Sunday, February 22, 2015

The World Inside the New York Daily News Building




The Daily News building, also known as The News Building, is a 476 foot Art Deco style skyscraper located at 220 East 42nd Street, between Second and Third Avenue in New York City. Built in 1929-1930, it was the headquarters for the New York Daily News newspaper until 1995.  It now has as one of its tenants TV broadcast subsidiary WPIX, (All photos and photo collages can be enlarged for easier viewing by clicking on them)


The Art Deco design over the front entrance doors say "The News" and the words "He made so many of them" above figures of people. I had passed this building in Midtown Manhattan many times but never walked inside, but on this visit to New York I was determined to take a peek.


 Inside the building lobby is an amazing sight!  It is the world's largest indoor rotating globe!



The Daily New illuminated globe is 12 feet in diameter, weighs approximately two tons, and makes a full rotation every ten minutes.


There are compass points set in the ground around the globe, with the names of major cities and their distance from New York City.  Unfortunately, the globe's maps have not been updated since 1967, which means it is no longer accurate, but it is still an imposing sight. 


The impressive ceiling rotunda above the globe is made out of faceted black glass.


The New York Daily News building was used as the location for "The Daily Planet" in the 1978 Richard Donner production of Superman. The actors portraying Clark Kent/Superman (Christopher Reeves) and Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) could often be seen strolling by the globe as they entered or exited "The Daily Planet" (The Daily News) newspaper building.  You can look at this link to see photo stills from the movie that have the globe in the background.


Other features inside the building are brass meteorological gauges showing the weather conditions in the area, such as the temperature outside and wind velocity and direction. 

Click all photos to enlarge

There are also a series of panels describing the history of the building from its inception ....


...through the 1930's and 40's


...the 60's...


...the 70's ....


....to the year 2003 when it was purchased by S.L.Green Realty Corp, New York City's largest office landlord


When you exit the building you'll get a view of another Art Deco gem in the distance on 42nd Street, the Chrysler building.


It is another beautiful building, with a unique facade and another beautiful lobby, but that is a story for a future blog post!


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22 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Hi Pat, thank you for the awesome tour of Daily News Building. The globe is awesome. I remember seeing the building in the Superman movie.. Great post and photos. Have a happy Sunday!

Vee said...

And I hope that we can count on you to tell it! I enjoyed seeing this building and learning a little more about it. We have "Eartha" in our corner and NY has this impressive globe...hope that they do update it at some point, though. I also enjoyed seeing Superman and Lois Lane walking by!

Michelle said...

That building is impressive as is the globe!

Scribbler said...

Thanks for the tour! This was very interesting.

Cheryl @ TFD said...

I really enjoy getting to see these wonderful buildings, Pat. The globe is amazing! Such clear beautiful photos you take. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of the Chrysler Building. Thanks for sharing!

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Thanks for the tour. My bucket list for New York City includes several of the Art Deco buildings.

diane b said...

Wow it is a beautiful lobby. Just goes to show we never know what is hiding inside these impressive buildings.

Ola said...

the lobby is so unusual with this globe! I like it!

Gracie said...

Too bad we didn't know it was possibile to visit the building when we were there!

podso said...

Beautiful photos, Pat. Thanks for the tour. I too admire that globe, and a great shot of the Chrysler building!

Anonymous said...

Fabulous shots. What an amazing lobby!

Rue said...

It's such a beautiful building, Pat. I'm glad you got to finally take a peek and share it with us :)

xo,
rue

Ciao Chow Linda said...

Gee whiz Pat. I have never been inside this building, and I was in the news business, working on 42nd St. for a while. I am definitely going to make a trip to that neighborhood and walk inside to see that lobby. Thanks for posting. LOVE the Chrysler building.

La Petite Gallery said...

wonderful building. A real work of art. Hope they save it.
My Cousin worked in the Chrysler building, use to meet for lunch. Thanks for a great post.
yvonne

Daniela said...

Sincerely when I come and visit you I'm always on the mood, my dear, USA are so much different from Italy, I have the chance to watch such a gorgeousness, my dear, I thank you so much for this, dear Pat!
Sending much love
xo
Dany

La Petite Gallery said...

there are so many beautiful buildings in NYC. I love the elevators at Lord and Taylors.
yvonne

Al said...

I've never visited this building, I may have to next time I'm in the City. Nice shots and explanations!

Mary Lee said...

I loved this tour! What an absolutely perfect location to film The Daily Planet! Cool!

Pallavi said...

That was an amazing tour dear Pat. Stopping by after a long time and loved reading through your posts :) Have a great sunday!

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

Wow, that globe is just amazing. The entire building is a work of art and so is the Chrysler Building.
Sam

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Very interesting and what a gorgeous building. We saw a huge globe like that somewhere in (I think) Maine (I'm ashamed not to remember for sure); I'll have to read my own blog to check for sure. It was at a place where they make maps and GPS stuff as I remember ==

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Pat -- I did look up my old post (It' a good thing I blog, since my memory is so bad. The place we stopped was Yarmouth Maine and the DeLorme Company-- they make the same claim about their globe. How very interesting! (I bet a zillion dollars that more people have seen the NYC one!). Just FYI, Here's a link to my post; not sure if this will work or not. (If you publish this comment, feel free to erase this part.) http://travelingrainvilles.typepad.com/traveling_home/2010/10/thats-our-world.html