The Strand Theatre was an early movie palace located at 1579 Broadway, at the northwest corner of 47th Street and Broadway in Times Square , New York City . Opened in 1914, the theater was later known as the Mark Strand Theatre, the Warner Theatre, and the Cinerama Theatre. It closed as the RKO Warner Twin Theatre, and was demolished in 1987.
129-627: 1585 Broadway , also called the Morgan Stanley Building , is a 42-story office building on Times Square in the Theater District neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City . The building was designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects and Emery Roth & Sons and was developed by David and Jean Solomon. 1585 Broadway occupies a site on the west side of Broadway between 47th and 48th Streets. The building has served as
258-433: A "water-green, restrained corporate monolith". After the building was renovated, Stanley Abercrombie wrote for Interior Design magazine in 1996: "Above the signage area, the tower is a cool, symmetrical shaft [...] continuing the downstairs glitter with quiet composure". Of the interior, Abercrombie wrote that Gwathmey Siegel had reconciled "a potentially overwhelming number of difficult and sometimes opposing demands into
387-405: A 500-seat dining room in the basement. An overpass passes above the dining-room escalators. The dining room was built in 1995; it was originally storage space and was not connected to the lobby. The lobby and dining room collectively measure 29,000 sq ft (2,700 m). The sub-basement was originally used by law firm Proskauer Rose , whose chairman Alan S. Jaffe euphemistically referred to
516-402: A business district after World War II. Nonetheless, there were relatively few large developments there in the mid-20th century. Between 1958 and 1983, only twelve buildings with at least 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m) of space were developed in the 114-block area between Sixth Avenue , Times Square, Eighth Avenue , and Columbus Circle . 1585 Broadway was proposed in the 1980s, when there
645-573: A commitment from a specific tenant. The Solomons acquired the Strand Theatre and Leighton's Haberdashers and Clothiers in 1986, with plans to build a 40-story tower on the two sites. This was one of several developments planned for Times Square at that time. The New York City Planning Commission (CPC) was considering enacting regulations that would have forced new buildings along Times Square's northern section to include bright signage as well as deep setbacks . David Solomon opposed these regulations on
774-441: A contract with Disney, officials from the city and state evicted the pornographic theaters and contracted with Madame Tussauds and AMC Theatres to move onto 42nd Street. This spurred the construction of new office towers, hotels, and tourist attractions in the area. Prudential and Klein dissolved their partnership for the four office-building sites at Times Square's southern end in 1996. The same year, Douglas Durst acquired
903-473: A cultural hub full of theatres, music halls , and upscale hotels. Times Square quickly became New York's agora , a place to gather to await great tidings and to celebrate them, whether a World Series or a presidential election. Advertising also grew significantly in the 1920s, growing from $ 25 million to $ 85 million over the decade. For example, the Wrigley Spearmint Gum sign, possibly
1032-509: A low entertainment district. The first theater on the square, the Olympia , was built by cigar manufacturer and impresario Oscar Hammerstein I . According to Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898 , "By the early 1890s this once sparsely settled stretch of Broadway was ablaze with electric light and thronged by crowds of middle- and upper-class theatre, restaurant and cafe patrons." In 1904, New York Times publisher Adolph S. Ochs moved
1161-447: A mass yoga event involving up to 15,000 people. Tim Tompkins, a co-founder of the event, said part of its appeal was "finding stillness and calm amid the city rush on the longest day of the year". Architect Mark Foster Gage proposed and designed the original Times Square Valentine's Day heart in 2009. Since then, designing the heart has become an annual competition. In February 2011, Times Square became smoke-free as New York extended
1290-507: A massive crowd celebrated Victory in Europe Day in Times Square; and on August 15, 1945, the largest crowd in the history of Times Square gathered to celebrate Victory over Japan Day , reaching an estimated two million. The victory itself was announced by a headline on the "zipper" news ticker at One Times Square , which read "OFFICIAL ***TRUMAN ANNOUNCES JAPANESE SURRENDER ***". From
1419-639: A million visitors to Times Square every year, in addition to a worldwide audience of one billion or more on various digital media platforms. Times Square, specifically the intersection of Broadway and 42nd Street, is the eastern terminus of the Lincoln Highway , the first road across the United States for motorized vehicles. Times Square is sometimes referred to as "the Crossroads of the World" and "the heart of
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#17328553903241548-495: A minimum limit for lighting instead of the standard maximum limit. The density of illuminated signs in Times Square rivals that in Las Vegas . Officially, signs in Times Square are called "spectaculars", and the largest of them are called " jumbotrons ". This signage ordinance was implemented in accordance with guidelines set in a revitalization program that New York Governor Mario Cuomo implemented in 1993. Notable signage includes
1677-623: A passageway under the New York Marriott Marquis , the lobby of the Hotel Edison, and a driveway under the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan. The lobby contains a marble floor with white, dark-green, and black tiles arranged in a geometric pattern. The walls are made of gray granite with dark green marble strips. One wall curves inward to give the impression that it is shorter than it actually is. The lobby ceiling
1806-419: A pole atop the building, marking the start of the new year. It replaced a lavish fireworks display from the top of the building that was held from 1904 to 1906 but stopped by city officials because of the danger of fire. Beginning in 1908, and for more than eighty years thereafter, Times Square sign maker Artkraft Strauss was responsible for the ball-lowering. During World War II, a minute of silence, followed by
1935-539: A recording of church bells pealing, replaced the ball drop because of wartime blackout restrictions. Today, Countdown Entertainment and One Times Square handle the New Year's Eve event in conjunction with the Times Square Alliance. A new energy-efficient LED ball debuted for the arrival of 2008, which was the centennial of the Times Square ball drop. The 2008–09 ball is larger and has become a permanent installation as
2064-445: A renovation for the building in 1994 and conducted the renovation the next year. Signs were installed on the exterior; the basement dining room and the executive suite were added; and 2,000 trading desks were added across four stories. Morgan Stanley also received a $ 100 million tax exemption after it purchased 1585 Broadway and 750 Seventh Avenue. Morgan Stanley began moving into 1585 Broadway in mid-1995, relocating from 1251 Avenue of
