Talk:Equitable Life Building (Manhattan)

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Did you know nomination

The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was: promoted by The Squirrel Conspiracy (talk) 06:53, 3 June 2020 (UTC)

(

• Comment or view
• Article history

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Equitable Life Building

• ... that the Equitable Life Building (pictured), described as fireproof, was destroyed by a massive fire? Source: https://books.google.com/books?id=YeMRAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA119
  • ALT1:... that the Equitable Life Building (pictured) was the first office building to feature passenger elevators? Source: NY Times
  • ALT2:... that before the Equitable Life Building (pictured) was completed, there were three elevators in New York City? Source: Real Estate Record

• Reviewed: Template:Did you know nominations/Sony Hall

5x expanded by Epicgenius (talk). Self-nominated at 13:27, 14 May 2020 (UTC).

• Article is long enough (16127 characters), and a 5x expansion began on 13 May. I don't like ALT2, which is missing context. The original hook is most interesting, but both the original and ALT1 are suitably referenced, and interesting. Spotchecks reveal no copyvio etc. Good to go. Harrias ^talk 10:01, 16 May 2020 (UTC)

GA Review

This review is transcluded from Talk:Equitable Life Building (Manhattan)/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.

Reviewer: Eddie891 (talk · contribs) 01:00, 9 June 2020 (UTC)

I can review this shortly. Eddie891 ^Talk _Work 01:00, 9 June 2020 (UTC)

Comments

• ". An expansion in 1885 brought the total height to 155 feet (47 m)" do we know what the prior height was?
  •  Done I added a height, but see below. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• "Construction was completed in 1870 under the leadership of Equitable's president Henry Baldwin Hyde." would be nice to know when construction began?
  •  Done
• "It was the first office building to feature passenger elevators" ever? in the world? In the US? In NYC? On Broadway? At 120 Broadway?
  •  Done In the world, though I thought this was implied. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• "The site was later redeveloped with the 40-story Equitable Building." date could be useful
  •  Done
• "The building occupied the entire block and is bordered by Broadway to the west" er, that makes it seem like the building is still around rather than the block, which I think you mean
  •  Fixed - the block is still around, the building isn't. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• "though accounts differ on the height," so why begin by saying that it was 130 feet definatively?
  •  Fixed
• " five separate structures at its peak" could you rephrase this? I don't understand what it's trying to say
  •  Fixed
• " was considered to be one of the first skyscraper" so it is considered one of the first 'scrapers because of it's fire-proofness and innovative features?
  • I think so. That's what the sources said. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• " it was described " perhaps "it is considered" unless it isn't considered a predecessor anymore
  •  Done
• " "most complete and imposing business hall"" I personally like to see quotes with in-line attribution, but won't require it
  • This quote is cited at the end of the sentence, and is placed there to avoid repetition. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• "accessed from a spiral staircase from Hyde's office" I probably missed it, but you haven't mentioned why Hyde is/was?
  •  Added
• " Three such rooms had marble floors," out of how many?
  • Not sure. The source doesn't say, and I don't really think it's relevant at this point (though the article says later on that there are 40 rooms). 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• " one critic described it as a" er, the mosaic or ceiling in general?
  •  Done The mosaic. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• "superseding the nearby 280 Broadway" why do we care about 280 Broadway? Did it have a particularly nice mosaic?
  •  Fixed 280 Broadway was the first commercial building in the Italianate style in New York City, and is considered the site of one of the nation's first department stores. It was something to be admired back in the day. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• "the seventh and eighth floors were furnished similarly to the fourth through sixth floors" did we ever hear how the 4th-6th were furnished?
  • With offices. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• "and office building heights did not exceed four stories" er, ever? if so, perhaps say "had not exceeded"?
  • Yes.
• " because at the time, prestigious firms did not rent offices " why?
  •  Added Because the stairs would wear workers out. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• "The highest rental floor was in high demand:" which was?
  •  Done The highest floor in the building, the seventh floor. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• "The floors were made of wood on brick- or hollow-tile arches between the I-beams" I'm just a little confused by this sentence, could you rephrase?
  •  Done
• "Conversely, the storage vaults were fireproof and survived the 1912 fire" how does conversely fit in here? Isn't it a little redundant to mention how fireproof vaults survived a fire?
  •  Removed
• " hired to complete "Protection"" to complete but not start?
  • He was hired to make the sculpture from start to end. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• " The heads survived and passed through various ownership" survived... forever?
  •  Done Survived the removal. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• "Ward's statue commemorating Henry Baldwin Hyde," not your first mention of hyde?
  •  Fixed above.
• "The statue survived the fire that burned down the building." the 1912 fire, presumably?
  • Yes.
• ""to take on the properties of an important institution"" attribution wouldn't hurt
  •  Done
• " $1.14 million of insurance in force" inflation template?
  •  Done
• " Equitable had $82.5 million of insurance in force" ditto
  •  Done
• " basis that Equitable necessitated" -> needed?
  •  Done
• " he would build elevators" perhaps include elevators? This will omit the possible implication that he physically built the elevators
  •  Done
• "Broadway and Cedar Street was commenced in 1868"?
  •  Removed
• "The first portion of the structure was "finished" on May 1, 1870." unclear why 'finished' is quoted? what does portion here mean?
  •  Removed Dunno why that was there. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• " were accused of "extravagance"" by who?
  •  Added
• "The Equitable Life Building actually was more lavish " ?
  •  Removed
• "and in setting an example for other office buildings." what example exactly?
  •  Added For taller office buildings. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• " "The building was earning $136,000 a year by 1871" in rent, presumably?

