Editing Singer Building (section)

=== Facade ===
The facade was made of red brick, light-colored stone, and [[Architectural terracotta|terracotta]].<ref name="OConnor 2016" /> Some {{Convert|733000|ft2||abbr=}} of terracotta was used for both the facade and the interior partitions. About five million bricks were used in the entire project, including one million in the tower section.<ref name="sun19080628">{{cite news|date=June 28, 1908|title=Buildings as Big as a Town|page=22|work=[[The New York Sun]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57353608/|access-date=August 13, 2020|via=newspapers.com|archive-date=February 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228143957/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57353608/buildings-as-big-as-a-town/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Semsch p. 35">{{harvnb|Semsch|1908|ps=.|p=35}}</ref> About {{Convert|1,500|ft3||abbr=}} of North River [[bluestone]] was also used,<ref name="Semsch p. 35" /> as was {{Convert|4,280,000|lb||abbr=}} of [[limestone]], mainly above the 33rd&nbsp;floor.<ref>{{harvnb|Semsch|1908|ps=.|p=38}}</ref> The contractors for these materials included [[John B. Rose|John B. Rose Company]] for the brick; Martin P. Lodge for the bluestone; J.&nbsp;J.&nbsp;Spurr & Sons for the limestone; and New Jersey Terra Cotta for the terracotta.<ref>{{harvnb|Historic American Buildings Survey|1969|ps=.|pp=88–89}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Semsch|1908|ps=.|pp=36–38}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Architects' and Builders' Magazine|1908|ps=.|pp=443–444}}</ref>

[[File:SingerBuilding5.jpg|thumb|alt= Photograph of the original Singer Building |The original Singer Building formed part of the base of the completed building. September 1967]]
For decorative elements, {{Convert|101|ST|LT t|abbr=}} of sheet copper was used.<ref name="sun19080628" /> Whale Creek Iron Works provided [[wrought iron|ornamental iron]] while [[Jno. Williams, Inc.|Jno. Williams Inc.]] provided the ornamental bronze.<ref name="HABS p. 89" /><ref>{{harvnb|Semsch|1908|ps=.|pp=33, 52}}</ref> There were {{Convert|85203|ft2||abbr=}} of glass in the entire building, about 10{{Nbsp}}percent of which was interior glass.<ref name="sun19080628" /><ref name="Semsch pp. 44-45">{{harvnb|Semsch|1908|ps=.|pp=44–45}}</ref> There was extensive [[ornament (art)|ornamentation]] throughout the building, including eight arches atop the tower's exterior.<ref>{{harvnb|Semsch|1908|ps=.|p=67}}</ref>

==== Base ====
The original Singer Building was faced with stone and brick. When it was built, the plans called for the lowest two stories to be [[cladding (construction)|clad]] with stone. The third story contained a balcony extending along both facades. The four following stories were faced with brick and contained windows with stone surrounds. The seventh story was clad with stone and had a balcony doubling as a [[cornice]], while the facade on the eighth story was made of brick. The original top stories comprised a decorative copper-and-slate roof with [[dormer]]s and stone chimneys. The main entrance was on Liberty Street and had sculptures and ornament.<ref name="nyt18970110">{{Cite news|date=January 10, 1897|title=The New Singer Building|language=en-US|page=7|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57231157/|access-date=August 12, 2020|issn=0362-4331|via=newspapers.com|archive-date=February 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228144000/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57231157/the-new-singer-building/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Bourne Building was faced with [[Indiana Limestone]] on its lowest two stories and red brick above.<ref name="rer18981203">{{cite magazine|date=December 3, 1898|title=Office Buildings Underway|url=https://rerecord.library.columbia.edu/pdf_files/ldpd_7031148_022_23.pdf|journal=The Real Estate Record: Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide|volume=62|pages=828|via=[[Columbia University|columbia.edu]]|number=1603|access-date=August 17, 2020|archive-date=November 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128043405/https://rerecord.library.columbia.edu/pdf_files/ldpd_7031148_022_23.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> The base had ironwork ornamentation in their [[mullion]]s and window railings.<ref name="Semsch p. 33">{{harvnb|Semsch|1908|ps=.|p=33}}</ref>

After the 1906–1907 modifications, the main entrance faced Broadway on the eastern facade. This main entrance had a three-story-tall semicircular arch. A two-story [[architrave]] was beneath the arch, with an engraved [[cartouche]] reading "Singer" at the center. The upper part of the arch had a fanlight with five vertical mullions, below which was a bronze grille measuring {{Convert|13|ft|abbr=}} wide and {{Convert|24|ft||abbr=}} tall.<ref name="HABS p. 93">{{harvnb|Historic American Buildings Survey|1969|ps=.|p=93}}</ref>

As a result of the modifications, the first three stories were faced with [[Rustication (architecture)|rusticated]] North River bluestone.<ref name="HABS p. 92" /> Four stories were added between the seventh floor and the three-story roof during that time, and the Broadway facade was expanded from two bays to five.<ref name="HABS p. 89" /><ref name="rer19070629">{{cite magazine|date=June 29, 1907|title=Slicing a Skyscraper|url=https://rerecord.library.columbia.edu/pdf_files/ldpd_7031148_039_27.pdf|journal=The Real Estate Record: Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide|volume=79|pages=824|via=[[Columbia University|columbia.edu]]|number=2050|access-date=August 17, 2020|archive-date=November 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128041423/https://rerecord.library.columbia.edu/pdf_files/ldpd_7031148_039_27.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> With the modifications, the vertical bays were separated with vertical strips from the fourth to the 10th&nbsp;floors, with [[pediment]]s above the sixth-floor windows. The 11th and 12th&nbsp;floors of the modified base consisted of two rows of small windows, with the 11th-floor windows spaced between [[Bracket (architecture)|brackets]] supporting a 12th-floor iron balcony. The top two stories contained dormer windows projecting from the [[mansard roof]].<ref name="HABS p. 93" /> The sloped portions of the roof were clad with slate shingles, while [[Porcelain tile|glazed roof tiles]] covered the flat portion.<ref name="HABS p. 94" />