2193-458: A reputation as a dangerous and seedy neighborhood in the following decades. Nevertheless, Times Square continued to be the site of the annual ball drop on New Year's Eve . The ball drop was placed on hiatus for New Year's Eve in 1942 and 1943 due to lighting restrictions during World War II , replaced by a moment of silence that was observed at midnight in Times Square, accompanied by the sound of chimes played from sound trucks. On May 8, 1945,
2322-473: A result. The lenders had arranged to sell 1585 Broadway to Primerica Corporation , which would have relocated its stock brokerage division, Smith Barney, Harris Upham & Company, into the building. The deal collapsed when Primerica acquired another brokerage, Shearson , and began laying off Smith Barney workers, making the additional space unnecessary. In another case, the Internal Revenue Service
2451-424: A small area. The building's lobby was also closed to the public for security reasons, despite being a privately owned public space that legally had to remain open. To protect against vehicular attacks, Morgan Stanley installed planters outside 1585 Broadway in 2004. Morgan Stanley began turning off the building's lights at night in 2005 to reduce the risk of migratory birds crashing into the facade. The planters outside
2580-450: A source of controversy in the summer of 2015 because of a large number of complaints about the topless women and panhandling characters. Although neither of these activities are illegal, opponents believed that the panhandlers' presence was detrimental to the quality of life in the area. There were calls from Police Commissioner Bratton and Mayor Bill de Blasio to remove the plaza, although Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer opposed
2709-465: A ticker above the floor. Proskauer Rose renovated the 19th floor in 2000, adding seven conference rooms and 49 offices by relocating its law library to the sub-basement. The law firm renovated the rest of its space shortly afterward. Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, Morgan Stanley dispersed employees from its Times Square "campus" to reduce the risk created by concentrating of so many workers in
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#17328553903242838-587: A tiny hamlet, Great Kill, that became a center for carriage-making, as the upland to the south and east became known as Longacre. Before and after the American Revolution , the area belonged to John Morin Scott , a general of the New York militia , in which he served under George Washington . Scott's manor house was at what is currently 43rd Street, surrounded by countryside used for farming and breeding horses. In
2967-478: A trial until at least the end of the year. The same was done in Herald Square from 33rd to 35th Street. The results were to be closely monitored to determine if the project was successful and should be extended. Bloomberg also stated that he believed the street shutdown would make New York more livable by reducing pollution, cutting down on pedestrian-vehicle accidents, and helping traffic flow more smoothly through
3096-420: A work of architecture and interior design that appears seamless, coherent, and inevitable" while "making it all look easy". When 3 Times Square was being built on the opposite end of Times Square in 1998, Muschamp wrote that 1585 Broadway was the only new building in the area that "has broken boldly out of the mold of commercial design" prior to 3 Times Square's construction. Times Square Times Square
3225-464: A year-round attraction, being used for celebrations on days such as Valentine's Day and Halloween . The New Year's Eve celebrations are usually overseen by thousands of police officers. Aluminum barriers are erected to accommodate spectators; for the 2020 celebration, attended by a million people, barriers were erected from 38th to 59th Street and from Sixth to Eighth Avenue. Typically, the celebrations create large amounts of waste. The waste includes
3354-406: Is a busy intersection of art and commerce, where scores of advertisements – electric, neon and illuminated signs and "zipper" news crawls – vie for viewers' attention. Notable examples include: Major buildings on or near Times Square "Numbered" Times Square buildings Strand Theatre (Manhattan) The Strand Theatre was built in 1914 as part of the chain of movie theaters owned by
3483-556: Is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City . It is formed by the junction of Broadway , Seventh Avenue , and 42nd Street . Together with adjacent Duffy Square , Times Square is a bowtie -shaped plaza five blocks long between 42nd and 47th Streets . Times Square is brightly lit by numerous digital billboards and advertisements as well as businesses offering 24/7 service . One of
3612-450: Is aligned with 47th and 48th Streets, which run parallel to the street grid. The base is covered in glass and metal, with dark-glass panels hiding the signage behind them. Artkraft Strauss Sign Corporation manufactured the signs on the base, which were included to comply with city regulations. Ten dark-glass "fins" protrude over the sidewalk on Broadway, each containing one of the characters "1585 B'way". Each storefront has signs identifying
3741-541: Is also known as the Morgan Stanley Building for its anchor tenant, financial services company Morgan Stanley , which uses 1585 Broadway as a headquarters. The building was proposed with a facade and a gable roof made of glass, as well as a square tower set back from the base. As built, the base occupies the entire site; it is aligned with Broadway, which runs diagonally to the Manhattan street grid . The base
3870-494: Is bounded by West 42nd Street , West 47th Street , 7th Avenue, and Broadway. Broadway runs diagonally, crossing through the horizontal and vertical street grid of Manhattan laid down by the Commissioners' Plan of 1811 , and that intersection creates the "bowtie" shape of Times Square. Times Square is the official name of the southern triangle, below 45th Street. The northern triangle is officially known as Duffy Square and
3999-481: Is designed with several setbacks that, according to Gwathmey Siegel, "responds to the pedestrian scale of the street in the theater district". Above ground level, there are two rectangular setbacks. There is a double-height mechanical space on the fourth and fifth floors, with an outward curve toward Broadway; this delineates the transition between the base and tower. The mechanical space's facade contains ventilation and heating grilles rather than windows. The tower section
1585 Broadway - Misplaced Pages Continue
4128-866: Is famed for the Times Square Ball drop on its roof every New Year's Eve. In 1913, the Lincoln Highway Association , headed by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher , chose the intersection of 42nd Street and Broadway (at the southeast corner of Times Square) to be the Eastern Terminus of the Lincoln Highway . This was the first road across the United States, which originally ran 3,389 mi (5,454 km) coast to coast through 13 states to its western terminus in Lincoln Park in San Francisco. Times Square grew dramatically after World War I . It became
