Springs Mills Building

History and architecture

The Springs Mills Building is a 21-story office tower located in midtown Manhattan on a mid-block site, close to Bryant Park and just south of Times Square. Constructed in 1961-63 for a leading American textile manufacturer, it rises from an irregular L-shaped lot that connects West 39th and 40th Streets. At the time of construction, many businesses associated with the textile industry were migrating from lower Manhattan to the Garment District. Springs Cotton Mills was founded in 1914, when Leroy Springs assumed control of the Fort Mill Manufacturing Company. A New York sales office was established by 1946 and in subsequent years the company became the largest producer of sheets and pillow cases in the United States. Harrison & Abramovitz, who designed many notable buildings following the Second World War, served as architect.

Though Max Abramovitz was the partner in charge of the project, it was mostly designed by Charles H. Abbe. The scheme that the architects devised during 1961 took into account anticipated changes to the New York City zoning code. As the last year in which the 1916 code remained in effect, on 39th Street the base fills the entire lot and incorporates two horizontal setbacks. In contrast, the 40th Street facade was designed to create the appearance of a slab-like, free-standing tower that rises from a shallow landscaped plaza.

Inspired by Abbe’s recent experience working on the Corning Glass Building on Fifth Avenue, the sleek elevations feature a well-proportioned grid of deep green “Solex” glass panels and aluminum mullions. Both dark grey and silver, these slim mullions were deliberately arranged to enhance the building’s verticality. The hexagonal tower, on the other hand, was shaped by practical and artistic considerations: not only did the elongated configuration allow sunlight to reach what would have normally been lot-line windows on the upper floors, but this unusual massing gives the structure a unique and distinctive identity.

The Springs Mills Building was completed in early 1963, marking the company’s 75th anniversary. Like numerous structures erected in Manhattan by major corporations during this period, many floors were occupied by outside tenants, including a large number in the textile industry. Sold by Springs Industries in 1999, its successor firm, Springs Global, remains a significant tenant. The Springs Mills Building is a well-preserved example of a mid-20th century glass curtain wall skyscraper and one of the finest corporate works designed by Harrison & Abramovitz in New York City.