==== Tower ====
[[File:King's Color-graphs of New York City9.jpg|thumb|right|Singer Building in 1910]]
The Singer Tower's facade was made of brick masonry ranging in thickness from {{Convert|12|in||abbr=}} at the top to {{Convert|40|in||abbr=}} at the base.<ref name="Semsch p. 36">{{harvnb|Semsch|1908|ps=.|p=36}}</ref> The Singer Tower contained five bays on each side, each measuring {{Convert|12|ft||abbr=}} wide.<ref name="LC p. 358">{{harvnb|Landau|Condit|1996|ps=.|p=358}}</ref> Construction plans show that there were 36 windows on each floor.<ref name="nyt19070825" /> The faces of the tower were made of dark red brick, except for decorative elements such as trimmings, [[Coping (architecture)|copings]], [[Course (architecture)|courses]], and [[Window sill|windowsills]], which were made of North River bluestone.<ref name="LC p. 359" /> On each side, vertical limestone [[Pier (architecture)|piers]] separated the outermost bays from the three center bays, dividing the facade into three vertical sections.<ref name="NYCL-1100" /><ref name="LC p. 359" /> The outermost bays were illuminated by small windows.<ref name="NYCL-1100" /><ref name="AF p. 120">{{harvnb|Architectural Forum|1957|ps=.|p=120}}</ref> The corners of the tower were made of solid masonry, which concealed the diagonal steel bracing inside.<ref name="AF 1967-08">{{harvnb|Architectural Forum|1967|ps=.|p=107}}</ref><ref name="AF p. 120" /> The tower had cast-iron [[Balcony|balconies]] and [[Fascia (architecture)|fascias]], as well as wrought-iron [[jamb]]s and [[mullion]]s.<ref name="PA p. 170" /> The use of iron balconies, as well as the large amount of glass in the facade, was inspired by the design of the Little Singer Building at 561 Broadway, built in 1904.<ref name="AF p. 117">{{harvnb|Architectural Forum|1957|ps=.|p=117}}</ref>

Horizontal [[belt course]]s wrapped around the tower above the 17th, 18th, 23rd, 24th, 29th, and 30th&nbsp;stories, while there were terracotta balconies on each side at the 18th, 24th, and 30th&nbsp;stories.<ref name="HABS p. 92" /> Iron balconies also projected from the building at intervals of seven stories.<ref name="Semsch p. 33" /><ref name="LC p. 359" /> Near the top of the tower, the vertical stone bands on each side formed a tall arch evocative of the tower's dome.<ref name="LC p. 360" /> On the 36th&nbsp;floor, an ornamental balcony cantilevered about {{Convert|8.5|ft||abbr=}} outward on each side;<ref name="Semsch p. 202" /> it was supported by brackets on the 35th&nbsp;floor.<ref name="nyt19070825" /><ref name="HABS p. 94">{{harvnb|Historic American Buildings Survey|1969|ps=.|p=94}}</ref><ref name="ER p. 630">{{harvnb|Engineering Record|1907|ps=.|p=630}}</ref> Stone architraves surrounded the corner windows of the 36th and 37th&nbsp;stories, while ornate stone arches framed the center bays on the 36th through 38th&nbsp;stories. There were oval windows on each corner at the 38th&nbsp;floor. Above that level, a heavy stone cornice ran around the corners and above the arches.<ref name="HABS p. 94" />

The top of the tower contained a {{Convert|50|ft|m|abbr=|-tall|adj=mid}} dome covering the top three stories,<ref name="HABS p. 92" /><ref name="Semsch p. 202">{{harvnb|Semsch|1908|ps=.|p=20}}</ref> capped by a lantern that measures {{Convert|9|ft||abbr=}} across at its base<ref name="Semsch p. 202" /> and stretches {{Convert|63.75|ft|0|abbr=}} tall.<ref>{{harvnb|Engineering Record|1907|ps=.|p=542}}</ref> The dome's roof was made of slate, while the roof ornamentation, dormers, and lantern were made of copper sheeting.<ref name="LC p. 360">{{harvnb|Landau|Condit|1996|ps=.|p=360}}</ref><ref name="Semsch p. 41">{{harvnb|Semsch|1908|ps=.|p=41}}</ref> In its final years, the dome's trapezoidal skylights were replaced with dormer windows.<ref name="HABS p. 94" /> The top of the lantern was {{Convert|612|ft||abbr=}} above ground level, and a steel flagpole rose {{Convert|62|ft||abbr=}} above the lantern, bringing the height of the Singer Tower to {{Convert|674|ft||abbr=}} when measured from ground to tip.<ref name="Semsch p. 33" /><ref name="ABM p. 434">{{harvnb|Architects' and Builders' Magazine|1908|ps=.|p=434}}</ref> The flagpole was actually {{Convert|90|ft||abbr=}} long, but the base of the flagpole was embedded into the tower.<ref name="ABM p. 434" /> The entire exterior was lit at night by 1,600 incandescent lamps and thirty {{Convert|18|in||abbr=|adj=on}} projectors,<ref>{{harvnb|Semsch|1908|ps=.|p=105}}</ref> which were visible at distances of up to {{Convert|20|mi||abbr=}}.<ref name="sun19080628" />