National Register of Historic Places

Candler Building

New York, New York County, New York
Listed
July 7, 1982
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82003368

About this property

The Candler Building is a skyscraper at the southern end of Times Square in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S. Located at 220 West 42nd Street, with a secondary address of 221 West 41st Street, the 24-story building was designed by the firm of Willauer, Shape and Bready in the Spanish Renaissance style. It was constructed between 1912 and 1913 for Coca-Cola Company owner Asa Griggs Candler. The Candler Building was one of the last skyscrapers built in New York City before the 1916 Zoning Resolution, which required setbacks. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The building consists of two sections: a 24-story rectangular tower to the north, facing 42nd Street, and a shorter 17-story rear wing to the south, facing 41st Street. The tower section was originally flanked by five-story wings and was designed with a marble and terracotta facade; the terracotta has since been replaced with cast stone. The rear wing contains a brick facade. On 42nd Street, the facade is divided vertically into five bays; a loggia spans the three central bays. The building contains an emergency-exit staircase to the south, which is structurally separate from the rest of the building. The rear wing originally contained the Candler Theatre (later Sam H. Harris Theatre). The remainder of the building contained showrooms and offices. The site of the Candler Building was cleared beginning in February 1912 and the building opened the next year. For several decades, the Candler Building largely housed entertainment firms. The Candler family owned the building until 1947, when it began to go through a series of sales. Charles F. Noyes acquired the building in 1965 and renovated it, then marketed the rear wing to garment firms. The building's upper floors were sealed in the 1970s due to a lack of tenants. Former New York City government official Michael J. Lazar acquired the Candler Building at a foreclosure proceeding in 1980 and leased the space to city agencies, prompting a corruption investigation. The building was renovated again in the late 1990s following a second foreclosure, and its space was leased to SFX Entertainment and McDonald's until 2020. During the 2020s, the building's commercial space was briefly used as a shelter for asylum seekers before becoming a store; the structure's owner proposed converting the upper stories into a hotel, then apartments.

Location

220 42nd St. and 221 41st St.
New York, New York County, New York
40.75626, -73.98790

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

New Amsterdam Theater
Industrial
0 mi
Times Square-42nd Street Subway Station
Industrial
0.1 mi
Knickerbocker Hotel
Industrial
0.1 mi
Garment Center Historic District
Industrial
0.1 mi
Times Square Hotel
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Kip's Bay
1776Revolutionary War
1.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Candler Building listed on the National Register?

Candler Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 7, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Candler Building?

Candler Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Candler Building?

The period of significance for Candler Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Candler Building?

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