In 2003, when the $55 million renovation
of the 744 Building at 744 Broad Street was completed by Cogswell
Realty, Newark's then Mayor, Sharpe James, hailed the restored building
as "a gorgeous showplace, recapturing its former glamour and
former status."
From atop its roof, a towering flagpole once again displayed a
waving American flag that had been absent from that roof for 30
years.
This is the story of that flagpole.
As part of the building's restoration, Cogswell Realty had the
long-dorment flagpole replaced with a new and taller flagpole made
of reinforced steel in 1999.
Elevates Height of Building
With the 744 Building already Newark's tallest structure at 465
feet, the new reinforced steel pole rose 113 feet above the roof
line, elevating the overall height of the building and pole to 578
feet.
Not visible from the building exterior, another 15 feet of the
flagpole extended below the roof line into the building.
Pole Dimensions and Ornamentation
The tapered pole, at its base, measures 16 inches in diameter.
At its peak, it is eight inches in diameter.
The 'golden ball' atop the flagpole is 18 inches in diameter and
is made of aluminum, and is gold-plated.
The American flag, at the time of the poles erection in 1999 measured
20 feet x 30 feet, making it Newark's largest flag.
However, subsequently, two metal discs were affixed, one above
the other, at the midway point of the flagpole, to serve as antennas
for Newark FM station WBGO. This installation necessitated replacing
the larger flag with one measuring 15 x 25 feet, so as not to interfere
with the WBGO transmitters, one of which is analog and the other
digital.
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