This is going to be a BIG video! We bring Singer Tower back to life for the first time since 1969!!! HIT THE BELL !!!!

@bustersmith5569

2 жыл бұрын

I thought the Chrysler building was the tallest building until empire state or the sears tower ? I think the Chrysler building was erected in 1932 with all German Krupp seel, and a lot stainless steel,,,,

@bluebox2000

2 жыл бұрын

A most excellent and informative history of one of my favorite buildings. Such a shame it was replaced by a huge nothing. Had it survived, like many older small footprint skyscrapers, it would have been converted into luxury apartments. Thank you for all the photos and drawings I've never seen before.

@DramaMustRemainOnTheStage

2 жыл бұрын

@@bustersmith5569 it was after the singer building

@mikeyoung9810

2 жыл бұрын

I'm guessing you meant to say "modern tower" on the thumbnail. Don't you just hate it when common words get misspelled in such a prominent place?

@wygtam

2 жыл бұрын

They sure don't build them like they used to! I always scan for the Singer Tower in films featuring NYC in the decades before it was demolished. As your video shows, it gradually became obscured by its many neighbors, but once in a while you see it peeking out from behind. In the TV series, "The Naked City" filmed in NYC during the early 60's, you can sometimes spot it in the background. The artistry and craft that went into building like this cannot be matched today. I work in 3D design, and find it so ironic that with all the software packages and advanced manufacturing techniques available, today's urban architects cannot move beyond variations on a box and unadorned, planar surfaces. There wasn't a craftsman 100 years ago who couldn't dance circles around most of our "starchitects" and designers. Modernism has created a society of visual illiterates, whose minds simply cannot comprehend anything beyond primary shapes and colors.

Architect 1: “what should we replace this building with” Architect 2: “A BIG BLUE BOX”

@kodo1232

2 жыл бұрын

lol

@bev_buntu4674

2 жыл бұрын

insane the shit in NYC that got torn down and what it was replaced with, Penn Station jesus.

@singerbuilding6787

2 жыл бұрын

The solution is... rebuild me

@kodo1232

2 жыл бұрын

@@singerbuilding6787 YOS

@thehistoryandbooknerd8979

2 жыл бұрын

Doctor?

A very sad story! The Singer Tower was not only a masterpiece of arquitecture and enginering, but also a work of art. The newyorkers went mad in the sixties because they demolished very iconic buildings, like the Roxy Theater, the old Met and the magnificent Pennsilvania Station as well!

@ebayerr

2 жыл бұрын

Carlos Jorge Stöckel : Wow.What a mindset. Out with the old and in with the new,I guess. Sheesh

@Darrigrande

2 жыл бұрын

@@ebayerr As european I have other "mindset" as you called! Greetings from Germany!

@ebayerr

2 жыл бұрын

@@Darrigrande : Well. I meant the "mindset" of the people who thought it was a good idea to destroy historical landmarks rather than preserve them. But I understand you point as well. Greetings from the Midwest U.S.of A.

@rudolphguarnacci197

2 жыл бұрын

Which "newyorkers" are you referring to, Carlos?

@Darrigrande

2 жыл бұрын

@@rudolphguarnacci197 The ones that planned, implemented and executed the demolitions in the 60s

My Great Great Grandfather C.T Wills was the contractor who built the Singer Tower. Thank you for such a great and informative video. This history deserves to be remembered.

@scalfer

5 ай бұрын

And they built it in one year?

@chrisfi3d

4 ай бұрын

About 18 months. Remember the original building existed, the tower was an addition, albeit with big changes of the original Bourne building to accomodate it

I always thought that NYC's original sin was the demolition of Pennsylvania Station. I completely forgot about the Singer Tower.

@cynthiajohnson9412

2 жыл бұрын

I just watch an episode of the American Experience about the building of Penn Station and the tunnels that were built under the rivers to serve it. Fascinating story with a shameful end.

@universalsoldier2293

2 жыл бұрын

I second this! The Singer Tower is interesting, but the loss of the original Penn Station is sad and fascinating.

@literallyunderrated

2 жыл бұрын

I could be wrong but I believe the demo of Penn Station is what led to the landmark preservation law, and a lot of the debris was dumped in the Meadowlands swamp in New Jersey

@cynthiajohnson9412

2 жыл бұрын

@@literallyunderrated Yes, that's what they said in the conclusion of the documentary. The Pennsylvania Rail Road needed money (it was entirely privately funded which lead to it's vulnerability) and real estate prices soared so they sold out to the developers of Madison Square Garden. The outcry at the loss of Penn Station lead to a huge preservation movement-the one that saved Grand Central.

@metalgear6531

2 жыл бұрын

@@cynthiajohnson9412 The entity that was once the Pennsylvania Railroad still exists. It's just an insurance company now. Just a fun fact I like to share

I'm from Saint-Petersburg, Russia, and there we have a Singer building still, it's one of the landmarks and art nouveau masterpieces.

@finntastique3891

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, Dom Knigy.

@xDRBKZ

2 жыл бұрын

Cool

@Boyarin_gor

2 жыл бұрын

Насколько я знаю Зингер хотел построить похожий небоскреб на месте дома книги, но компании отказали, потому что в центре уже тогда было ограничения высоты

@expression3639

2 жыл бұрын

I just googled it. Wow! Beautiful!

@laurenfairchild1040

2 жыл бұрын

Hi, I'm from St. Petersburg, Florida! 🙂✌

Madness! The same mass-psychosis swept all over the western world in the 1960s and 1970s. What WWII didn't destroy, real-estate developers accomplished in those days.

@AsiaMinor12

2 жыл бұрын

You can thank Germany and their disgusting Bauhaus architecture for all this.

@Zodroo_Tint

2 жыл бұрын

@@AsiaMinor12 You can't just blame Germany for everything, like people doing it for their eugenic policy, this was a collective effort of the western civilization. You right Bauhaus is disgusting but it's not just the germans who coming out from nowhere to make things worst. Also people should have already know if they let the germans rule the world we all will living in cubes one day.

@finntastique3891

2 жыл бұрын

@@AsiaMinor12 Personally I consider the Swiss architect Le Corbusier one of the most dangerous men of the 20th century. His "machines for living" and other hideous monstrosities were straight out of a dystopian nightmare. Compared to him, Bauhaus was quite harmless, although I'm not a fan of that school either.

@seraphimconcordant

2 жыл бұрын

@@Zodroo_Tint you're kidding right. Hitler hated modern art, and he was the only one with ambitions to "rule the world" brainlet

@MusicandGamesandStuf

2 жыл бұрын

@@AsiaMinor12 Blame the Germans for non-German cosmopolitan modernism sure buddy

This terrific video stirred up my memory of being in the building shortly before it's demolition. I remember standing in awe looking at the opulent lobby and it's beautiful red veined cream color marble. Thanks for posting.

