I’m reasonably certain about my skyscraper research – more on that in general below – but that doesn’t mean I can’t have a moment of panic. My criteria for the research were that buildings had to be ten stories tall or taller and structurally complete by the end of 1900. I happened across the picture above – the Security Mutual Life Insurance Company’s headquarters in Binghamton, New York – and wondered if I had somehow missed it. It’s definitely ten stories tall and is stylistically a near twin for a number of buildings that are included in the study.
The building was constructed in 1904. The moment panic is over. That said, it is remarkable that this office building is, after 116 years, still occupied by its original owner/tenant. That is extremely rare with the commercial buildings in my survey.
After a long, long build-up, my skyscraper research will be published in a few weeks. I’ll be posting a bit about the topic, as I already have, and about some of the more obscure buildings.
