USA - The World Building. Construction - New York - World, or Pulitzer Building. Construction of the New York World Building began on October 10, 1889, at 53-63 Park Row, on the corner of Park Row and the now-closed Frankfort Street. The building was completed on December 10, 1890. The claimed height of the building was 20 stories, comparable to 16 or 18 stories by current standards. The New York World Building was also known as the Pulitzer Building after the paper's owner, Joseph Pulitzer, who commissioned it. Pulitzer's private office was on the second level of the dome and looked down on other buildings along the street.. Part of Box 160 Modern New York, Boswell collection.