4257-407: Is made of wood and is supported by two large columns. The ceiling is arranged in a grid, with rectangular coffers measuring 5 ft (1.5 m) wide. There are incandescent lamps with reflectors within the ceiling, creating what Architectural Lighting magazine described as a " luminous " effect. Stephen Margulies designed the lobby lighting. Behind a glass wall, the lobby contains escalators to
4386-446: Is on the 40th and 41st stories of the tower and covers 45,000 sq ft (4,200 m). It contains offices, dining rooms, meeting spaces, and boardrooms. The foyer to the executive suite contains windows facing in three directions, while the offices can accommodate 30 executives. The suite is clad in granite and three types of wood; architect Charles Gwathmey said this arose from Morgan Stanley's desire for "real materials". Anigre
4515-659: Is part of Manhattan 's Theater District and contains many Broadway theatres . The Morgan Stanley Building shares the block with the Ethel Barrymore Theatre and Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on 47th Street and the Longacre Theatre on 48th Street. Across 48th Street are the Eugene O'Neill Theatre and Walter Kerr Theatre to the northwest and the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan to the north. To
4644-432: Is pitched on four sides, a modification of a mansard roof design, but with four backlit panels. Architectural critic Paul Goldberger described the roof as a "cross between a gabled roof and a cut-off pyramid". The building has 1.3 million square feet (120,000 m) of gross floor area. Because of zoning rules, there is no office entrance on Broadway, as that frontage is taken up by shops. Gwathmey Siegel designed
4773-467: Is the site of the annual New Year's Eve ball drop. About one million revelers crowd Times Square for the New Year's Eve celebrations, more than twice the usual number of visitors the area usually receives daily. However, for the millennium celebration on December 31, 1999, published reports stated approximately two million people overflowed Times Square, flowing from Sixth Avenue to Eighth Avenue and back on Broadway and Seventh Avenue to 59th Street, making it
4902-507: Is used for the foyer's walls. Mahogany is used for the steps of the double-width staircase connecting the two floors, as well as for ceiling grids, similar to those in the lobby. Ebonized cherry wood is used for doors and other fixtures. The executive suite also contains a 35 ft-long (11 m) boardroom table, as well as various pieces of modern furniture. Some of the furniture is inspired by those at Frank Lloyd Wright 's Coonley House . Times Square's Theater District had evolved into
5031-591: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait . The first difficulties with the building's finances arose in September 1990, when the Solomons neglected to pay $ 46.425 million to the three first-mortgage lenders. The Solomons subsequently missed an interest payment that December, and debts accumulated to the point where Consolidated Edison shut off the building's heat service in early 1991. The Solomons were in default by that February, but
5160-852: The Disney theme parks worldwide, with 128,794,000 visitors between March 2012 and February 2013, versus 126,479,000 for the Walt Disney World theme parks in Bay Lake, Florida , in 2012. Even excluding residents from the visitor count, Times Square is the world's second most visited tourist attraction, behind the Las Vegas Strip . The high level of pedestrian traffic has resulted in $ 4.8 billion in annual retail, entertainment, and hotel sales, with 22 cents out of every dollar spent by visitors in New York City being spent within Times Square. Times Square
5289-694: The Macklowe Hotel , Marriott Marquis , Crowne Plaza , and DoubleTree Suites. By 1986, New York City Planning Commission (CPC) was considering enacting regulations that would have forced new buildings along Times Square to include bright signage as well as deep setbacks . The CPC adopted a planning regulation in 1987, which required large new developments in Times Square to set aside about 5 percent of their space for "entertainment uses". The regulation also required new buildings on Times Square to include large, bright signs. The buildings at 1540 Broadway, 1585 Broadway, and 750 Seventh Avenue were completed at
1585 Broadway - Misplaced Pages Continue
5418-562: The Quantum Fund , Milstein Properties , and Odyssey Partners all made bids of least $ 150 million. All of the bids were sealed , so none of the competing bidders knew how much the others had paid. The lenders sold 1585 Broadway to the high bidder, Morgan Stanley, for $ 176 million in August 1993. This was about half what the building would have cost if it were newly built. David Solomon said there
5547-515: The State of New York took possession of six of the nine historic theaters on 42nd Street, and the New 42nd Street non-profit organization was appointed to oversee their restoration and maintenance. The theaters underwent renovation for Broadway shows, conversion for commercial purposes, or demolition. Opposition to the towers on Times Square, along with Prudential and Park Tower's inability to secure tenants for
5676-456: The Times described 1585 Broadway as "a square chaperone dressed in starchy gray, peering down sternly at the indecorous doings in the street below". Ada Louise Huxtable characterized the building as "a stunning event", saying the design "carries the sheer, sleek precision of the modernist curtain wall to new intricacy and richness". Eve M. Kahn of The Wall Street Journal described 1585 Broadway as
5805-664: The Toshiba billboard directly under the NYE ball drop, the curved seven-story NASDAQ sign at the NASDAQ MarketSite at 4 Times Square on 43rd Street, and the curved Coca-Cola sign located underneath another large LED display owned and operated by Samsung . Both the Coca-Cola sign and Samsung LED displays were built by LED display manufacturer Daktronics . Times Square's first environmentally friendly billboard powered by wind and solar energy
5934-659: The Vince Lombardi Trophy . The area was under increased security and witnessed over 400,000 people during the period. In October 2022, casino operator Caesars Entertainment and commercial property developer SL Green submitted a joint proposal to open a casino at 1515 Broadway , along Times Square. The New York state government has yet to act on the proposal. On February 26, 2009, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that traffic lanes along Broadway from 42nd Street to 47th Street would be de-mapped starting Memorial Day 2009 and transformed into pedestrian plazas as
6063-543: The remodeling claim that the neighborhood is safer and cleaner. Detractors have countered that the changes have homogenized or "Disneyfied" the character of Times Square and have unfairly targeted lower-income New Yorkers from nearby neighborhoods such as Hell's Kitchen . The changes were shaped in large part by the actions of The Walt Disney Company , which bought and restored the New Amsterdam Theatre after several attempts at redevelopment had failed. As part of
