Third time is a charm when it comes to New York's City Hall. The first structure was built by the Dutch and erected on Pearl Street. The city later upgraded to a new and improved municipal palace, built in 1700. This second attempt was renamed Federal Hall when New York became the first official capital of the new United States after the Revolutionary War. With the majority of the country's resources tied up on the battlefields, design ideas for the current structure didn't finalize until 1802. After all those years and all that build up, so to speak, how was the design chosen? A nationwide competition attracted new talent and veteran architects, but only one blueprint made the cut. John McComb Junior and Joseph Fancois Mangin were the lucky winners and received a grand prize of $350! Today that would hardly buy dinner for four but the price was just right for the dynamic duo, and their Federal style masterpiece with meticulous French detail was dedicated in1811. Standing tall among Broadway, Park Row, and Chambers Streets, it opened for business in 1812 and is the oldest City Hall in America that still hosts city business.
The architecture surrounding City Hall primarily consists of government offices and luxury residential towers, but don't miss several New York landmarks surrounding Civic Center. St. Paul's Chapel has recently gained fame due to its proximity to the World Trade Center and the reprieve it offered countless workers and volunteers during the recovery effort. Not a single window was broken in the attack, leading many to believe that this place of worship is a miracle in and of itself. Nearby and standing tall at 57 stories, one of the 50 tallest buildings in the U.S. is the neo-Gothic Woolworth Building, which many argue is the highlight of New York City architecture. What few New York visitors realize is that one of the city's most active parks is right here, providing sanction for juries, judges and newlyweds alike. And if that doesn't pound your gavel, enjoy a ride on the bike trail that shoots downtown and across the border into Brooklyn via the famous Brooklyn Bridge.
If you're not in handcuffs, for crime or marriage, this expansive edifice and its surrounding attractions provide an array of photo ops.
Attraction Information
- Subway Stop:
- R, W trains to the City Hall Station
- 2, 3 trains to the Park Place Station
- 4, 5, 6 trains to the Brooklyn Bridge Station
- E train to World Trade Center
- Contact:
- Location: 260 Broadway New York, NY
- Website: www.nyc.gov
