Woolworth Building Building

Address: 233 Broadway, New York, NY, United States (Woolworth Building)

Admission: Viewing the lobby/exterior is free. Interior access/tours are limited and special tours (when available) may be paid or by appointment.

The Woolworth Building is a landmark early skyscraper in Lower Manhattan, New York City, completed in 1913. It was one of the tallest buildings of its era and is a noted example of neo-Gothic commercial architecture.

The building is best known for its ornate ground-floor lobby, which features elaborate mosaics, stained glass and vaulted detailing across a compact but richly decorated space. The exterior is a terra-cotta clad neo-Gothic tower rising to 57 floors and 241 m (792 ft), a striking presence in the Financial District.

Commissioned and financed by Frank W. Woolworth, it was designed by Cass Gilbert and built in the early 1910s to serve as headquarters for the F. W. Woolworth Company. It opened in 1913 and remained one of New York’s tallest buildings until the late 1920s and early 1930s; the upper floors have seen conversions to offices and private residences over time.

Sited in Lower Manhattan near the southern end of Broadway and the Civic Center/Tribeca area, the Woolworth Building sits within Manhattan’s dense commercial district and is easily reached from Manhattan subway lines.

• Height and floors: 792 ft (241 m) tall with 57 floors, completed in 1913 and for a time the tallest building in the world.
• Architect and date: Designed by architect Cass Gilbert and financed by retail magnate Frank W. Woolworth; construction took place in the early 1910s.

What to See#

• Lobby: Publicly visible ground-floor lobby with richly decorated neo-Gothic interiors including mosaics, stained glass and ornate plasterwork; historically the building’s most accessible interior space.
• Tower and upper floors: Upper tower and office levels rising to 57 floors and 241 m (792 ft); upper floors have been converted for offices and private residences and are not generally open for casual visitors.

The Woolworth Building (233 Broadway) stands in Lower Manhattan by City Hall Park. It’s a short walk from several subway hubs - for example Fulton Street station (major transit complex) and Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall (4/5/6/J/Z lines) - typically a few minutes from those stops. The building is also within walking distance of the World Trade Center/PATH area.

Driving in Lower Manhattan is possible via Broadway, Centre Street or Park Row, but parking is limited; most visitors arrive by subway, bus or on foot from nearby neighbourhoods.

• Bear in mind that access beyond the ornate ground-floor lobby is restricted: viewing the historic lobby is possible for most visitors but full interior tours of the building require advance-booking on the official tour programmes.
• Photograph the façade from Park Place and Broadway where you get the most complete view of the neo-Gothic detailing; these street viewpoints are less interrupted by traffic than closer sidewalks.
• If you hope to see interior spaces, book a guided tour well ahead of your visit - the limited tours run only occasionally and tend to sell out, so plan dates in advance.