6192-646: The 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s. However, it was also during this period that the area began to be besieged by crime and corruption, in the form of gambling and prostitution; one case that garnered huge attention was the arrest and subsequent execution of police officer Charles Becker . The general atmosphere of Times Square changed with the onset of the Great Depression in the early 1930s. City residents moved uptown to cheaper neighborhoods, and many popular theaters closed, replaced by saloons, brothels, "burlesque halls, vaudeville stages, and dime houses". The area acquired
6321-518: The 1960s to the early 1990s, the seediness of the area, especially due to its go-go bars , sex shops , peep shows , and adult theaters, became an infamous symbol of the city's decline. As early as 1960, 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues was described by The New York Times as "the 'worst' [block] in town". Later that decade, Times Square was depicted in Midnight Cowboy as gritty, depraved, and desperate. Conditions only worsened in
6450-675: The 1970s and 1980s, as did the crime in the rest of the city, with a 1981 article in Rolling Stone magazine calling 42nd Street in Times Square the "sleaziest block in America". In the mid-1980s, the area bounded by 40th and 50th Streets and Seventh and Ninth Avenues saw over 15,000 crime complaints per year. The block of 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues had 2,300 crimes per year in 1984, of which 20% were felonies. In this era, formerly elegant movie theaters began to show x-rated films , and peep shows hustlers were common. In 1984,
6579-458: The 2001–02 New Year's celebration. Approximately 500,000 revelers attended. Security was high following the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, with more than 7,000 New York City police officers on duty in the Square, twice the number for an ordinary year. Times Square started hosting other major annual events in the 2000s. Since 2002, the summer solstice has been marked by "Mind over Madness",
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#17328553903246708-495: The 3,000 pounds of biodegradable confetti dropped at midnight, a tradition of which started in 1992. The New York City Department of Sanitation estimated that by 8 a.m. on New Year's Day 2014, it had cleared over 50 short tons (45 long tons; 45 t) of trash from the New Year's celebration, using 190 workers from their crews and the Times Square Alliance. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City during 2020 reduced
6837-554: The Americas . Within a year, retail tenants began filling the ground-floor space, including Sunglass Hut and Starbucks . The building was also occupied by smaller tenants such as a charitable foundation administered by the estate of the late heiress Doris Duke . Proskauer Rose continued to take up space in 1585 Broadway, as its lease ran for twenty years. The law firm spent $ 4 million in 1996 to upgrade its technological equipment in 1585 Broadway. Though Proskauer Rose and Morgan Stanley were
6966-485: The Great White Way ". Times Square functions as a town square , but is not geometrically a square . It is closer in shape to a bowtie, with two triangles emanating roughly north and south from 45th Street, where Seventh Avenue intersects Broadway . Broadway similarly intersects other north–south avenues at Union Square , Madison Square , Herald Square , and Verdi Square , none of which are squares. The area
7095-532: The Mark Brothers, Mitchel and Moe . It cost US$ 1 million (equivalent to $ 30,418,605 in 2023) to build and is believed to have been the first lavish movie palace built only to show motion pictures. It was designed by Thomas W. Lamb and served as a model for many other similar theaters built at the time. The New York Times favorably reviewed the opening of the Strand, helping to establish its importance. To manage
7224-542: The Midtown street grid. The pedestrian plaza project was originally opposed by local businesses, who thought that closing the street to cars would hurt business. The original seats put out for pedestrians were inexpensive multicolored plastic lawn chairs, a source of amusement to many New Yorkers; they lasted from the onset of the plaza transformation until August 14, 2009, when they were ceremoniously bundled together in an installation christened Now You See It, Now You Don't by
7353-521: The New York state government, had proposed redeveloping the area around a portion of West 42nd Street in 1981. Four towers designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee were to be built around 42nd Street's intersections with Broadway and Seventh Avenue. These towers would have been redeveloped by George Klein of Park Tower Realty, though the Prudential Insurance Company of America joined
7482-464: The acquisition of 1585 Broadway, Morgan Stanley still needed around 250,000 sq ft (23,000 m), so it bought 750 Seventh Avenue in 1994. Morgan Stanley was still required to place signs on the facade once the building was more than 50 percent occupied. This time, Morgan Stanley executives saw the benefits of getting a deeply discounted space as outweighing the drawbacks of large signs. 1585 Broadway's original architect, Gwathmey Siegel, designed
7611-476: The area was so derelict and dilapidated, that the entire Times Square area paid the city only $ 6 million in property taxes (equivalent to $ 17.6 million in 2023). In the 1980s, a commercial building boom began in the western parts of Midtown as part of a long-term development plan developed under mayors Ed Koch and David Dinkins . These included office buildings such as 1540 Broadway , 1585 Broadway , and 750 Seventh Avenue , as well as hotels such as
7740-426: The artist Jason Peters, and shortly afterward were replaced by sturdier metal furniture. Although the plaza had mixed results on traffic in the area, injuries to motorists and pedestrians decreased, fewer pedestrians were walking in the road, and the number of pedestrians in Times Square increased. On February 11, 2010, Bloomberg announced that the pedestrian plazas would become permanent. The city started rebuilding
7869-701: The basis that they were to be indiscriminate, "without thought of how to apply them to those new buildings architecturally". Leighton's closed in December 1986 to make way for the tower. To attain additional floor area, Solomon Equities purchased the Barrymore Theatre's unused air development rights from the Shubert Organization . In total, the structure would have 1.2 million square feet (110,000 m). Engineering consultant Irwin Cantor devised two plans for
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#17328553903247998-417: The beginning of the early 1990s recession , when 14.5 percent of Manhattan office space was vacant. Furthermore, some 9 × 10 ^ sq ft (840,000 m ) of office space in the western section of Midtown had been developed in the 1980s, of which only half had been leased. Consequently, 1540 Broadway was completely empty, while 1585 Broadway and 750 Seventh Avenue had one tenant each, despite
8127-492: The biggest electric sign "in the world," cost $ 9,000 per month to rent. Some contemporary critics, such as Thorstein Veblen and G. K. Chesterton , disliked the advertising at Times Square. Fritz Lang , after seeing Times Square in 1923, used it as inspiration for his dark industrial film Metropolis . Entertainment icons such as Irving Berlin , Charlie Chaplin , and Fred Astaire were closely associated with Times Square in
