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Singer Building
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==== 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 stories, while there were terracotta balconies on each side at the 18th, 24th, and 30th 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 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 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 stories, while ornate stone arches framed the center bays on the 36th through 38th stories. There were oval windows on each corner at the 38th 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" />
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