IF we had saved the Singer Builder, what next?

[Crossroads Inc.]

The Singer Building:


Of all the great tragedies of the 60's Architectural Holocaust, the loss of the Singer Building stands apart as one of the most biting. It came so closed to being saved, and yet was ultimately destroyed despite the best efforts of the newly formed historical preservation society.

But…

What if history had been slightly different?
What if someone had come in at the 11th hour and purchased the building, saving it from destruction. What next?

The building was demolished in 1968 as Manhattan was entering into a long economic slump. How could the building have been made to be both profitable and economic WHILE maintaining ask much of the rich architectural history as possible?

Revamped office spaces?
Luxury Condos?
Perhaps some civic building, library or learning center?

Curious what the pontificators among us may consider.

[Grumman]

How could the building have been made to be both profitable and economic WHILE maintaining ask much of the rich architectural history as possible?

Revamped office spaces?
Luxury Condos?
Perhaps some civic building, library or learning center?

The design of the building made inefficient use of the footprint compared to most skyscrapers, so given its location you'd be paying a significant premium for the privilege of living or working in a building not built for modern use.

I was wondering if it might have been destroyed anyway in the 9/11 attacks, but there was another building between it and the World Trade Center, so even if it wasn't built to the same standards as more modern buildings it probably would still have survived.

[fgalkin]

I've been to offices located in both the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. They are utterly inadequate by modern standards, no proper HVAC system, small windows that struggle to let in sufficient daylight, dark cramped corridors, etc.

As Grumman said, it's just not economical to use something that is that obsolete.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Crossroads Inc.]

I am curious about another possibility...

Many Historical office buildings from the 20's and 30's are being "Reborn" as luxury condo's and apartments.
Now while the Economy of the mid 1960's down town New York was in the doldrums, what is the possibility of it being converted to residential use?
My thinking is perhaps it need not be successful right away, if it can just Survive until the 80's when the Downtown area saw an Economic revival.

[Starglider]

Eccentric billionaire is pretty much your only hope as the thing was pretty but of little commercial value. I suppose you could use the tower as a Guggenheim-style art gallery if the infrastructure was modernised / access improved.