{"id":1599,"date":"2015-09-15T21:08:44","date_gmt":"2015-09-16T01:08:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.drivingfordeco.com\/staging\/3617\/?p=1599"},"modified":"2015-09-22T22:35:32","modified_gmt":"2015-09-23T02:35:32","slug":"downtown-manhattan-art-deco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drivingfordeco.com\/staging\/3617\/downtown-manhattan-art-deco\/","title":{"rendered":"Downtown Manhattan Art Deco"},"content":{"rendered":"

Back in June, the Art Deco Society of New York<\/a><\/span> offered a walking tour of lower Manhattan, highlighting the great Art Deco buildings of the financial district. It was a chilly evening but it was worth a few shivers as it was a very interesting and informative tour. I want to highlight the two tallest\u00a0buildings that we were taken to that night.<\/h4>\n

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City\u00a0Bank-Farmers Trust Building<\/h3>\n
\"City<\/a>

City Bank-Farmers Trust Building
20 Exchange Place<\/p><\/div>\n

Construction began on\u00a0the new home of the recently merged National City Bank of New York and the Farmers’ Loan and Trust Company in 1930 and was completed in a remarkably fast 364 days.<\/h4>\n

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\"City<\/a>

City Bank-Farmers Trust Building under construction in 1930<\/p><\/div>\n

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The original 1929 design, by the architectural firm of Cross & Cross, \u00a0was for a 846 foot tower topped by a pyramid, which would have made it the tallest building in the world at the time.\u00a0However, the onset of the depression the following year resulted in a scaled back design that eliminated the pyramidal roof\u00a0reducing the height to 741 feet, which when completed made it the fourth tallest building in world. Cross & Cross described the style as “modern-classic”, but with no particular style, today of course it is considered Art Deco. One of the best decorative motifs of the building are\u00a0stylized “Giants of Finance” that look down from the first setback. These “Giants” also conceal air vents.<\/h4>\n
\"The<\/a>

The “Giants of Finance”<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Close<\/a>

Close up detail of the The “Giants of Finance”<\/p><\/div>\n

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Unfortunately while\u00a0we were not allowed inside to see the lobby rotunda, we could see a bit of it through the slit between the front doors. Here is a picture of the rotunda.<\/h4>\n

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\"The<\/a>

The lobby rotunda of the City Bank-Farmers Trust Building.<\/p><\/div>\n

The building remained the company’s headquarters until 1956 and was eventually sold by them in 1979. Today it is being converted from commercial to residential use as are many of the buildings in the financial district. The new owners are restoring the building and cleaning the exterior back to its original gleaming white stonework.<\/h4>\n
\"Entrance<\/a>

Entrance at 20 Exchange Place.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"The<\/a>

The 741 foot tower of the City Bank-Farmers Trust Building.<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Cities Service Building<\/h3>\n
\"The<\/a>

The apex of the Cities Service Building<\/p><\/div>\n

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The building that I was most excited to see was the Cities Service Building at 70 Pine Street. I remember going into the lobby back in the early 1980’s and was very surprised and happy to see that it was never modernized. It\u00a0is an excellent example of Art Deco design employing generous use of red and yellow marble, with brushed aluminum highlights.<\/h4>\n

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\"The<\/a>

The Lobby of the Cities Service Building lobby at 70 Pine Street.<\/p><\/div>\n

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This is another downtown building that is currently being converted to residential use and is still under re-construction.\u00a0We were not able to go inside which meant we were also not allowed into the former observatory.<\/h4>\n

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\"Cities<\/a>

Cities Service Building, observation lounge, circa 1934<\/p><\/div>\n

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Designed by the firms of Clinton & Russell and Holton & George, construction began in 1931. Opening the following year the 952 foot, 67 story building was the tallest building downtown and the third tallest building in the world. The Cities Service Building dominated the lower Manhattan skyline for nearly 40 years, until the World Trade Center was topped off in 1970. I was very happy to hear that the new owners are respecting the building and like the City Bank-Farmers Trust are restoring the it\u00a0inside and out.<\/h4>\n

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\"The<\/a>

The Cities Service Building looking south on Pearl Street.<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Cities<\/a>

Cities Service Building – Pearl Street facade.<\/p><\/div>\n

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