8256-467: The building also received a municipal tax abatement that lowered its tax bill by several million dollars. A consortium of Swiss Bank Corporation , Bank of Montreal , and Toronto-Dominion Bank had given a first mortgage of $ 320 million, and Swiss Bank also made a $ 50 million subordinated loan . Other debt included $ 40 million owed to the European American Bank (EAB) and $ 17.5 million owed to
8385-476: The building were removed in 2006; the New York City Police Department said that the barriers were ineffective at preventing vehicular attacks while also obstructing pedestrian flow. The same year, Morgan Stanley bought a building at 522 Fifth Avenue and relocated its private wealth management and investment management divisions there. When Proskauer Rose's lease at 1585 Broadway expired in 2010,
8514-412: The building's superstructure : a tubular frame and a megastructure . By mid-1987, Morgan Stanley was negotiating with Solomon Equities for space in the proposed tower. Morgan Stanley executives did not like the prospect of seeing bright signage outside their windows, and the deal fell through for that reason. The Solomons decided to proceed with the tower anyway. The supply of office space in New York City
8643-476: The building's only office tenants, they occupied the entire building. Morgan Stanley acquired Dean Witter Financial Services in 1997, and 1585 Broadway became part of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter's "midtown urban campus". The firm of Brennan Beer Gorman Monk designed an information booth for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter within one of 1585 Broadway's storefronts in 1998. The booth consisted of a cube suspended 8 ft (2.4 m) above ground, with 18 screens, as well as
8772-463: The building, covering 944,400 sq ft (87,740 m), remained available for lease in mid-1990. Since the structure was less than half occupied, the Solomons were not required to operate the exterior signs. As part of the Industrial and Commercial Incentive Program, which automatically distributed tax abatements to developers of industrial or commercial buildings in certain areas of New York City,
8901-429: The buildings having over 2 × 10 ^ sq ft (190,000 m ) of office space between them. Entertainment conglomerate Bertelsmann bought 1540 Broadway in 1992, spurring a revival of Times Square in the early 1990s. This was hastened when financial firm Morgan Stanley bought 1585 Broadway in 1993, followed by 750 Seventh Avenue in 1994. The Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC), an agency of
9030-473: The busiest in the New York City Subway system, transporting more than 200,000 passengers daily. Formerly known as Longacre Square , Times Square was renamed in 1904 after The New York Times moved its headquarters to the then newly erected Times Building, now One Times Square . It is the site of the annual New Year's Eve ball drop , which began on December 31, 1907, and continues to attract over
9159-404: The city. The ground-floor storefront space was leased by tenants such as Skagen and Fossil Group . Morgan Stanley then conducted renovations on 1585 Broadway during the mid-2010s, overhauling one floor at a time. A 750 kW (1,010 hp) fuel cell was also installed at the building in 2016. By early 2017, Morgan Stanley contemplated relocating to the new Hudson Yards development. The firm
9288-414: The current time in cities around the world. Morgan Stanley's name is only displayed at the corners, with 7 in-high (18 cm) letters. The tower's facade is mostly a glass curtain wall with facade panels designed by PPG. The tower section contains silver aluminum spandrel panels at the corners. On the upper stories, the corners are notched inward and contain mirrored-glass panels. The remainder of
9417-471: The developers of such buildings to install large signs facing Times Square; the Solomons modified their plans as a result. The aftermath of Black Monday had resulted in the New York City office market dropping sharply, but the office market was recovering by 1988. Law firm Proskauer Rose leased 426,000 sq ft (39,600 m) at 1585 Broadway that August, with officials citing cheaper rents and newer mechanical systems in their decision. Proskauer Rose
9546-721: The east across Times Square are 20 Times Square , TSX Broadway , the Palace and Embassy Theatres , and the I. Miller Building . In addition, the Hotel Edison and Lunt-Fontanne Theatre are to the south, and the Brooks Atkinson Theatre and Paramount Hotel are to the southwest. The site had contained two six-story buildings before 1986: the Strand Theatre , a movie house, as well as Leighton's Haberdashers and Clothiers, which had operated on Broadway for 67 years. 1585 Broadway
9675-429: The electric bill at the last minute before 1585 Broadway's power supply was about to be shut off. The law firm was paying for the building's utilities, insurance premiums, and security guards from their own budget, then credited these costs against its rent charges. By December 1991, Bank of Montreal and Toronto-Dominion Bank were considering foreclosing on the building. The debt had increased to $ 340 million by then. At
9804-458: The end of December 1991, Solomon Equities filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition for 1585 Broadway, having not signed a single tenant for the building in the previous three years. In that time, the building's only tenant, Proskauer Rose, had never paid rent. 1585 Broadway had $ 231 million in assets and $ 482 million in debt, and it was losing $ 1.9 million monthly. As a result of the Chapter 11 filing,
9933-459: The entertainment industry could occupy office space in Times Square. 1585 Broadway already had some space that could be used as trading floors, and the building's electrical system could support the high power requirements of workstations. Morgan Stanley executives had also liked the building's column-free spaces. The firm planned to use the second through sixth floors for its commodities , equities , fixed income , and forex divisions. Even after
10062-500: The existing buildings. In 1992, the Times Square Alliance (formerly the Times Square Business Improvement District , or "BID" for short), a coalition of city government and local businesses dedicated to improving the quality of commerce and cleanliness in the district, started operations in the area. In 1998, the alliance opened a tourist information center in the former Embassy Theatre at 1560 Broadway;
10191-425: The facade is made of panels that are either white, blue-green, or mirrored glass. These panels are framed by nearly invisible mullions . The facade panels appear in different colors under different lighting conditions. According to a book about Gwathmey Siegel's architecture, these materials were meant to create "images of both opacity and reflectivity, creating a simultaneous sense of fluidity and permanence". The roof
10320-474: The financial community is staying in New York". The deal continued a revival of Times Square, which had commenced with the previous year's acquisition of 1540 Broadway by entertainment conglomerate Bertelsmann . Morgan Stanley's purchase showed that Manhattan's financial center was moving beyond its traditional nexus on Wall Street and the Financial District , and it also signified that companies outside