• both in its profitability and in setting an example for other office buildings. The building was earning $136,000 a year by 1871, with 400 people working inside the building, and the structure's features led other landlords to add elevators and additional floors to their buildings" I know see the answer to both of my questions, but why separate them? Why not keep the statement and answer in the same spot?
  •  Fixed I condensed this. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)

• " "embrace[] perhaps" ?
  • Original quote was "embraced perhaps" 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• "A "massive expansion"" I mean you could just say "a large expansion"
  •  Fixed
• "first office building with such lighting" first where?
  •  Fixed
• link R. Carlyle Buley?
  •  Done
• "was architecturally outdated, " perhaps "was considered..."
  •  Done
• "namely, it was worthless" why was it considered worthless?
  • That is a very good question. I think it was because the building was outdated and the demand for vacant land in the neighborhood was high. That's what the sources allude to. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• "The society also sold the land to T. Coleman du Pont" could use date and amount?
  •  Added
• what did the 1916 Zoning Resolution do and why does it matter?
  •  Added

That's prose for me; it's rather in-depth, and most of the comments are rather subjective, so feel free to ask for clarification or discuss any/all. Other reviews will follow tomorrow. Very interesting and well-done read on the whole. Best, Eddie891 ^Talk _Work 01:54, 9 June 2020 (UTC)

...No DAB links... Eddie891 ^Talk _Work 13:56, 9 June 2020 (UTC)

...External links are fine... Eddie891 ^Talk _Work 13:57, 9 June 2020 (UTC)

...Earwig's shows 28.1% confidence, copyvio isn't a problem based upon that... Eddie891 ^Talk _Work 13:57, 9 June 2020 (UTC)

...sourcing seems reliable Eddie891 ^Talk _Work 14:00, 9 June 2020 (UTC)

Sourcing cmts

• "Overall, the building was expanded eight times, " I don't see eight expansions in the history section... more like four-ish?
  • Some of the expansions were minor, so they may not have been included. But the source does say eight times. Nevertheless I removed it. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
• "There was also a law library with 40,000 volumes" source says almost 40,000. Might also add that the insurance library had around 8,000
  •  Done
• "Also in the Equitable Life Building were three dining rooms, all lavishly designed" source doesn't really say they were lavishly designed, just big, unless I'm missing something
  •  Removed
• "By 1900, the Equitable Life Building had over 3,000 employees" Just occupants would suffice
  •  Done
• "By the 1890s, the Equitable Life Building was architecturally outdated, and Post prepared plans for a 40-story structure in 1897, which did not proceed" source doesn't seem to explicitly say it's architecturally outdated and never mentions specifically whether post actually prepared the plans, or was just asked to
  • Removed the first part. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)

Spot-checked ~15 of the 58 sources or 25.8%. On the whole sourcing is really good, and I'm satisfied other than those minor qualms above. Eddie891 ^Talk _Work 14:26, 9 June 2020 (UTC)

• @Eddie891: Thanks for the very in-depth review. I have addressed all of these issues. 🇪 🇵 🇮 🇨 🇬 🇪 🇳 🇮 🇺 🇸 (talk) 17:43, 9 June 2020 (UTC)

  Epicgenius, I'm happy with the state of the article and can pass it with a clear conscience. Nice work! Eddie891 ^Talk _Work 20:44, 9 June 2020 (UTC)