Look Up: Inside New York City's Original Tower of Light

The origin of that Con Edison flow.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Topping the building on the corner or 14th Street and Irving Place is New York’s original “Tower of Light.” Built in 1929, the lantern atop the 26-story structure marks the presence of the city’s largest utility company: Con Edison. Originally the Consolidated Gas Company, a conglomeration of smaller local gas light industries, the company slowly bought out local electrical companies (including New York Edison) when it became apparent that electricity had a brighter future than gas for lighting homes. 

Revival

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Continued Growth

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The Dominant Form

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Clock Faces

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Memorial

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Improved Lighting

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