@auschwism2561

2 жыл бұрын

I would love to have seen the lobby in person. Pictures exist online of the lobby corridor but I've never seen a proper color photo. It must have been incredible.

@bapedoublecup

2 жыл бұрын

Wow when were you born

@topquarkbln

2 жыл бұрын

So at least you can time travel in your mind. A luxury!

@markbender49

2 жыл бұрын

@@bapedoublecup..1949

@markbender49

2 жыл бұрын

@@bapedoublecup , it stopped me in my tracks.

As someone who owns AND USES a very old Singer rmachine, and someone who loves architecture, I found this program fascinating!

@mrinvader

2 жыл бұрын

I love mine! Mom loved hers. Singer machines are amazing!

@urmamasmamasmama

2 жыл бұрын

My mom had a table sewing machine with a built in pedal. Beautiful machine.

@JohnHoranzy

2 жыл бұрын

I have a few beautiful vintage Singers. The sewing machine was as revolutionary as the PC was 20 years ago.

@julienielsen3746

2 жыл бұрын

Sad that the quality of their machines aren't what they used to be.

@bobclark6703

2 жыл бұрын

We have owned ours for nearly 40 years it is the sewing machine sitting on a wood table with the beautiful wrought-iron tredle.

Can you imagine how much more fascinating New York would be today if they hadn't eliminated certain historical/architectural gems...?

@carljohnson621

2 жыл бұрын

It would've collapsed with the twin towers in 9/11. Can you imagine two huge steel behemoths collapsing right on top of it just a couple meters away ?? It would've been crushed to bits.

@singerbuilding6787

2 жыл бұрын

@@carljohnson621 it could not be destroyed,the case example is Verizon building that survived 911 and was closer .

@carljohnson621

2 жыл бұрын

@@singerbuilding6787 Well we'll never know, the Singer wasn't there when 9/11 happened. We could say the exact opposite thing about the Deutsche Bank Building; it was close to the Trade Center, WTC 2 collapsed and it was condemned, demolition works ended back in 2011 or thereabouts. All I said is that a 612 foot tower standing in close proximity to a collapsing 1,362 foot tower would've been inherently dangerous to it.

@MrCaptainTea

2 жыл бұрын

@@carljohnson621 oh now it’s “we’ll never know?” You seemed confident in your first reply. Don’t make a claim and then scurry back on an excuse once you get called out. Looks weak

@carljohnson621

2 жыл бұрын

@@MrCaptainTea Like I said before your rude reply, the Singer couldn't have stood a chance against WTC 1&2, it was way thinner and way smaller than the twins and way too close to them to get out of it unscathed

I am a huge architecture buff and I have never heard of Singer Tower - this is a literal jaw-drop for me

@juant3969

2 жыл бұрын

I am too and I’m very shocked

@FinlayHamm

2 жыл бұрын

i mean it was once the tallest building so and the tallest demolished so thats how i knew it

@andrewstraub131

2 жыл бұрын

Same and I was an independent tour guide in nyc (mainly food based )

@leoleon6401

2 жыл бұрын

If you know a little bit more your boss you'll be dropped this is nothing

@AEMoreira81

2 жыл бұрын

At the time, it was the tallest building ever voluntarily demolished. Now 270 Park Avenue is.

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever" is actually a quote from the poet Keats.

@johnwattdotca

2 жыл бұрын

@@breonnie: I'm surprised you replied to this comment. There are two spaces between the words "is" and "a", poor to no editing. This is typical for online word processors.

@izona4838

2 жыл бұрын

White men can't jump lol!

@paulfrancistorres7144

2 жыл бұрын

@@breonnie What are you talking about? They seem to know a lot about the Singer Building, which is more than i can say for most others

@Robotsllew

2 жыл бұрын

Rob wells

Such a magnificent building and it only had a lifespan of less than 80 years... Tragic and heartbreaking.

@suzyfarnham3165

2 жыл бұрын

Some of the stunning mansions belonging to the Vanderbilts only lasted 30 years or less before they were demolished. Such a shame...and then to replace them with steel and glass boxes?? Bonwit Teller was demolished for Trump Tower and the 2 stunning friezes were meant to be retained as museum pieces..but they were just smashed to pieces as he deemed them too expensive to remove? Pieces of history lost forever for.......progress??? I agree that it is heartbreaking

@eleanorigby5881

2 жыл бұрын

Allegedly only 80 years- could've been much older and found by a new civilization. Same with Vanderbilt mansions, Penn Station and the statue of liberty. Our history may be highly fabricated. These wonders are beyond our current architectural abilities and they were built during horse and buggy era...?

@dixonpinfold2582

2 жыл бұрын

Not quite even 60 years. Completed 1908, demolition begun in 1967.

@justforever96

2 жыл бұрын

Well, it was pretty much outshone by the Empire State Building. By the 1940s, the Singer Building was just an old building, no longer anything special. When they tore it down it was just a 50 year old building, not historical or even outstanding. Just like tearing down a building from 1985 today.

@sararichi1463

2 жыл бұрын

Sounds like you've barely given it a thought. The Singer Tower outshined by the construction of the empire state? The Pennsylvania station was outshined by what?

My mother-in-law was an elevator operator at the Singer Building in the late 1940s. Dept. 56 made a ceramic model of it that I bought in her honor. Until now I never saw how beautiful the inside was. Thank you.

@michealthomas4331

2 жыл бұрын

I bet she had some crazy stories!

@johndillon2456

2 жыл бұрын

I'd love to see the model. Would you be able to post it on KZread? Thank you!

Can’t believe I’ve never heard of this before. The history is crazy

@johnbockelie3899

2 жыл бұрын

Are you sure someone from the future didn't build this place?.

@jasoncutshaw8401

2 жыл бұрын

Because their creating a false history for the future...

@jamesmiller4184

2 жыл бұрын

I got over the shock of such discovery long ago. Just think of how great it is to have new things to discover EVERY day!!! "Youthful!!" -- one a day will keep you that way.

@moneypenni1694

2 жыл бұрын

I can believe it...it's just another 'fabrication'....meant to hid the real truth of this world.

@JamesDavidWalley

2 жыл бұрын

It's even harder for me to realize that I was there when it was still standing, and never noticed it.

My grandfather worked there after the war and he said coal was delivered every 4 hours day and night all winter long. I have about 200 pictures my grandfather took while he was employed there. It's awesome seeing the inside of it. Most are pictures of areas most people would never see unless you were a employee

@jpt3640

2 жыл бұрын

Would you please share these pics with us?

@coinslotsandjoysticks2572

2 жыл бұрын

@@jpt3640 yea. Where at ?

