Grant USA Tower
Had it been completed as planned by 1986, it would have contained the tallest hotel, and would have been the tallest building and the tallest structure at the time.
Description
The proposed 1,750 foot, 121-story tower was to be clad in "dollar green" glass, topped by a golden American bald eagle statue atop a flagpole, and large gold letters spelling out "USA" at the peak. The tower was to contain over 3 million square feet of office space, a hotel, convention facilities, and a promenade with an ice skating rink. There were plans for a 21-floor atrium above the 121st floor, which would have been the top floor of the hotel component. Grant also proposed a privately-financed, 125-seat monorail system that would have run from the tower to the Newark Liberty International Airport.
The tower was to be built on the block bounded by Broad, Lafayette, Edison, and Mulberry Street, purchased by Grant for $1.2 million in a city auction in 1985. Construction on the first component of the project, the 5-story, 250,000 square-foot Renaissance Mall, was underway in 1989. The mall was to feature an international food court, a floating piano bar, office space, and horse and buggy rides around downtown Newark. An accompanying 30-story tower called "Grant USA I", was to be connected to the mall via skyway.
References
- ^ Emporis Page
- ^ We'll Make This Dream Come True, Mayor Says NY Times Article
- ^ Star Ledger Archives October 24, 2007
- ^ Sampson, Peter J. (August 13, 1986). "121-story tower in Newark?". The Record. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
- ^ Strehl, Nanette (October 29, 1989). "Is Neward Wild About Harry?". The Record. Retrieved June 2, 2019.