The subject of this picture is the Barclay-Vesey Building, built for what was then the New York Telephone
Company (now called the Verizon Building). This 52,000 square foot building was the first to follow the
zoning laws established in 1916 that would force new buildings to be designed to allow more light to
reach the street below. The result was set backs, seen in nearly every art deco structure in New York
City. This photo was taken approximately two blocks south of the Barclay-Vesey Building, which is on
West Street. One can notice people leaving from a small structure in the foreground. This is the IRT
Cortland Street subway station. The small buildings in the foreground would most likely span back to
the 19th century.
The tranquil setting at this lower Manhattan location casts a cheerful light over what was much later to
become the most catastrophic event in American history.
In the 1930's, a commercial hub for the electronic industry was flourishing in the lower Manhattan's
west side, called The Washington Market.. This community of electronic commerce made its way through the
1960's, and then in 1966, by power of eminent domain from the Port Authority of New York, the buildings
would be demolished to make way for an ambitious construction project called the World Trade Center.
The Verizon Building suffered severe damage after 9/11 on its north and east facades, but has now been
fully repaired.
The North Tower of the World Trade Center, which was
completed in 1972, would have resided just to the right in this picture, where the small buildings are
currently shown. At the time this picture was taken, no one would have conceived such a grand project as
the World Trade Center, the tallest buildings in the world from 1972 - 1974. Of course, no one would have
either imagined the tragic events that would follow, almost exactly 77 years to the date this picture was
taken.
