On May 1, 1908, the tower was opened to the public. The construction workers held a dinner that week to celebrate the completion of work. A month later, on June 23, the observation balcony opened. The Singer Building quickly became a symbol of Manhattan with its floodlighted tower. The Singer Building was the tallest in the world for a year after its tower's completion. Completed in 1909, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower at 23rd Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan's Flatiron District, surpassed the record.