replicabuildings-blog

Newark in the 1930’s

national-newark Newark is New Jersey’s largest city and home to a few beautiful skyscrapers. Many of the iconic skyscrapers of Newark appeared in the 1930’s. Each year it seemed like a new tower was being erected. This was a time of heavy retail commerce particularly the “four corners”, the intersection of Market and Broad Streets. This junction featured large department stores, movie theaters, live theaters and many nightclubs that attracted so much traffic that the Newark Subway was bell-towerestablished in 1935 to alleviate the denseness. Newark’s population was close to a half million during this period and the city stood as a model of vitality in industry. Manufacturing, railroads, immigration and the founding of insurance companies such as Prudential all helped contribute to this golden age of industry as well as Newark’s age of skyscrapers.

In order to represent a great city of industry such as Newark, we decided to replicate three distinct skyscrapers from that time period.

  • The American Insurance Company Building or AIC Building was built in 1930 and stands 326’ tall with 16 floors. The AIC is located at 15 Washington Street in the East Ward of Newark and was designed by John H. & Wilson C. Ely Architects. The AIC features a light brown brick and limestone façade and ionic columns at its entrance as well as a rooftop cupola. Our replica is featured in the 1 inch = 100 feet scale and the 1 inch = 150 feet scale. The 100-foot scale model measures just less than 3-11/16 inches tall total (10mm base included in height of all models) and the 150-foot scale measures 2-9/16 inches tall.  American-Insurance-Company-Bulding
  • The Lefcourt-Newark Building was also built in 1930 and is the second tallest skyscraper in Newark. This art deco tower stands 449’ tall with 35 floors and its exterior is light tan brick and limestone and was designed by Frank Grad & Sons Architects. Lefcourt-Newark’s original name was the Bell Tower and it was Newark’s tallest building when completed. This building stood vacant for many years at 1180 Raymond Boulevard until recently it has been converted to residential use and goes by the name Eleven80. Our replica is featured in the 1 inch = 100 feet scale and the 1 inch = 150 feet scale. The 100-foot scale model measures 4-7/8 inches tall and the 150-foot scale measures 3-3/8 inches tall. Lefcourt-Newark-Building
  • The National Newark Building was built in 1931 and took the title of Newark’s tallest as well as New Jersey’s tallest building up until 1989 when Exchange Place Centre in Jersey City surpassed it. National Newark is located on 744 Broad Street and stands 465’ tall with 34 floors. This Neoclassical skyscraper features a brown brick façade and a unique top that is modeled after the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. This skyscraper was built by John H. & Wilson C. Ely, the architects who one year earlier built the American Insurance Company Building in the same neoclassical style. Our replica is featured in the 1 inch = 100 feet scale and the 1 inch = 150 feet scale. The 100-foot scale model measures 5 inches tall and the 150-foot scale measures 3-1/2 inches tall. National-Newark-Building

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