@jpt3640

2 жыл бұрын

@@coinslotsandjoysticks2572 well, i don't know. a lot of people use facebook or other social platforms for sharing pics. i don't like them, but that's up to you. Mh... Or are you asking for a volunteer to scan and edit the pics?

@coinslotsandjoysticks2572

2 жыл бұрын

@@jpt3640 no I just didn't know where to post them. I'll get em all out and do it this afternoon and let you know when I did

@SolidRoot

2 жыл бұрын

@@coinslotsandjoysticks2572 Would love to see them as well! If you have trouble finding a place to upload them, let me know and I will help

Deconstructing this building was insanity! One of the most attractive skyscrapers ever, and so much hard work and effort to build it in the first place.

As a kid I was once looking through an older book in our house and I found a ticket to the top of the Singer Building.

@randommodnar7141

2 жыл бұрын

Wow that should be a museum piece

@Emiliapocalypse

2 жыл бұрын

When I was looking through thrift store music, I found a tape for the soundtrack to Titanic, and the owner’s original ticket stubs were inside the case. Your Singer building ticket is way cooler, but it’s always so neat to find things like that tucked away 😋

@topquarkbln

2 жыл бұрын

I hope you still have this little treasure from a big building. Great building, not just tall

@DK-tv6rk

2 жыл бұрын

Can you show us that?

@yungtooli

2 жыл бұрын

@@Emiliapocalypse whats with that emoji you creep

Never knew Singer Tower existed, but hearing of its advanced technology it really was the grandfather of the modern skyscraper, all the technology used within its basement is almost identical to what was implemented into the WTC towers, from the super pumps that pumped water to the upper floors to the high speed elevators, if I was alive and had the money Singer Tower would’ve been turned into some upscale apartments or at the very least a multi lease office building with various businesses to be housed within, not very glamorous but it would’ve most likely survived longer

@proofnewtestamentistrue2948

2 жыл бұрын

Man trying to get close to the true God's heaven.

@chickenalaking1319

2 жыл бұрын

All the ornate details and n such a massive scale, incredible.

@rontaylor6407

2 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately, you wouldn't have been able to command the lease and rental aggreement amounts needed to cover the logistical operation of the building. It just wasn't monetarily feasable to preserve.

@BubbaGanuche

2 жыл бұрын

here in Charleston if you knew what the owners of a 2 story theatre went thru to make the masonry safe. it was from the same period and very ornamental. this theater seats 600. this building is 1 100th the size of this building. i cannot imagine getting enough revenue to do that.

@seraphimconcordant

2 жыл бұрын

There's always enough money. People don't understand that this stuff was intentionally done.

If time travel was ever possible I would want to visit the NYC of the early 1900's to live and breathe the atmosphere of these iconic buildings!

@Leftatalbuquerque

2 жыл бұрын

The air would smell of coal and horses.

@robr135

2 жыл бұрын

@Joey Harper Be happy you live in America at all when the vast majority of the world can only dream of being able to go on the internet and type "Shit waste and liberals" lol.

@robr135

2 жыл бұрын

@Joey Harper Bah, the only ones with power are the loud ones on twitter. If more conservatives were as loud as them it would be balanced but the conservative voice is spread way to thin and doesn't get noticed nearly enough. The problem is that while that radical left group posts 500 times a day, a conservative voice will post only a fraction of that. The reason i don't worry about them is because they are actually a very small group and twitter makes them look like an army, but the silent majority is massive, and it took a while, but they are starting to notice. Only a matter of time for normality to return.

@user-Chikotillo

2 жыл бұрын

@Joey Harper Well I’m from Russia! Ok? How about that? We can only dream about this “liberal shit” if you say something against the government. you get your ass arrested right away!

@valentinius62

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, but all those horses producing thousands of gallons of urine and tons of manure every day! And most people didn't have access to daily baths and showers. But walking around would indeed be cool. I'm surprised we don't have the technology yet that would allow us to move around in an immersive simulation...a Star Trek holodeck if you will.

My Mom was born & raised in NYC. I remember her taking me & my siblings there to see it before it was torn down. I have An old Singer sewing machine that I restored & proudly sits in my Living room on display. Great videos.Thank you for sharing these great history on NYC.

@chrisfi3d

4 ай бұрын

Can you please articulate the day's events? Researching for a book on the topic and would appreciate first hand accounts.

That was a gorgeous building. Sad is gone...

@r62aguy85

2 жыл бұрын

Twin towers were better

@r62aguy85

2 жыл бұрын

@King of All Buttocks dam just by saying that you should get fined

@notahotshot

2 жыл бұрын

@@r62aguy85 The twin towers were bland, featureless, and without character. The only thing they had is that they were tall.

@RandallAgent

2 жыл бұрын

@@notahotshot it may look bland but it definitely stood out

@GlennDavey

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah but it was a BRICK skyscraper. It definitely would have been torn down by now. This is what everyone is missing.

I'm from South Africa and my grandmother had a singer sewing machine that we converted into a table! I was awestruck learning about the Singer Tower and the connection to the company all the way in South Africa.

In Yugoslavia (Serbia), there is an expression when a machine (primarily a car engine) is working very smooth, fantastic: "Radi kao Singerica" - Works like Singer (sewing machine) That expression exists... for a very long time, for decades, most likely from that golden era of Singer.

Just thinking about working all the way to the top makes me feel uneasy that’s so crazy props to all those people who spent their days building this tower

@carolbell8008

2 жыл бұрын

Mostly native americans as they were fearless of heights!

@anjachan

2 жыл бұрын

@@carolbell8008 I have so much respect ... I would die just because Im so scared 😅

@MarinCipollina

17 күн бұрын

@@carolbell8008 Not sure they were exactly fearless regarding heights, but it's a rite of passage for certain tribes.

I understand its floor plate was impractical for offices of todays standards, but always felt this couldve been revived as a residential building or even hotel fairly well. A real shame it got the axe. Few buildings could match its beauty

@maconp1119

2 жыл бұрын

Penthouse 50 mil

@topquarkbln

2 жыл бұрын

@@maconp1119 do you mean this ironic or critical? I don't get it. Not a native speaker of English

@eattherich9215

2 жыл бұрын

@@topquarkbln: no, they are speculating on the cost of a penthouse suite.

I love the look of the city buildings of that age. They are both an architectural beauty and an actual work of art. Thank you for sharing its story with us.

@Electronic424

2 жыл бұрын

@@driley4381 ​ @DRiley It's Neoclassical Renaissance, Art Deco wasn't really a thing yet at that point. However, even the Singer tower was unique among Neoclassical architecture. Almost like something from an alternate universe..

@r62aguy85

2 жыл бұрын

Twin towers were better

@notahotshot

2 жыл бұрын

@@r62aguy85 The twin towers were bland, featureless, and without character. The only thing they had is that they were tall.

