The
year is: 1945
After almost 30 years
as a medical and dental center the Woolworth's Department
Store took over the first and second floors as well as the
basement in 1945. The basement had previously housed 11
retailers. However, the war years were hard on the building
and Woolworth's offered to demolish the landmark in 1951.
It was to be replaced with a three-story structure housing
Woolworth's Department Store and offices.
Luckily,
the Federal Government saved the building by appropriating
space to house war-time agencies such as the Price Stabilization
and Civil Defense offices. They also enforced a construction
ban brought on by the US participation in the Korean War.
Back
to commercial use again
The government subsequently
relinquished its occupancy and the structure reverted to
commercial office space in 1953, though dramatic changes
had been made in the interior to accommodate for large offices.
The
Woolworth's Department Store located in the Flood Building
was the largest in the United States until 1992, when it
was downsized. They remained a tenant until 1996.
