Tours offered of historic Woolworth Building lobby

[August 06, 2013]  NEW YORK (AP) -- For decades, the vaulted mosaic ceilings and sculpted figures in the lobby of New York City's Woolworth Building were off-limits to the public. That's changing now.

The Wall Street Journal (http://on.wsj.com/1csPbhG) says small tour groups are being organized by the great-granddaughter of the building's architect.

Cass Gilbert designed the building for Frank Winfield Woolworth, the founder of the discount store empire. It was the tallest building in world from 1913 to 1930.

Helen Post Curry, owner of a Connecticut design and event management firm called Look, had arranged tour groups for the building's centennial in April. They were so successful that the building's management has agreed to continue them on a trial basis.

Tours can be booked online at http://www.woolworthtours.com/.

The building's exterior and interior received landmark status in 1983.

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Information from: The Wall Street Journal, http://www.wsj.com/

[Associated Press]

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