@user-mv9tt4st9k

2 жыл бұрын

@ notahotshot: from the ground level the height of the Twin Towers created an optical illusion that made them appear tilted. Unique and interesting is not always pretty.

@moneypenni1694

2 жыл бұрын

yeh, & they weren't built by the so called architect who was named in this narrative either. These buildings, many similar to have been built by the same 'company' are ALL OVER THE WORLD... amazing isn't it that we are never taught about the people who these buildings were 'inherited' from. ...our ancestors.

My grand father has Singer U K make sewing machine 80 years old. And still it is in working condition today. Thanks Singer company. Sanjay Pune India.

Singer were huge. There were up to 20,000 employees at their factory here in Clydebank, Scotland. They built a high clock tower on the site, and an extra train track and station was created to help the employees commute. Singer train station is still in constant use today.

I would be intrigued by a VR recreation of this building.

@mikeyoung9810

2 жыл бұрын

That's a good idea.

@iMadrid11

2 жыл бұрын

The blueprints of Singer Tower should be available on archives. Which should make drawing the floor plans and exterior easier.

@r62aguy85

2 жыл бұрын

@@iMadrid11 twin towers were better

@davvvvo

2 жыл бұрын

@R62A Guy , what does they have to do with a VR creation?

@r62aguy85

2 жыл бұрын

@@davvvvo nothin I just feel they were under appreciated that’s all I lean for crying out loud they were the tallest buildings in the world and the fact that they were twins just makes even better and unique they were also the first twin towers ever built and they were noticed from everywhere in NY and even parts of PA I feel the building in the video is irrelevant

It is wild to think about the amount of work that people put into building such a structure, only for it to be torn down in their lifetime

I would think the logistics of demolishing such a large building in the middle of one of the largest and busiest cities in the world would be absolutely daunting. Just imagine getting all the vehicles and materials needed for demolition to the site without disturbing the other buildings nearby, and then you have to carry away all the debris.

@robhoard9114

2 жыл бұрын

Or call it something else.

The fact that we get free documentaries on KZread by IT'S HISTORY is truly a gift 👍

The tearing down of this iconic tower was a crime. What a beautiful building she was! Thanks for a great and informative video.

@sharksport01

2 жыл бұрын

I like what was torn down to build Singer Tower.

@jimdandy8119

2 жыл бұрын

@@sharksport01 Oh.... Here you are again.

The clock tower in the old Singer factory in Clydebank Scotland bears a striking resemblance to this Tower. I presume they used the design and plans for the NY Singer Tower and adjusted them accordingly.

@juliebeans7323

2 жыл бұрын

Would depend on which was built first, i guess, and if the same architect had been involved in both.

@felicitybywater8012

2 жыл бұрын

@@juliebeans7323 Yep. Architects and engineers of stonking great buildings definitely work internationally.

@eattherich9215

2 жыл бұрын

The Clydebank headquarters was built in 1885 and therefore pre-dates the New York headquarters. Interestingly, the clocktower of the Clydesdale building was demolished in the 1960's when the clock stopped ticking.

As a lifelong New Yorker (until 2015), I had only heard stories about the Singer building. What an interesting story. Great video, Ryan (and crew).

We have 1916 OTIS elevators at work. They’ve been updated over the years, but it’s still requires an elevator operator.

@RADIUMGLASS

2 жыл бұрын

The best thing is they still work.

Back in the day NewYorks skyline looked like it was chisled out of stone the buildings were masterpieces today they are just steel & glass monoliths.

@javierpacheco8234

2 жыл бұрын

Architecture today is ugly back then skyscrapers were all different and unique.

@jimmynickelz

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed. I know it wasn't a Skyscraper, but Penn Station was just amazing.

@Zodroo_Tint

2 жыл бұрын

Not want to hurt the americans feelings but in my country when something need to fix or rebuild we usually rebuild it like it was before, than the commies came and they said NO but that is a different story. I never understood the americans and part of the reason I'm happy not to be an american is exactly how they behave with their own culture. Those early skyscrapers were beautifull, they tried to be unique and they tried to make their city beautifull, than the steel and glass came and they started to make those buildings with no personality. The WTC was the center of this, two of the ugliest building in the city ruling the whole skyline. I get it, it's capitalism, if something doesn't make profit anymore it has to go, it doesn't matter if it is a building or your own mother, I get it, I just doesn't understand it. From the start the leaders of the USA knew they will be an empire, they knew they will have more resources than any other empire before and what they do, they build temporary buildings. I guess one thay the Empire State Building and the Crysler building has to go too.

@dontattackfries941

2 жыл бұрын

people probably said that back then.

@Lost_Pikachu

2 жыл бұрын

@@Zodroo_Tint that is big city America. Out in rural Pennsylvania we preserve frontier log cabins and wood bridges

The Singer Tower was wonderful. We can't bring back the past, but at least we have the history and pictures of it. Great video thank you.

@alexdelrio45

2 жыл бұрын

I totally agree with you.

@r62aguy85

2 жыл бұрын

@@alexdelrio45 twin towers were better

@alexanderfretheim5720

2 жыл бұрын

Actually we probably could have rebuilt a replica of the Singer Tower, or even a slightly taller version of it built with modern materials. We still could, although likely not on the original site.

@notahotshot

2 жыл бұрын

@@r62aguy85 The twin towers were bland, featureless, and without character. The only thing they had is that they were tall.

@fuki98

2 жыл бұрын

Someone could replica it. It's not the exact same, but if the director is someone who has been in the tower before, it could at least FEEL like it.

THANK YOU for the most in depth discussion of this list masterpiece I have yet seen. What a beautiful tribute to this sadly lost piece of historic architecture. The 60’s committed many architectural crimes, this is near the top.

I’m from Ełk, Poland and I was extremely suprised to see our historic water tower in this video. Oh small world. Still, it’s a shame that such beautiful and historic building just disappeared from NYC skyline. Great video and a great story.

Fell in love with the Singer Tower as a kid when I discovered it in a book about ocean liners. It was depicted in a photograph of the HMS Lusitania. Love the Victorian architecture. It was a shame and crime that it was demolished in the late 60's.

@lesigh1749

2 жыл бұрын

Just a small nit-pick, but it was RMS Lusitania. It stands for Royal Mail Ship, HMS is only for British Royal Navy ships. The Singer tower was indeed a lovely building though. Like something from a fantasy novel like 'His Dark Materials'.

@gerrymaxi6681

2 жыл бұрын

@@lesigh1749 The Lusitania was built in Clydebank just outside Glasgow, Scotland. Ironically only half a mile from Singers Factory in Clydebank.

@lesigh1749

2 жыл бұрын

@@gerrymaxi6681 Its a small world!

