New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-03
THE TRIBUNE BUILDINGS.
Three Hare Stood ON Historic Site
Latest Practically Three a1l One.

--latest Practically Three IN One.
Close to the civic centre of this great city of
New York, already the second in size in the
world and destined in a few years to be the
foremost The Tribune had its birth, and here 1t
established its permanent home, At the corner
of Nassau and Spruce streets II has been pub |
Ished for almost two-thirds OF a century The |
first building standing there was destroyed by
fire, the second was demolished to make way
for the first of the tall office buildings erected
In this city. and this third has undergone
a transformation into a structure OF double its
former height and enlarged In size until 1t has
nearly skiold the capacity
No location is more centrally situated for an
office building The vast business interests of
this metropolis will always remain near the
lower end of Manhattan Island. There are now
IN process of construction or projected less
than twoscore great office structures In down
town New York. Some of these hives Of human
industry hold a population IN business hours
approximating that of small city, and the ag-
kregate Is nearly fourth of the four millions OF
people in the entire city. While efforts have
been made to create new centres uptown, they
have not met with any marked degree Of sue
CESS because the efforts have not been con-
eentrated but are SO dffused that several centres
have been started. ana each stands isolated to
o degree, related to others by no Conference Of
sesign.
TRUE OFFICE CE6TRR.
The region Of which the City Han and other
znunfcipal buildings. as wen The Federal
Building, with the chief postoffice Manhat-
ean Island form the natural centre VIII always
be the most desirable for office purposes But
gwen Il the Supreme Court should be removed 10
Union Square Printing House Square would
remain the natural place for lawyers Offices
because the Hall OF Records. the city Han and
ehe United States courts would remain where |
c1ey are. and by the OF tho subway nve
minutes would suffice for the trip from the Tn
kune Building to the courthouse.
or all the sites for office buildings In this |
heart OF the metropolis is eiigfbty |
situated than that upon which The Tribune has
reared its homo Fronting on Printing House |
Square, In the centre of which stands the statue
nj benjamin Franklin. II looks out the open |
space of City Hall Park. bounded side |
by That classic specimen Of architecture, the |
century old City ball. and on the other by the |
Hnllett Postofice, which represents the other
extreme Of architectural taste which prevailed |
forty years ago When The Tribune. IN the first |
pear OF its existence, removed to the present site
nom the printing Office al No. 80 Ann street. |
Ehere 1t was first Issued the surroundings were |
Gar different from what they now are While |
sle City Hall has remained unchanged. nearly |
everything else has felt the hand Of improve
hent The City Han Park was surrounded by |
high iron fence. In the same block with the |
Erst Tribune building. at the corner Of Frank |
Sort street, the han occupied by the Tam |
many Society. Columbian Order. Between |
Nassau street and Park Row stood the old Brick
Presbyterian church. on tho site where The |
Times" afterward erected its building City |
Hall Park included the present site OF the Post |
sff1ce. there being no Mail street, and ran down |
10 tho front Of tho Astor House Opposite the
lower end Of the park fronting IN Park Row, |
was the old Park Theatre. the only reminder OF
which remaining is Theatre Alley. running from
Beekrnan street to Ann street No taller build
vicinity.
DESTROYED BY FIRE.
The building at Spruce and Nassau streets !
kn which The Tribune was published was de
EToyed by fire the morning OF February s. !
1851 Practically everything IN the building was
burned. but by the aid OF other Offices the paper
was issued the following day. In three months |
p new building had been completed and was |
ready for occupancy the site Of the burned |
enc After that duplicates OF everything needed |
for the publication Of the paper were kept for |
use In emergency. The occasion for their |
use never arose, but at the time of the Chicago |
IRE those facilities were offered to The Chicago
Tribune" which had been burned out During |