New York City is constantly being rebuilt.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, dozens of beautiful old buildings were demolished to make way for new development. It wasn't until 1966, with the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act, that historic buildings could be protected by federal law.
Click through to see some of these vanished buildings, which include iconic hotels, businesses, and private homes.
Max Rosenberg contributed to this post.
The Hippodrome stood on 6th Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets from 1905 to 1939. It was one of the largest theaters of its time, with a seating capacity of 5,200.
Source: NYC Architecture
The Old Metropolitan Opera House was built in 1883 near Times Square. It was the first home of the Metropolitan Opera Company, but was demolished in 1967 and performances were moved to Lincoln Center.
Source: Wikipedia
An early incarnation of Madison Square Garden was located between Fifth and Madison Avenues, and 26th and 27th Streets. The arena was demolished in 1926.
Source: NYC Architecture
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