10449-500: The firm sought to relocate to the nearby 11 Times Square rather than renew its lease at 1585 Broadway. Morgan Stanley planned to move into the space Proskauer Rose had vacated. There had been tension between the two tenants, since Proskauer Rose had occupied a comparatively small amount of space in the building while Morgan Stanley had used the structure as its headquarters. The financial firm retained its banking and trading divisions in 1585 Broadway but occupied several other structures in
10578-483: The first half of the 19th century, it became one of the prized possessions of John Jacob Astor , who made a second fortune selling off lots to hotels and other real estate concerns as the city rapidly spread uptown . By 1872, the area had become the center of New York's horse carriage industry. The locality had not previously been given a name, and city authorities called it Longacre Square after Long Acre in London, where
10707-458: The foreclosure proceedings on the building were placed on hold, and David Solomon was relieved of his duty to pay $ 3.4 million in property taxes. Proskauer Rose then sued the Solomons, as well as the eight banks that held the building's debt, for not having finished the building. The parties were forming a settlement by April 1992. The lenders could not agree on the terms of the restructuring, and more than five prospective tenants were turned away as
10836-519: The former balcony and the Cine Orleans was created in the stage house of the old Strand, entered from 47th St. The Cinerama and Penthouse were renamed again in the 1980s as the RKO Warner Twin. The entire building closed on February 8, 1987. It was demolished to make way for the Morgan Stanley Building , part of the redevelopment of Times Square. Memorable films that had their New York premieres at
10965-431: The headquarters of financial-services company Morgan Stanley since 1995. 1585 Broadway consists of a low base, with setbacks that recede into a tower section measuring 685 ft (209 m) tall. The facade is designed with large signs at the base. The upper stories contain a facade of glass with aluminum spandrels , as well as a glass gable roof . At the ground level, the entire Broadway side contains stores, and
11094-667: The horse and carriage trade was centered in that city. William Henry Vanderbilt owned and ran the American Horse Exchange there. In 1910, it became the Winter Garden Theatre. As more profitable commerce and industrialization of Lower Manhattan pushed homes, theaters, and prostitution northward from the Tenderloin District , Longacre Square became nicknamed the Thieves Lair for its rollicking reputation as
11223-691: The information center operated until 2014. In the mid-1990s, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani led an effort to clean up the area, an effort that is described by Steve Macek in Urban Nightmares: The Media, the Right, and the Moral Panic Over the City : Security was increased, pornographic theatres were closed, and "undesirable" low-rent residents were pressured to relocate, and then more tourist-friendly attractions and upscale establishments were opened. Advocates of
11352-461: The largest gathering in Times Square since August 1945 during celebrations marking the end of World War II . On December 31, 1907, a ball signifying New Year's Day was first dropped at Times Square, and the Square has held the main New Year's celebration in New York City ever since. On that night, hundreds of thousands of people congregate to watch the Waterford Crystal ball being lowered on
11481-477: The lenders hired Hines Interests Limited Partnership to manage the property. The bankruptcy courts approved a plan to reorganize 1585 Broadway in March 1993. The lenders began looking for a buyer for the entire building. Despite Solomon's negotiations with several potential small tenants, the lenders did not even want to show the building to anyone other than a large tenant. Furthermore, the lenders wanted $ 150 million for
11610-461: The lenders were unable to press their claims. EAB successfully sued the Solomons in June 1991 for failure to pay back the loan, and several of the building's construction contractors filed mechanics' liens against the property throughout mid-1991. Furthermore, Proskauer Rose did not pay rent for two years because the Solomons had promised $ 25 million of improvements and provided a work letter that exempted
11739-406: The main entrances are placed on 47th and 48th Streets. The office entrances are connected by a wide lobby, which also connects to a basement cafeteria. Morgan Stanley's offices occupy the upper floors, with an executive suite at the 40th and 41st stories. The interior was designed by Gwathmey Siegel and Gensler . Solomon Equities had developed 1585 Broadway as a speculative development in 1989, on
11868-422: The negotiations altogether the next year, amid steep increases in interest rates. Solomon Equities hired Lois Pitts to market its new Times Square buildings. 1585 Broadway was completed in 1990 for $ 300 million. This coincided with the beginning of the early 1990s recession , when 14.5 percent of Manhattan office space was vacant. Furthermore, some 9 million square feet (840,000 m) of office space in
11997-478: The newspaper's operations to a new skyscraper on 42nd Street at Longacre Square, on the site of the former Pabst Hotel , which had existed on the site for less than a decade since it opened in November 1899. Ochs persuaded Mayor George B. McClellan Jr. to construct a subway station there, and the area was renamed "Times Square" on April 8, 1904. Just three weeks later, the first electrified advertisement appeared on
12126-450: The number of people traveling to Times Square. About 108,000 pedestrians visited Times Square each day in late 2020 compared to the 380,000 before the pandemic. From March to October 2020, 26 of the area's 46 hotels closed, as well as 39 of 151 stores and 84 of 162 restaurants. Times Square was closed to the public for New Year's Day 2021 and observers were dispersed into enclosures measuring 8 by 8 ft (2.4 by 2.4 m). Times Square
12255-433: The original lobby in 1990 as well as the executive suite of Morgan Stanley in 1995. Gensler designed the remainder of the offices. The lobby connects the entrances on 47th and 48th Streets. It is a privately owned public space measuring 100 by 60 ft (30 by 18 m). The lobby is part of a corridor of privately owned public spaces connecting 44th to 49th Streets. The other spaces on this corridor are Shubert Alley ,
12384-415: The outdoors smoking ban to the area. The measure imposed a $ 50 fine for any person caught smoking within the area. From January 29 to February 1, 2014, a "Super Bowl Boulevard" was held on Broadway, especially in Times Square, between 34th and 47th Streets, as part of Super Bowl XLVIII . The boulevard contained activities such as autographs, a 60 ft (18 m)-high toboggan run , and photographs with
12513-491: The plaza in 2010, hiring the design and landscaping firm Snøhetta to permanently replace Broadway's roadway with custom-made granite pavers and benches. By December 2013, the first phase of the Times Square pedestrian plaza had been completed at the southern end of the square in time for the Times Square Ball drop on New Year's Eve. The project was originally intended to be completed by the end of 2015. The entire project
