It Shines For All

Who can resist an antique bronze clock and thermometer with the slogan - The Sun It shines for All, mounted against a historic landmark white marble building, on Broadway with the Woolworth Building as backdrop? Images of old New York and the romance of days past flood my mind with a vista like this one. Click here for photo showing the thermometer. The 7-story building is located at 280 Broadway at Chambers Street near City Hall. The white marble Italian palace was originally erected in 1846 as the A.T. Stewart Dry Goods Store - America's first department store. This grand palace of commerce was quite dazzling at the time. The structure is of major historic architectural significance - it is one of the first Italianate commercial buildings in the United States. In 1917, it was taken over by the New York Sun. The bronze clock and thermometer were added in 1930. The Sun occupied the building until 1950; in 1970 it was taken over by the City of New York. Sadly, the building remained in shabby condition for many, many years and the clock itself stopped functioning in 1967, was repaired, stopped working in 1987 and was repaired again. The building was renovated during the Giuliani administraton. Now the sun, clock, thermometer and building shine for all ...