@MarinCipollina

17 күн бұрын

It was a Beaux Arts design

Never even hear of it. That’s why I love history you learn something new every day

@coreyham3753

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed .... very interesting story on this part of history.

@Novusod

2 жыл бұрын

There are basically 3 buildings that deserve to be rebuilt the way they were: 1. Penn Station 2. The original St Paul's Cathedral that was destroyed in the great London fire of 1666 3. The Singer Building Though the Singer Building shouldn't be rebuilt in New York City. It should be built in a smaller city where it can still be the tallest and not be crowded out by modern monstrosities.

@brucesmith3072

2 жыл бұрын

@@Novusod Couldn't agree more. Most familiar with Penn Station (76yo) from Long Island, we were too young to understand it's greatness; took it for granted. Until the replacement: a true horror! It's a slaughter house now! It should be rebuilt EXACTLY like the original. We Long Islanders had a separate lobby from long distance trains above. Elegant, calm, unconfused. Those was spectacular! We used to walk through them waiting for trains. Dreaming of long distance trains! Not returning to our parents in Huntington! lol The building had "personality".

@WitchKing-Of-Angmar

2 жыл бұрын

@@brucesmith3072 nothing has personality today. The internet has literally shared so much that nothing new or fascinating exists. It's not just the quarantine making our conversations more awkward and moments shorter, it's everything social media has done...it's why you can't surprise someone with something momentous or even subtle in thought. I can name so much that all leads to each thing, but that is the main genre, it has effected automobiles, building architecture, people most definitely, colors or definitely lack thereof, material, and how we use the other type of material. People are discouraged by this pathetic world we placed or colonized over the beautiful absolutely breathtaking old world and I mean old to even 1970, all of that is trashed for modern day, even 1990 feels elegant, even hip hop stars and rappers feel elegant and knowledgeable back then. Now everythings slurring worlds and loosing all ability to speak, too much information is causing our minds to be clouded. God I should have realized.

@jumpinjojo

2 жыл бұрын

*heard

This was such a beautiful building, especially inside with those elaborated decorations. It's a shame it was demolished to build a forgettable building instead.

Just sad, that building looks so elegant and beautiful and it’s unfortunate it’s gone‼️

Singer had 19 manufacturing plants across 18 countries. Four of them were responsible for most of the vintage machines produced: two in the US, one in Canada, and one in Scotland.

I'm in Kenya and to this day, you will find a singer sewing machine in deep villages and inside some homes (were popular in the 80's and 90's). Quite telling about the reach of this company. Nice to learn about the tower.

Your 20 minute docu video has more info than a 2 hour version of CBS 48 Hours or NBC Date Line. Well done and thank you! When you take more than 5 fact filled minutes to highlight the Singer's features, we know this is no ordinary building. It had all but the hull and propulsion system of the most sophisticated ocean liners of its time without the controlled environment of being built in a shipyard. And how state of the art architecture, engineering and construction could be completed so quickly is amazing.

For my mom, I just found an early 1970's Singer machine and table and she was so thrilled! She used to sew me and my brother matching clothes in the 70's. Made me lucidly realize how much things have changed in my life, gosh! Love history of the building. The new steel building is so bland.

A truly beautiful building! It angers me that the idea of destroying such a marvelous example of architecture and ingenuity could even be thought of. The building was ahead of its time. A time, I might add, which had some of the greatest architecture in human history.

@Odin029

2 жыл бұрын

New York was on a roll in the 60s. They destroyed Penn Station just a few years earlier, another great loss from the same era.

@JoseMorales-lw5nt

2 жыл бұрын

Weep not, fellow architectural fans. Just like design elements of old Pennsylvania Station live on through the Farley Post Office across the street from MSG, a part of the old Singer Building lives on in Brooklyn! Where, exactly? Would you believe GREEN-WOOD Cemetery?! Yup, Ernest Flagg was actually commissioned to design the mausoleum for The Singer Family. Look carefully at the front facade, and you'll spot design elements similar to the top portion of the old Downtown tower! Have fun...

@theworldwidehistoryofhisto2868

2 жыл бұрын

@@JoseMorales-lw5nt Wow! I never knew that! Thanks a lot. I'll definitely research that more. Also, some of the eagle sculptures from Penn Station have even been salvaged and were used as part of the Market Street Bridge in Philadelphia which was the headquarters of PRR.

@sharksport01

2 жыл бұрын

It was unsafe and impossible to maintain. Period.

@DK-tv6rk

2 жыл бұрын

@@sharksport01 They could if they really wanted to or just rebuild the building and make a few changes to make it more safer. Period.

Man I love how older building and skyscrapers looked.

Lived in New York City since 1996-2015 and I’m just learning something new today that I never knew was there before.

My father was a sanitation worker in NYC. somehow I grew up with beautiful solid mahogany wardrobe cabinets from the executive offices, and light fixtures in my basement as a kid. I remember him saying they came from the Singer building, I need to ask him about the story behind it. I know he had the option of getting old bricks to build our house, but was talked out of it by colleagues in the building as they said they can split easily.

@chrisfi3d

4 ай бұрын

Awesome. Can you ask him to elaborate on the fixtures? Where did they end up?

It’s so sad that NYC let gorgeous structures like this building and Pennsylvania Station be demolished.

@PeugeotRocket

2 жыл бұрын

Well, like they said, there was a real issue regarding who would be willing to buy it if it was a historic building. Historic buildings tend to be quite expensive and restrictive when it comes to upgrades and maintenance.

@g59tothegrave

2 жыл бұрын

@@georgyporgy777 bahaha, they were literally just tall steel beamed buildings with state of the art technology for that time, I don’t understand why there is a conspiracy about it 💀

@terry_willis

2 жыл бұрын

Today NYC is a sewer.

My aunt always told me how much she loved the singer budding. I'm interested in hearing the book myself. So that's one more new subscription

It think the location chosen for the Single Tower was its downfall, as it became hidden by other towers. The 1914 Smith Tower in Seattle which was the 3rd tallest tower in the country and the tallest in the west coast for many decades I think took inspiration from Singer tower, although it is simple looking from the outside in comparison but the inside is very ornate. It would be hidden today by newer towers except for its great locations at the edge of the downtown area which even today has no other competing towers near it and stands out very clearly as you approach the city from the south, or SE., it stands alone still today which preserves it.

when humanity still had a taste of class about it. Now, its just 'how much money can we make'. Great presentation. Thank you for sharing.

It's sad that my office in 2021 has barely any of the amenities and none of the artistry of an office building from 1908.

It looks like A palace, but in A skyscraper form, it must be elegant there, shame it’s gone.

@DiviAugusti

2 жыл бұрын

That’s what I was thinking. That level of detail and ornament seems rare in modern buildings.

@DK-tv6rk

2 жыл бұрын

Lots of 19th century buildings and early skyscrapers look like that

My grandfather worked in the tower. He was a bookkeeper. Took the train from NJ into NY every day. He is still missed.

