BUILDERS





AND







NEW YORK, OCTOBER 4,-1013





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WILL BE THE WORLD'S HIGHEST  SKYSCRAPER I





To Be Erected By the Pan-American States Association From Plans of Francis H. Kim¬
ball — Hudson Maxim Heading the Movement — A Vast Edifice of Wonderful Parts.





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FR.WCIS H. KIMBALL, of 71 Broad¬
way, Manhattan, is completing plans
and specifications for the proposed Pan-
American States Association Building,
which is to be erected in this city. As
outlined by Robert Lee Dunn, manager
of the association, at 102 West 32d
street, the proposed new home is to be
the architectural wonder of the world,
and is intended for permanent exhibits
of the products of Central and Southern
America and of the United States.

It will contain the most e.xtensive and
commodious club rooms, library and in¬
formation and translation bureau in the
world. It will have a height of 901 feet,
topping" the Woolworth Building by 150
feet, making it the tallest structure in
the world. The design is of Spanish
architecture, in keeping witli the under¬
lying purpose of the building—that of
serving the joint interests of Latin-
American countries and the United
States. According to Mr. Dunn, the
main section will have 32 floors with 23
and 25-foot ceilings. The remaining
floors, up to the apex of the building,
form a series of towers, rising to the
full height. To quote from the asso¬
ciation's prospectus:

"The 21,000,000 cubic feet of material
required will come in large part from
Latin-.\merican countries. The general
plan is to provide a permanent place
of exhibition of products of Latin
America, as well as of the United States,
so that buyers from all over the world
may have a place where goods are ex¬
hibited permanently, together with all
the facilities for transacting business
with far-away countries. This will in¬
clude clulj and hotel features as well as
offices for lawyers and merchants affili¬
ated  with  different  industries.

"Machinery Hall, whicli will occupy
the first floor, will be an immense hall,
taking in the entire area of the building.
Here may be exhibited on a large scale
every variety of machinery. The second
floor will be devoted lo exhibitions of
local manufacturers, and the industries
of different sections are to have floors
devoted to the exhibition of their prod¬
ucts.

"One floor is reserved as a club for
the Governors of the various States,
where they will be entertained when in
the city. It is a part of the plan of thc
Pan-.\merican States Association to
have at all times the co-operation of the
Governors of.-States, who are vice-presi¬
dents of the or-ganization.'

"Above the Governors' floor the next
four stories are set aside for the Latin-
American republics. The next seven
floors will be laid out as offices for ex¬
porters, merchants and interests trans¬
acting business with Lafiri-.\nlerican
people.

"Above   the   office   section   there   will





2 WHMaiiia m







DESIG.X   FOB   P.\N-A:.IERICAX   BUILDING,





be a club floor, with a library unexcelled
in the world. The Latin-American gov¬
ernments are to contribute to this libra¬
ry not only literature, but all manner
of governmental and business reports;
in short, everything of value printed in
their respective countries, Latin-Ameri¬
can newspapers and periodicals, statistics
of -American affairs, etc.

"On another floor there will be a
large dining-room, and eight private
dining-rooms for men and women; with
conference rooms and private club-
rooms. Another floor will be construct¬
ed as an auditorium to be used for lec¬
tures and assemblies. The space in the
tower will be largely devoted to private
apartments for the use of distinguished
visitors and guests of the association.

"The cost of the building is estimated
at $11,000,000. At the present time sev¬
eral sites are under consideration. One
of these is the site facing the new Penn¬
sylvania Station on the east side of
Seventh avenue, 32d to 33d streets; an¬
other is at the northwest corner of Lex¬
ington avenue and 42d street, at the
Grand Central Terminal. The matter is
in the hands of a committee, with the
probability that it will soon be decided
upon.

"The building fund will doubtless be
forthcoming as soon as a sufficient num¬
ber of leases for the floor space are se¬
cured. The response from the different
Latin-American countries has been very
gratifying; in fact, they are largely re¬
sponsible for the idea of having a per¬
manent home in New York for exhibits
and  for  offices  of consuls."

Grand  Rotunda.

The heart of the building, this mag¬
nificent chamber will loom as a thing
of exquisite and impressive beauty as
one enters on the main floor. A huge
mosaic, representing the globe, will lie
under foot, coronated with the emblems
of each of the twenty participating gov¬
ernments. Four chambers apart will
serve as concourses before thirty-two
bronze elevators. High, aloft, will be
beautiful arches with deep graining and
panels in high relief in color and gold.

The hall, designed by the Brazilian
government, will be a gigantic room
covering 35,000 square feet of space. In
panels about the walls will be emblaz¬
oned the names of that.republic's great
cities, and in the main chamber will-Jie
shown permanently everything'-.: Ihat
Brazil has to offer to the remaind-er/of
the world, either as a matter of inter¬
est or a product for purchase. The ex¬
tension expanse is so large that the
lighting   facilities  will   be  unsurpassed.

Hudson Maxim of Brooklyn is presi-
derit of fhe Pan-.\merican States Asso¬
ciation. The full ground area of the
building is 200 x 200 feet.