Anybody know who owned 25 Columbia Heights before WT?

agonus

As in Bristol-Myers-Squibb, the pharmaceuticals corporation?

Yes. They bought it in 69, I believe. If you have the WT Library CD-ROM there's a bit about it in the 75 Yearbook, too. If you look at old pics of the Brooklyn Bridge before 69 you'll see "Squibb" signs on the building. In fact, if I remember correctly, you could still read "Squibb" on a smokestack for a couple of years even after the WT bought the building.

agonus

Interesting. I'll have to see if I can find the article, thanks.

cabasilas

An interesting New York Times article from 2008 about Brooklyn Heights with a mention of the former Squibb complex:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/03/arts/03expl.html?pagewanted=all

AnneB

If I remember correctly, there's an old WT Yearbook that has the history of 25 Columbia Heights in it. As I remember it, WT wanted to buy the building but Squibb bought it before WT could. Once Squibb took posession they discovered that the building needed shoring up and Squibb had to spend millions sinking concrete pillars 90 feet down under the whole building....so, as you can plainly see, it was Jehovah's way of preventing WT from financial disaster. Further, when Squibb moved out and sold the building to WT, all the expensive work had been done and the building was ready for WT to move into and start printing!

Maybe it wasn't a Yearbook...as I'm typing this I'm hearing GB member Dan Sydlik's voice telling the story so it must have been something he talked about at a special event.

cabasilas

Yeah...that's what's in the 75 YB. They never printed in those buildings. I believe initially it was shipping and paper storage. Then they converted the 25 building into executive offices. I once pulled a watchman duty in the old buildings....it was an eerie place! A buddy of mine was working as a regular watchman there when a pipe bomb went off. About 1978 or something like that.

The dining room on top of 30 Columbia Heights was cool, however.

One of the best uses I've seen of that hill that goes down to the former Squibb buildings is in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCHjmsMc82U

I wonder if the Bethelites watching were a bit jealous?

factfinder

I remember reading that Squibb sold the complex to the Society for three million dollars- that was LESS then they thought they'd have to pay!

In 1979 during demolition of some of the smaller Vine Street buildings and construction on the new 11 story addition they removed the tower from the roof of the 25 bldg. After rennovation they chose not to put the tower back up on the roof. Ever since then it always looks to me like something is missing! The Watchtower had an article about it- in the Feb. 1, 1980 issue I think. I think a 1982 issue also had an article on the expansion there.

Anybody know who owned 25 Columbia Heights before WT?

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