45,000; Metropolitan Opera House two blocks below 42nd St.; Hippodrome, largest playhouse in the world, one block east; more people pass 42nd St. and Broadway in 24 hours than any other point in the world; 40 great restaurants, some of world wide reputation, within 400 yds. Visible buildings in this photo include, from left to right: Hotel Claridge, Times Building, Hotel Astor, Gaiety Theatre, Globe Theatre.


(See Large) Photo: American Studios (1917)
Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street - intersection of the city's two most important thoroughfares. Fifth Avenue divides the city in two; at this point are located the most fashionable retail merchants in America, while further above are the residences of the city's wealthiest. The public library occupying the site of the old Croton Reservoir is an imposing structure and attracts thousands of visitors every day. On 42nd Street is the main enterance to the Grand Central Depot and there are also located several of the largest and finest hotels in the city.


(See Large)
The Commodore - twenty-six stories high and occupying the entire square bounded by 42nd and 43rd streets, Lexington Avenue and Depew Place adjacent to Grand Central Station, is now in the course of construction and will be opened in the early part of 1919. The commodore will contain 2,000 rooms, each with bath. The furnishings and decorations will be such as to satisfy those of the most critical and cultured taste and the hotel will be equipped with every modern convenience and luxury that architectural, electrical and artistic genius can invent. Among the many features will be filtered ice water for drinking purposes piped to every apartment. The Commodore will have the largest ball-room and banquet hall of any hotel in the world with a balcony of fifty-six boxes. For entertainments this room will seat 3,000 persons and for a banquet 2,000 can be comfortably seated and served. When the Commodore is opened there will be four large hotels located within a radius of hree blocks of Grand Central Terminal with guest rooms accomodating 6,000 people. The restaurants of these hotels cater to 15,000 people daily.


...to be continued.