@chrisfi3d

4 ай бұрын

Awesome! Do you have any pictures he took of it? Any cool keepsakes?

There's a railway station called Singer near Glasgow in Scotland and it was built specifically to facilitate the workers at the Singer factory. Bit of useless information for everyone.

@rogertycholiz2218

2 жыл бұрын

Hungry - No! Not a bit of useless information for everyone! It is really nice to know for fellow Singer historians.

As a baby boomer, I was lucky to see the Singer Building while it was standing. My grandmother lived in Stuyvesant Town, on the 11th floor at 435 E. 14th Street. She enjoyed a perfect downtown view of the entire skyline. It was a lovely view, decorated with lighting for the holidays that would now be considered "non PC" but for my two cents, unforgettable. I remember seeing that old bulging at the top tower for years. My grandmother would point out the various buildings and their names, with particular emphasis on the Singer Tower, for it was built when she was still rather young. In any event, I recall green lighting and red lighting and especially around Christmas. It was always a colorful display. Being a boomer, I became overly wrapped up with all the stupid things my generation pulled and for some years, while I saw my grandmother at our house in Queens, I hadn't visited her apartment in lower Manhattan in years. I might have heard about it's removal but being one of those ignorant boomers all full of themselves it didn't register. Then I went to visit. The tower was gone. I recall a somewhat empty feeling in my stomach. It was odd to see something so solid just disappear. I guess I was learning about the inconstancy of life and such. In any event, I recall seeing the old tower in person, with younger eyes than in my picture above and, frankly, it was a WONDROUS sight. Compared to the dull, glass, lifeless nothings of today, so apropos of the current generations of empty idiots, it was beyond AMAZING! Thanks for recalling it's glory days.

@JA-jw1ol

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing!

@davidthedeaf

2 жыл бұрын

It was your generation who did, and still does, remove history.

@gholwiih

2 жыл бұрын

Oh God, what could (and should) have been a touching little story, you ruin with petty grievance. Non PC Christmas lights? What the heck is that? You are aware that many cities today have Christmas decorations out in downtown areas right? And calling younger generations idiots? I'd look in the mirror with the track record the boomers have. And people like you wonder why they are so maligned. That being said, I know plenty of baby boomers who are awesome. You miss the cut.

@snooks5607

2 жыл бұрын

@@gholwiih I thought "current generations" includes himself. to me value of anecdotes outweighs any subjective grievances, everyone has some and I can easily ignore them. no need to build up drama about every little thing

@Abacab965

2 жыл бұрын

@@davidthedeaf and who's been destroying statutes and having them removed this past year ???

For decades my uncle had a deli in the John Wolfe building, designed by Henry Hardenbergh of The Dakota fame, built in 1896. and located at the intersection of Liberty and Maiden Lane. When the city was preparing for the construction of the World Trade Center in the '60's, it decided to widen the streets in the area, and declared eminent domain. The Wolfe Building and the adjoining German-American Insurance Company Building were demolished. Of course, the city never did widen the streets, leaving a triangular lot that stood empty for years. Eventually, it became the depressing Louise Nevelson Plaza, a gravel pit featuring one of her large sculptures, but mainly known as a shortcut to the the adjacent Duane Reade. You never see a soul there, not even the pigeons will dignify it. Had the Wolfe Building survived, in such a prime location, it would have eventually been converted into luxury condos selling for tens of millions. As far as I know, my uncle never received any compensation for his displacement.

@carlcushmanhybels8159

2 жыл бұрын

Wow, a New York place even pigeons don't like. Thanks for sharing. I'll look up the Fred Wolfe building.

@MusicandGamesandStuf

2 жыл бұрын

something tells me the people behind the World Trade Center destroyed that building on purpose.

@auschwism2561

2 жыл бұрын

Both the John Wolfe & German American Buildings have always been some of my favorites. Honestly the most useless demolition of any building in downtown, aside from maybe that whole neighborhood by the Brooklyn Bridge demolished for onramps and public spaces.

I remember working on a Singer motorcycle at least 40 years ago . very cool

This video educated me. I'd never even heard of the Singer tower until now. What a beautiful building it was. The story of its' demise and destruction is heartbreaking. Thank you so much for your work in putting this excellent video together.

"a thing of beauty is a joy forever" is a quote from a poem by John Keats.

@jimduncan5860

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks.

The Singer Tower was a masterpiece and an iconic building on the New York Skyline. It was the masterpiece of Ernest Flagg. It should have been preserved instead of being torn down for the sake of expediency and to create more rental space.

@mikeyoung9810

2 жыл бұрын

It was amazing but impracticle to maintain. It's only chance would of been someone with a massive amount of money to restore and maintain it.

@alainprostbis

2 жыл бұрын

At the same time the old penn station was destroyed and replaced by the ugly one that still exists...quite a few horrible decisions were made at the end of the 1960s...probably by the same persons...

@Azarable

2 жыл бұрын

@@alainprostbis Radio Row was a place where electronics like radios and t.v.s were sold in Lower Manhattan from 1921 until 1966. It was torn down to build the twin towers of the World Trade Center.

@alainprostbis

2 жыл бұрын

@@Azarable all the same. This district should not have been demolished either. We agree. The old penn station was demolished partly to make place for the madison square garden complex.

@Azarable

2 жыл бұрын

@@alainprostbis I had no idea that the Singer Tower in New York existed until today when I saw this video. As for the twin towers, I really like them although it stood in the same area where Radio Row used to be. Now the twin towers are destroyed by terrorists on 9/11 in 2001 and it has now been replaced by an ugly skyscraper called the Freedom Tower.

Such a shame this was lost, I'd say this is comparable or even more magnificent than the empire state

Very professional video. No clickbait, no bullshits, simply full packed with information. Thanks!

I’m 70 years old, never heard of this building. I would of liked to have seen it.

@Eche888

2 жыл бұрын

Ken, will you please look into Jon Levi's channel? I'd live to know your opinion on what he has to say because of your age.

@WitchKing-Of-Angmar

2 жыл бұрын

@@Eche888 I used to visit Manhattan in the early 1940's, absolutely irreplaceable in its beauty....that world is so far gone, not even the nicest building today comes anywhere close to the worst building then.

@williamtyler9209

2 жыл бұрын

@@WitchKing-Of-Angmar how old were you when you visited in the 40's

@WitchKing-Of-Angmar

2 жыл бұрын

@@williamtyler9209 just around 5, then again in 1947 when I was 10 and vastly inspired by all things automobiles and skyscrapers.

@r62aguy85

2 жыл бұрын

@@WitchKing-Of-Angmar twin towers were better

Ernest Flagg was quoting the English poet, John Keats, when he said, "A thing of beauty is a joy forever." Keats wrote that line before 1818.

