In 1961, Singer announced it would sell the building and move to Rockefeller Center. According to property records, the Singer Company sold the building to Iacovone Rose, who immediately sold it to Financial Place Inc. Real estate developer William Zeckendorf acquired the building and sought unsuccessfully for the New York Stock Exchange to move there. In 1964, United States Steel acquired the Singer Building, along with the neighboring City Investing Building. U.S. Steel planned to demolish the entire block to erect a new 54-story headquarters on the same site.