12642-460: The project in 1986. Furthermore, as part of the West Midtown special zoning district created in 1982, the New York City government had allowed new buildings in Times Square to be developed with an increased floor area ratio. To ensure the area would not be darkened at nightfall, the city passed zoning regulations that encouraged developers to add large, bright signs on their buildings. In 1990,
12771-485: The property, which had to be sold before the building exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 1993. This was much less than the $ 400 million debt on the building, but it was very high for any investor who was buying the structure speculatively. Among the potential bidders were the Reliance National Insurance Company, which was seeking 250,000 sq ft (23,000 m). Morgan Stanley,
12900-489: The proposal. In June 2016, work started on "pedestrian flow zones" where no one was allowed to loiter, as well as "activity zones" where costumed characters were allowed to perform. There have been several incidents in Times Square: Times Square is the most visited place globally with 360,000 pedestrian visitors a day, amounting to over 131 million a year. As of 2013 , it had a greater attendance than each of
13029-551: The proposed buildings, led government officials to allow Prudential and Park Tower to postpone the project in 1992. By then, Prudential had spent $ 300 million on condemning the sites through eminent domain . The partners retained the right to develop the sites in the future, and the ESDC's zoning guidelines remained in effect. In exchange for being permitted to delay construction of the sites until 2002, Prudential and Park Tower were compelled to add stores and install large signage on
13158-503: The retailer there. Three horizontal boards are placed above the fourth-story setback, displaying financial quotations and news. Each board is 140 ft (43 m) wide and 10 to 12 ft (3.0 to 3.7 m) high; the boards constitute a large ticker tape . Two additional signs at the corners, measuring 30 by 60 ft (9.1 by 18.3 m), display market information. At Broadway's corners with 47th and 48th Streets, there are curved signs measuring 44 ft (13 m) tall, which display
13287-449: The right to acquire the sites at the southwest and southeast corners of 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue for $ 330 million. 5 Times Square was completed on the southwest-corner site in 2002, and Times Square Tower opened on the southeast-corner site in 2004. Times Square now boasts attractions such as ABC 's Times Square Studios , where Good Morning America is broadcast live; competing Hershey's and M&M's stores across
13416-418: The safety of the area. The theatres of Broadway and the huge number of animated neon and LED signs have been one of New York's iconic images as well as a symbol of the intensely urban aspects of Manhattan. Since 1987 such signage has been mandated by zoning ordinances that require building owners to display illuminated signs, the only district in New York City with this requirement. The neighborhood has
13545-566: The side of a bank at the corner of 46th Street and Broadway. The north end later became Duffy Square, and the former Horse Exchange became the Winter Garden Theatre , constructed in 1911. The New York Times moved to more spacious offices one block west of the square in 1913 and sold the building in 1961. The old Times Building was later named the Allied Chemical Building in 1963. Now known simply as One Times Square , it
13674-460: The site at the northeast corner of Broadway and 42nd Street, and he developed 4 Times Square there. The northwest corner of Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street was taken by Reuters , which enlisted Rudin Management as its development partner and built 3 Times Square on that corner; that building opened in 2001. In 1998, a joint venture of Klein, The Blackstone Group , and Boston Properties won
13803-427: The site of the Strand Theatre and another building. Morgan Stanley had expressed interest in the space during construction but ultimately decided against it. When 1585 Broadway was completed in 1990, law firm Proskauer Rose was the only tenant, occupying eleven floors. The Solomons unsuccessfully attempted to attract more tenants and fell into debt, forcing the building into foreclosure in December 1991. The building
13932-421: The south and 48th Street to the north. It is at the northwest corner of Times Square in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City . The trapezoidal land lot covers 50,657 sq ft (4,706.2 m), with a frontage of 206 ft (63 m) on 47th Street and a depth of 277.87 ft (84.69 m). The southeastern end of the building faces Duffy Square . The surrounding area
14061-559: The space as a "concourse". Part of the sub-basement level became a law library in 2000; the space had 60,000 volumes and was staffed by 14 librarians, with capacity for 34 lawyers. The sub-basement also had locker rooms for the law firm's male and female employees. There are full-height frosted-glass panels, wooden decorations, and indirect lighting fixtures from the walls and ceiling. The space contains three concrete columns measuring 4 by 4 ft (1.2 by 1.2 m), which are covered with stainless-steel panels. Morgan Stanley's executive suite
14190-500: The street from each other, and multiple multiplex movie theaters. Additionally, the area contains restaurants such as the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company , a seafood establishment; Planet Hollywood Restaurant and Bar , a theme restaurant ; and Carmine's, serving Italian cuisine . It has also attracted several large financial, publishing, and media firms to set up headquarters in the area. A larger presence of police has improved
14319-401: The tenant from paying rent until October 1991. Proskauer Rose decided not to pay its $ 453,606 monthly rent even when it came due, citing the fact that the Solomons had not made improvements to the building. Among the issues were faulty elevators, an unfinished facade, non-functional mechanical systems, and the fact that the driveway was not staffed 24 hours a day. At one point, Proskauer Rose paid
14448-513: The theater, Mitchel Mark personally hired Samuel "Roxy" Rothafel . Rothafel developed his luxurious style of presenting films at the Strand which he later perfected at the Capitol and Roxy Theatres, becoming the best known motion picture showman in New York City. The theatre influenced The Strand in Hobart, Tasmania , which was initially intended to be a replica of its New York namesake. The theatre
14577-481: The western section of Midtown had been developed in the 1980s, of which only half had been leased. By March 1990, David and Jean Solomon had not been able to sign any other tenants besides Proskauer Rose for either of their Times Square buildings. Their Times Square skyscrapers, as well as a third project at 712 Fifth Avenue , were almost nearly empty. Proskauer Rose occupied 11 of the 42 floors at 1585 Broadway, taking up 365,000 sq ft (33,900 m). The rest of
