9 of the most beautiful buildings we ever tore down.

This is not my list, but was created a few years ago from the website Gizmodo. One thing I noticed was most of the buildings were destroyed during the 1960s.

Feel free to add your own buildings that we destroyed that didn't make this list.



The Singer Building in New York, 1897-1969

The tallest building in the world for a time, the downtown landmark was a victim of the great corporate migration towards midtown—in 1968, when modern tenants found themselves ill-served by its awkward, antiquated floor plan, it became the tallest building to ever be dismantled in NYC.






Garrick (Schiller) Theater in Chicago, 1891-1961

The massive theater opened in 1892, a year before Chicago hosted the World's Fair. But by the 1950s, a long decline had landed it on the list for razing.







Birmingham Terminal Station in Birmingham, Alabama, 1909-1969


Built at the end of the Victorian era, this railway station was like a temple to the train: Modeled after Istanbul's Hagia Sophia, its Byzantine spires raised eyebrows when it opened in 1909. Another victim of the decline of the railways, local advocates attempted to save it—but it was demolished in 1969.






Astor House in New York, 1836-1926

Built by the self-made millionaire John Jacob Astor and the esteemed architect Isaiah Rogers, it opened in 1836 boasting everything from gas lighting—then a rarity—to indoor plumbing.







The Wabash Terminal in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1904-1954

Described as "the most beautiful railroad building west of New York," the grand Wabash terminal only lasted from 1904 until 1954—it was partially destroyed after two fires made it virtually unusable.






Original Penn Station in New York, 1910-1963

The demolition that united concerned citizens and architects to create the movement that we, today, know as historic preservation.







US Post Office in Boston, 1869-1929


Construction of the building was temporarily interrupted by the Great Boston Fire of November 9-10, 1872, which destroyed a significant portion of downtown Boston.







Chicago Federal Building in Chicago, 1898-1965

Opened in 1905, this hulking Chicago building housed everything from Federal courts to the post office. But by 1965, it had lingered long past its useful life—and it, too, was razed.







City Hall Post Office in New York, 1869-1939

The City Hall Post Office and Courthouse was designed by architect Alfred B. Mullett for a triangular site in New York City along Broadway. The Second Empire style building, erected between 1869 and 1880, was not well received. Commonly called "Mullett's Monstrosity"