What a gorgeous building and amazingly modern for its day. As all buildings age the maintenance curve gets steep, can only imagine what that looked like in the 60s , and now it's 60 years after that. $$$$$$

My father purchased 3 large brass sconce from the Singer... it depicts water nymphs heralding the rising moon. One is mounted now high above my entryway hall, the other two are safely stored away with care. I'm sure other items from the demolition have homes now too.

@alexsmart5452

2 жыл бұрын

That is actually very cool.

@chrisfi3d

4 ай бұрын

Interested in selling the stored ones?

@johnhennessy7887

4 ай бұрын

@@chrisfi3d sorry, I traded them for a stained glass wall. They now reside in the town of Boleslawiec Poland.

@chrisfi3d

4 ай бұрын

@@johnhennessy7887 Thank you. How did you obtain and then sell them? I'm always on the lookout for Singer building fixtures. I assume you still have the entryway hall fixture?

@johnhennessy7887

4 ай бұрын

@@chrisfi3d I inherited the sconces from my father. He paid $60 for the 3 sconces which weighed nearly 18lbs each and stand roughly 31 inches tall. It was 1968 and the items where sitting in a pile of items on Liberty Street. He asked about them and was told they were to be scrapped....He offered what cash he had and took 3 pieces because that's all he could carry back to his office in the Federal building. Hate thinking what was scrapped.

Thanks for this video! Isaac Merritt Singer (1811-1875), the company’s founder left a troubled home at twelve and began life as an actor. He eventually became an inventor and successful businessman. Although he never saw the Singer Building, its architecture ironically had a theatrical quality. A change from the more austere Romanesque styling of earlier skyscrapers. It would be good to produce a video on Singer himself. He was quite a character.

I've admired this building since I was a boy, even though I'm a Californian, who never visited NYC until I was in my thirties. People who visited the building in 1908 must have been deeply awed. Nothing like it had been built before. In a time when most of America was still rural and a lot of people were living in the world of Longfellow's "The Village Blacksmith," this building was taller than many other cities' tallest buildings 50 years later, and it combined modern tech with Louis XV-style elegance. A couple of taller buildings were built within five years, but they weren't nearly as dramatically different from what went before. I visited all the old skyscrapers I could, but this gem was long gone, and I felt that I was missing something essential.

@yannick245

2 жыл бұрын

I think in the US people always lived in cities/metros for the most part. Not like in Europe or China were urbanization only started in the 20th century. I might be wrong about this!

@brianholihan5497

2 жыл бұрын

@@yannick245 America's urban population didn't surpass its rural population until the 1920s. In 1776, America's largest city was Philadelphia, with about 40,000 people. London, Beijing, and Edo at that time had about 1,00,000 people. The growth of cities in America was a long process.

@toomanymarys7355

2 жыл бұрын

@@yannick245 No. Early Americans were mostly farmers. Farming wasn't very productive a long time ago.

@yannick245

2 жыл бұрын

@@toomanymarys7355 Thank you! I always was under the impression that Americans "always" mostly lived in the Mid-Atlantic region along the big cities. Or at least that urbanization took place much earlier than in the rest of the world. With the mass immigration from the 1850s.

As a professional in the architectual industry I love mini docs like this, what an amazing time for construction.

The grand lobby with it's elaborate bronze fittings and fixtures combined with the blue and orange colored accents (Singer colors) and the opalescent saucer domes was one of a kind. The loss of the building was terrible....the loss of the spectacular lobby was criminal.

Thrilled someone took the time to create a documentary on this iconic building. This is one of my favorites.

Such an iconic building! What a shame that it was demolished to make way for a monstrosity. Great video.

@princessmarlena1359

2 жыл бұрын

Nothing is sacred anymore. But as long as we have the memories, it will never be completely “gone”.

My mother AND my brother has their own Singer sowing machines and i can't remember how many i've seen trough the years. And i live far away in Norway. I've always loved the machines, because they are beautifully engineered. After seen this video, i love them even more. R.I.P. Singer Tower. You were astonishing. Thanks for this video.

My grandfather worked for Singer in the 1950s and have been in that building several times. Thanks for this video.

It is a architectural crime, that this beautiful and iconic building is demolished. It is a shame !

@ericvideo

2 жыл бұрын

Yes indeed, This was a treasure how sick minds could justify it's demolition speaks of our time Kali-Yuga

I could never find the Singer building in the New York skyline - now I know why, can't believe they would knock it down.

@tjroelsma

2 жыл бұрын

Except for things like cars, trucks, planes and things like that, the majority of people in the US don't seem to have a real sense of historical value when it comes to buildings, so iconic buildings are knocked down with casual disinterest if some greedy developer sees an opportunity to raise a larger and more modern building.

@r62aguy85

2 жыл бұрын

Twin towers were better

@paulsawczyc5019

2 жыл бұрын

@@tjroelsma There are beautiful buildings in most US cities, but they fall into disrepair. By then it's way too expensive and time consuming to restore all the intricate architecture - and alot of people really don't care about old stuff.

@notahotshot

2 жыл бұрын

@@r62aguy85 The twin towers were bland, featureless, and without character. The only thing they had is that they were tall.

@tjroelsma

2 жыл бұрын

@@paulsawczyc5019 The whole "falling into disrepair" point you're making already proves my point that the average American doesn't have much of a historical sense. Once a building has been built, delivered and lived, worked in, it's considered obsolete and ready to be torn down after only a few decades, because of the idea of consumerism that rules the US. (buy it, don't do maintenance, wear it out and throw it away) I'm not a historical buff by any means, but I can appreciate an iconic building for it's innovative idea's in the time it was built in. Over here we at least put some value on historical things, where in the US people seem to want to erase all traces of the past and just build new things, because "new is always better, right?" The funny thing is that when they realise that new isn't automatically better, because many new things are way more complicated and therefore require way more maintenance, those same people immediately start lamenting how "everything was better in the time of my pappy and my grandpappy", conveniently forgetting taht it was actually they themselves who were so eager to dispose of those old things in favour of the latest shiny new product.

I still have my Mum's SINGER sewing machine from which she would sew countless dresses frocks shirts ,trousers and repair said pieces of garments. The machine is been in our family from the time she bought it when new in 1949 and brought it over with us when we migrated to AUSTRALIA .It's still in working order a testament to the engineering craftsmanship of the cabinet maker and the extreme care my mum had for it

Greetings Mr Brian: Your contribution to Singer, NYC and history is greatly appreciated. Indeed the Singer tower was a masterpiece, feat of the time and mostly, a representation of a pride now lost. Thx.

