Hearst Tower (Manhattan)

The six-story limestone base you see at the bottom of this building was originally completed in 1928, commissioned by publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. He intended for it to be the foundation of a much grander tower, but the Great Depression hit shortly after, and that project was abandoned for nearly eighty years. When the current glass tower was finally added in 2006, it was designed to rise directly out of the historic shell, effectively completing a vision that had been paused for almost a century. The contrast between the ornate, Art Deco stonework of the original base and the sharp, modern geometry of the tower above makes this one of the most distinctive sights in the city.