Newsday from New York, New York • 117

A LANDMARK DECISION Woolworth Building classic status Agency gives By Randy Banner The Woolworth Building, the worlds tallest structure when it was built in 1913, was designated yesterday as the citys newest landmark. The landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously to designate landmark status to te facade and the main lobby of the building, said Alan Haber, the spokesman for the commission. All other space, he said, would remain unregulated by the city agency. Joseph Carroll, spokesman for the F. W.

Woolworth which has owned the classic edifice since its construction 70 years ago, said that his company would not comment on the designation until it had "time to carefully examine the commissions decision. The building was considered for landmark designation twice before by the commission, once in 1965 and again in 1970. At those times, however, Wool-worth opposed the action, and the agency dropped the matter. At a public hearing Feb. 9, the company again voiced its opposition, saying that it had preserved and maintained the building well enough on its own and did not want its maintenance to be regulated by the commission.

In addition, officials for the company said designation would depress the structures property value. 'flic Woolworth Building was the tallest building in the world upon its completion in April, 1913. Built by F.W. Woolworth to house the headquarters of his variety-store empire, it was designed by Cass Gilbert, who also was the architect for thelLS. Customs House and sev The entrance to the Woolworth Building on the west side of Broadway citys leading examples of architecture applied to commercial use.

The building cost $13.5 million and was considered to be a symbol of Wool-worths personal success and of the 20th-Century phenomenon of mass commerce. In 1977, Woolworth received a tax abatement of $4.4 million from the city for facade restoration, a figure that was eventually increased to $11.4 million. The restoration was completed in 1982. ii eral other buildings in Lower Manhattan. Occupying an entire block front along the western Bide of Broadway between Park Place and Barclay Street, the structure is 60 stories high, rising 792 feet above street level.

Its architectural style is Gothic with a terra cotta facade, giving it a look that made it the prototype for the skyscrapers that transformed the skyline of the city. The building is considered to be one of the Detail of the entrance arch.