From an engineering prospective, the Singer Tower was quite ahead of its time. It offered the similar kind of luxury and comfort we normally get in today’s modern buildings. Also for that same reason, literally everything was custom built for the tower, I can imagine many of the electrical and heating system weren’t future proof; and it was just too costly to upgrade them all; so it is not hard to imagine they didn’t try hard enough to save it.

I'm looking forward to this. Here I am a native of the Pacific Northwest -- I never had a chance to lay eyes on the Singer Tower. I would have been six when it came down. But its construction, it's jewellike architecture, and its unfathomable destruction have fascinated me for years. The story of Penn Station has been told and retold, but not the Singer Tower. I was thinking just the other night, someone really ought to do a good KZread video on the subject, with a solid script and narration. You beat me to it!

@eriksmith6873

2 жыл бұрын

Following up upon watching -- great job! I've been curious enough, over the years, to look up what I can with a Google search, and it is clear your research goes much deeper than that. The video tells me a few things I didn't know -- kudos. The video is a great example of the creative uses people are finding for KZread these days. One thing I'd steer you to is a brilliant essay that appeared in the New Yorker when the building's demolition was announced. And I always get sort of a chill down my spine when I see the Singer Tower show up in a Hollywood movie. Two examples -- The Fountainhead (1949) and the stock-footage sequence at the start of Insignificance (1985). By the way, my assumption is that the masonry could have been maintained. I remember reading about similar concerns regarding the Woolworth Building in a mid-'70s piece in American Heritage -- eventually they were licked. If I remember right, some elements were duplicated with fiberglass.

Oh wow, I had no idea that 1 Liberty Plaza was the building that replaced this. My dad worked there for about 12 years until it partially collapsed after 9/11. His company temporarily moved out but he was so traumatized by 9/11 that when it was time to move back into the building in 2005 he put in a request for a transfer and got one, so he never had to return to 1LP.

One of my favourite architecture styles in america, that showed an exuberant and elegant taste all americans had and still have in a way, a will to respect and perhaps even surpass the old continent classic style. But it mainly demonstrated competence and talent from everyone who worked at that building. Imagine now being a worker's family member knowing that your father risked his life to build the tower and watching it being replaced by a "modern" soulless box. The question that rises is: Why they left behind so few, maybe a couple of examples of that delicious and grandiose extravaganza that made america (and new york) so famous today?

The Singer company didn’t just make sewing machines; for decades it also operated a large chain of Singer retail stores. And in the late ‘60s it was a major advertiser, being best known for sponsoring what was later called Elvis Presley’s “comeback” TV special in 1968 that totally revived his career. And this sadly coincided with the demolition of their masterpiece high rise building.

@srfurley

2 жыл бұрын

Singer also owned Graflex of Speed Graphic Camera fame at one time.

@davidhermosillo1686

2 жыл бұрын

My aunt's mother demonstrated Singer sewing machines in the 40's and 50's. She still displays one with pride in their living room.

The days of beauty in design are over. I've not seen any new buildings or cars I'd consider beautiful in a long time. Everything is simply functional, nothing more.

@GhostOfAMachine

2 жыл бұрын

Lotus Elise is timeless beauty, so is the Evora.

@privateemail5870

2 жыл бұрын

Sears tower is beautiful. Idc that it's modern it's still beautiful.

@r62aguy85

2 жыл бұрын

@@privateemail5870 twin towers were better

@Pantheragem

2 жыл бұрын

@@GhostOfAMachine To me, the design looks similar to many other cars produced today. Aerodynamics would dictate there's only one efficient vehicle design anyway.

@chadchambliss4949

2 жыл бұрын

Pontiac Aztec... Burj Khalifa. Mic Drop!

So many building, more 1960's destroited and The Singer Tower was just is such detail. That was sad. Good Video. Thank You!

Superb expose on one of too many beautiful, lost buildings. Excellet work and video. Thank you.

The technology of that time still impresses me today. Sure, maybe there's more advanced ways... But what they did then, from what they had at the time, seems much more impressive somehow.

@darthXreven

2 жыл бұрын

hell even the cars were better....what back to The future said was correct, an old 40's ford would utterly destroy most cars made today..... tip if you know cars buy the shell of a 50's car and put a modern engine in it from the 90's and turn it into a hot rod, that thing will turn heads and stand up to punishment your 2021 corvette can't handle....cus it's shell is made of fiberglass and the frame is composite metals, older cars were steel....outer shell and frame lol imagine a Civic getting smashed by a 1950 ford?? LMFAO!!! there'd be nothing left of the Civic lol

@benjmiester

2 жыл бұрын

@@darthXreven Yeah I would love to see somebody leverage the torque of modern electric motors in classic era car bodies. Maybe a mix of the classic interior looks but some modern tech. Not really sure which way to go there but could be something.

Excellent documentary of the Singer Tower...such a shame when significant architectural marvels are lost and forgotten to new construction...✌🏻

Yep, I have refurbished four Singer machines in their tables, one of which is from 1880s, plus four boxed Singers, two of which are in Bentwood boxes. I have been facinated by Singer's international name since seeing their signs and wares in Asia, UK, around Europe and India and from using my mum's Singer sewing machine. Can't get enough of their optional extras too!

14:43 is an excellent comparative photo! Great, great choice to find and include!

How can a build that was once the tallest building in the world not qualify as being historically worth saving???

@kaisergray9413

2 жыл бұрын

ask the yuppies that demolished countless works of art in the same time period.

@TheBraddles82

2 жыл бұрын

Maybe it was a piece of shit?

@1greenMitsi

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheBraddles82 tallest piece of shit still has to be saved, point stands

@raypitts4880

2 жыл бұрын

every building was once the tallest how many do you save.

@favesongslist

2 жыл бұрын

@@raypitts4880 How did you work that out?

You might like to explore Stanford Whites' 1892 "The cable building" on Broadway and Houston st, it was originally the power plant for the Broadway cable cars, I had lofts in the building and worked there in the 1980s and explored it top to bottom. It had four 1200 HP Corless engines in the sub, sub basement that pulled the cables under the street, powered by 12 Heine high pressure boilers it had a 32 foot 105 ton driving drum in the basement. The Metropolitan cable car company had their offices on the 8th floor directly above my loft. Unfortunately the cable machinery proved to be very problematic and the line was electrified only a few years later, and more unfortunate- ALL of the equipment, the dynamo that produced the power for the building, the engines and 9 of the boilers were removed and likely scrapped. It was the only one of it's kind and was different than the San Francisco plant which never mechanically pulled steel cables on tracks under the roadway. Had they not destroyed the system it could have been a fascinating museum showcase.

I live in Poland now. Just 20 miles from Ełk, where you've seen this Singer sawing machine in the water tower museum. There's plenty of those machines around here. My grandmother was using one and it's still in my apartment. Indeed a beautiful attifact. Piece of art in fact. Very good material. Thank you!