One Times Square: The Story Behind New York City's Most Famous Address

Standing at the crossroads of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, One Times Square is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world — yet few people realize how little of it is actually used. Originally built in 1904 as the headquarters of The New York Times, the 25-story skyscraper gave Times Square its name and instantly became a landmark in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. The newspaper's publisher, Adolph Ochs, even convinced the city to rename the area from Longacre Square to Times Square in honor of the publication's new home.

The building's most iconic tradition began on December 31, 1907, when the first New Year's Eve ball drop took place from its rooftop. What started as a simple celebration has since grown into a globally televised event watched by over a billion people each year. The glittering ball, now adorned with 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles and thousands of LED lights, descends 70 feet in the final 60 seconds of the year — a tradition that has been interrupted only twice, during the wartime blackouts of 1942 and 1943.

Despite its fame, One Times Square is largely an empty shell today. After The New York Times relocated in 1913, the building changed hands multiple times and was eventually gutted of most of its interior use. Its true value lies not in its office space, but in its exterior — a towering canvas of digital billboards and LED signage that generates millions of dollars in advertising revenue annually. The building is essentially a giant sign, and one of the most lucrative advertising locations on the planet.

One of the most thrilling additions to One Times Square is the Times Square SKYcrawl — an exhilarating outdoor attraction that takes visitors on a guided climb along the exterior of the building, scaling its iconic scaffolding and signage structures high above Midtown Manhattan. Launched as part of the broader renovation effort, the SKYcrawl offers breathtaking 360-degree views of the city skyline and the bustling streets below, with participants harnessed in for safety as they ascend to dizzying heights. It is designed to be one of the most unique urban experiences in New York City, blending adventure tourism with the unmatched energy of Times Square.

In recent years, there have been ambitious plans to further transform One Times Square into a world-class tourist destination. A proposed renovation would add an observation deck, a museum dedicated to the history of Times Square, and immersive retail experiences across multiple floors. Together with the SKYcrawl, these projects could reinvent this iconic address once again — ensuring that One Times Square remains not just a backdrop for celebration, but a living, breathing destination at the very center of New York City life.