One Times Square, also known as 1475 Broadway, the New York Times Building or the New York Times Tower, is one of the most recognisable skyscrapers in the world. It is located at the intersection of 42nd Street and Broadway, in the heart of Times Square, in the Manhattan borough. The building, which has played a key role in shaping New York’s identity since it opened in 1905, has undergone many upgrades over more than a century, resulting in it losing its original appearance. Today, it is mainly a large rack for advertising billboards of all kinds.
One Times Square was completed in 1904 and immediately became the second tallest building in Manhattan, measuring 111 metres. the 25-storey skyscraper originally served as the headquarters of The New York Times newspaper, after which Times Square itself was named. The building was constructed using a steel skeleton, which was then supplemented with bricks and concrete and finished with a variety of stone and other materials. The facades were given the then fashionable décor, which included pilasters, decorative cornices, window bands or rustication at the bottom of the skyscraper. The New York Times moved its editorial office into the new building a year after its completion, and the opening ceremony was celebrated with an impressive fireworks display at midnight on 1 January 1905. This tradition has evolved over time into an annual New Year’s Day celebration with the famous lowering of the ball.
1919 Photo: The Brown Brothers, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The tradition of lowering a ball into One Times Square has become one of the most important symbols of New Year’s celebrations in the world. Despite various transformations and upgrades to the building, the tradition has remained constant, attracting an average of one million people each year, and the building itself has become an iconic site for New Yorkers and tourists from around the world. Soon after the skyscraper opened, in the first decade of the 20th century, the Times Square area was densely developed with restaurants, theatres, hotels and office buildings. In 1913, just a few years after the move, The New York Times left One Times Square and moved to new premises. Only the advertising branches remained in the building until it was sold in 1961. Over the following decades, One Times Square transformed from a newspaper headquarters to a giant advertising billboard.
The skyscraper before and after redevelopment – 1905 and 1984. photo Miscellaneous Items in High Demand, PPOC, Library of Congress, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons and TedQuackenbush, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In 1963, the building was sold to Allied Chemical, who extensively modified its façade, replacing the original ornate granite and terracotta elements with marble and concrete. Most of the building’s facades were given a simple form, while the interiors on the upper floors were left empty due to the high cost of refurbishment. It was soon noticed that the building was generating more revenue from advertising than from renting office space, which determined its future character. By the end of the 20th century and early 21st century, One Times Square had gained a reputation as one of the most expensive and desirable advertising spaces in the world. The first Jumbotron was installed by Sony in 1990, and subsequent screens appeared gradually, attracting the attention of millions of passers-by. Since then, the building has witnessed dynamic changes in the outdoor advertising market. Billboards can be rented by the hour or day, for new product launches or other special events. The revenue generated can add up to US$10,000 per hour. Among other things, a live news bar has also been placed on the building.
In the late 1990s, the first three floors of the building were occupied by a Warner Bros. shop and now house the Walgreens flagship shop. At the time, giant LED screens were installed on the building’s façade and have become the new symbol of Times Square. In 2008, Walgreens installed the world’s largest light-emitting diode billboard. Today, One Times Square, although largely unused as an office building, is one of the most important landmarks on the map of New York. Its role as a giant advertising billboard and the site of the annual New Year’s celebrations make it one of the most recognisable buildings in the world. The building is currently undergoing a renovation that is expected to be completed in 2025.
Source: onetimessquare.com, jamestownlp.com
Also read: Architecture | Office Building | Elevation | Metamorphosis | Skyscraper | New York | United States