14706-624: The world's busiest pedestrian areas, it is also the hub of the Broadway Theater District and a major center of the world's entertainment industry . Times Square is one of the world's most visited tourist attractions, drawing an estimated 50 million visitors annually. Approximately 330,000 people pass through Times Square daily, many of them tourists, while over 460,000 pedestrians walk through Times Square on its busiest days. The Times Square–42nd Street and 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal stations have consistently ranked as
14835-439: Was "a welcome departure from the stone-clad Postmodern towers of the 1980s", and it earned many accolades. Paul Goldberger wrote for The New York Times : "For this building has a real facade, designed to stand on its own, that looks reasonable even when not a square inch of the sign space is rented." At the end of 1991, Goldberger dubbed 1585 Broadway as the "best nearly empty building of the year". In 1992, Herbert Muschamp of
14964-528: Was a "bittersweet irony" to the sale, as Morgan Stanley had negotiated for space when the building was first being developed. The company had 4,590 workers in Manhattan at the time, having added 400 positions in the past two years. Morgan Stanley had considered moving to Connecticut but had decided to stay in New York City after being offered $ 40 million in tax abatements. A spokesman for Cushman and Wakefield said Morgan Stanley's purchase "gave people confidence that
15093-564: Was also looking for other office space around Manhattan. Morgan Stanley stipulated that if it signed a lease with any landlord, then that landlord had to buy 1585 Broadway and 522 Fifth Avenue. Morgan Stanley could not find a buyer for 1585 Broadway, though it did manage to sell 522 Fifth Avenue in 2020. Morgan Stanley retained ownership of 1585 Broadway, even after the onset of COVID-19 pandemic in New York City , when other companies were selling or subletting their space. According to architectural writer Robert A. M. Stern , 1585 Broadway's facade
15222-581: Was dedicated in June 1939 to honor World War I chaplain Father Francis P. Duffy of the 69th New York Infantry Regiment . A statue by Charles Keck was dedicated in May 1937 as a memorial to Duffy. There is also a statue of composer and entertainer George M. Cohan , and the TKTS discount ticket booth for same-day Broadway and off-Broadway theaters that has been at the site since June 1973. When Manhattan Island
15351-593: Was designed by Emery Roth & Sons and Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects and was Gwathmey Siegel's first high-rise design. It is 42 stories tall and measures 685 ft (209 m) to its roof. Irwin G. Cantor of WSP Cantor Seinuk was the structural engineer, while the Tishman Construction Company was the general contractor. 1585 Broadway has a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold green building certification. The building
15480-501: Was finally completed just before New Year's Eve 2016. Some safety bollards were also installed as part of the renovation to prevent vehicular attacks or collisions on the sidewalk. After a 2017 vehicle-ramming attack , there were calls to install more bollards along Times Square. Times Square's pedestrian plaza is frequented by topless women (with painted breasts) called " desnudas ", as well as costumed characters , who typically panhandle for tips. The pedestrian plaza became
15609-533: Was first lit on December 4, 2008. The new 20 Times Square development hosts the largest LED signage in Times Square at 18,000 square feet. The display is 1,000 square feet larger than the Times Square Walgreens display and one of the largest video-capable screens in the world. In 2002, New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani administered the oath of office to the city's next mayor, Michael Bloomberg , at Times Square after midnight on January 1 as part of
15738-562: Was first settled by the Dutch colonists , three small streams united near what is now the intersection of 10th Avenue and 40th Street . These three streams formed the "Great Kill" (Dutch: Grote Kil ). From there the Great Kill wound through the low-lying Reed Valley, known for fish and waterfowl, and emptied into a deep bay in the Hudson River at the present 42nd Street. The name was retained in
15867-453: Was high demand for office space in New York City. Husband-and-wife team David and Jean Solomon had become involved in acquiring and residential structures in Manhattan during the late 1970s, moving on to office buildings in the following decade. The Solomons decided to develop two structures on Times Square's northern periphery in the late 1980s: 750 Seventh Avenue and 1585 Broadway. Both of these structures were developed speculatively without
15996-447: Was looking to lease a 240,000 sq ft (22,000 m) Midtown office, but 1585 Broadway's bankruptcy dissuaded the IRS from leasing there. The lenders' acrimonious negotiations also turned away financial-services company Mastercard , which was looking for a new Manhattan headquarters in late 1992 and had identified four buildings, including 1585 Broadway, as possible locations. In 1993,
16125-629: Was one of several law firms leasing office space around Times Square at the time, and developers such as Solomon Equities were offering large incentives for these companies. The next year, Solomon Equities unsuccessfully attempted to convince the Chemical Bank to lease space at either 1585 Broadway or 750 Seventh Avenue. The News Corporation also considered leasing the rest of 1585 Broadway, along with space in 750 Seventh Avenue. David Solomon severed negotiations in mid-1989 because he felt that News Corp would not pay enough rent. News Corp ultimately canceled
16254-475: Was starting to outpace demand by then. Demolition of the site was underway by mid-1987. The CPC approved a planning regulation in September 1987, which required large new developments in Times Square to set aside about 5 percent of their space for "entertainment uses", such as broadcast studios or ground-floor stores. While 1585 Broadway was planned entirely as an office building, it had retail space on Broadway to comply with this rule. The ordinance also required
16383-442: Was taken over by a consortium of banks who sold it to Morgan Stanley in 1993. Morgan Stanley moved into the building after several renovations. Proskauer Rose renovated its own space in 2000 and continued to occupy part of the building until 2010. Afterward, Morgan Stanley expanded into the former Proskauer Rose space and renovated each floor in the mid-2010s. 1585 Broadway is on the western side of Broadway , between 47th Street to
16512-427: Was the primary New York home of Cinerama films during the remaining years of the 1950s and in 1963 installed an even larger screen to present such 70mm films as It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963). In 1968, the theater was converted into three separate cinemas by RKO Stanley Warner Theatres. The 1,000 seat Warner Cinerama now occupied the original theater's main floor. The 1,200 seat Penthouse Theatre occupied
16641-661: Was under contract and mostly showed films distributed by Paramount Pictures . In 1928, the Mark Strand became the Warner Strand when Warner Bros acquired the theatre to showcase its films on Times Square. It was eventually renamed the Warner Theatre in 1951. After closing for renovation in 1952, the theater reopened as the Warner Cinerama Theatre in 1953 with the widescreen film This Is Cinerama (1952). The Warner
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