Situated on a relatively small, triangular lot where Broadway intersects with 23rd Street, 24th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York, the Flatiron Building has been a point of interest and intrigue since it was built in 1902.
Although the Flatiron Building was never New York City's tallest skyscraper, its design was unique and widely criticized. Unlike other skyscrapers, whose foundations were wider at the base, the Flatiron structure was tower-like, with the base and upper floors all the same size.
Daniel Burnham, the architect who designed and oversaw the Flatiron construction, was chastised as critics insisted the building would fall down during the first heavy windstorm that blew through the corridor. The building's 307 feet, 33-story design defied the prophecies and, as of 2010, still housed several local publishing houses and retail stores.
The building was originally called the Fuller Building, as it was constructed to house the offices of the George A. Fuller Company, a major contracting firm of the era. The structure's resemblance to a clothing iron quickly earned it the Flatiron moniker. The Flatiron Building in New York is one of the most photographed structures in the world.
