Brooklyn Savings Bank (building)
Encyclopedia
The Brooklyn Savings Bank was a notable building in Brooklyn, New York, designed by prominent Brooklyn architect
Frank Freeman
. Completed in 1894, it was considered one of Freeman's finest works, but in spite of its widely recognized architectural significance, the building was demolished in 1964, shortly before the designation of the neighborhood as a historic district.
The location chosen by the directors as the most appropriate for their new premises was the northeast corner of Clinton and Pierrepont Streets, Brooklyn, then occupied by the First Baptist Church. Though initially reluctant to move, the parishioners were eventually persuaded by an offer of $200,000, and the church was subsequently demolished to make way for the new bank. Noted Brooklyn architect Frank Freeman was commissioned to design the $300,000 building. Construction began in 1892 and was completed in 1894.
The building was to remain the Brooklyn Savings Bank's headquarters for almost 70 years. In 1961, the bank's management decided to build a new headquarters at the corner of Montague and Fulton Streets, Brooklyn, and in 1963 the old bank building was sold to the Franklin National Bank
, after which it lay idle for some months. In late 1963, Franklin National announced plans to sell the property to developers for commercial redevelopment. In spite of last-ditch attempts by the community to save the historic building, it went under the wrecker's hammer in early 1964.
Loss of the bank, along with several other historic buildings around this time, prompted the city government to move to protect other buildings in the locality, and in November 1965, the area was formally designated an historic district. Today, the former site of the bank is occupied by One Plaza Place, a combined office and residential highrise.
style. In 1893 however, the World's Columbian Exposition
in Chicago
was held, which showcased the neoclassical style. Like many other American architects of the day, Freeman was quick to adapt, and the Brooklyn Savings Bank would become one of his first neoclassical designs. In spite of his relative inexperience with the style, the bank has been cited as perhaps Freeman's finest work.
The building was constructed mainly of granite
, from Hallowell, Maine
. The main entrance, on the Clinton St. side, featured a "grand recessed porch", 20 by 25 feet in size, containing a bold Roman
arch
flanked by red granite columns. On the entablature
above the arch was emblazoned the name of the bank, while on the cornice
at each side was carved the date of the bank's incorporation (1827), and the date construction was begun on the building (1892). The porch itself was flanked by two large circular windows, and surmounted by a shallow balcony onto which opened three more rectangular windows.
The Pierrepont St. side featured a tall, central loggia
, topped by a triangular pediment
supported by columns, and flanked by a pair of transept
s with stained glass windows, in which the private offices of the bank were located. Above the loggia, running around the walls about two thirds of the way up on each side of the building, was a large cornice moulding of dark stone, above which ran a row of rectangular windows, highlighted at each end by a circular window with a decorative border. The roof was gabled and tiled, and sloped away from the walls on every side. The exterior as a whole is described as having had a "mausoleum
-like magnificence".
The interior of the bank is said to have been equally impressive. The main banking room featured a lofty, 75-foot high ceiling—a recent innovation in bank architecture that traded efficient use of space for visual impact. The ceiling itself featured a large rectangular dome and clerestory
, supported by eight Ionic
columns of Numidia
n marble
. The bank's walls were panelled with onyx
to a height of 22 feet, and the counters finished in onyx and bronze. A mezzanine
floor was used to house the bank's records, below which was situated "an immense fire and burglar-proof vault".
The Brooklyn Savings Bank is said to have been "the first and foremost example of neoclassic architecture in Brooklyn Heights". Its demolition has accordingly been lamented as "among the great landmark losses in New York history".
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Frank Freeman
Frank Freeman
Frank Freeman was a Canadian-American architect based in Brooklyn, New York. A leading exponent of the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style who later adopted Neoclassicism, Freeman has been called "Brooklyn's greatest architect"...
. Completed in 1894, it was considered one of Freeman's finest works, but in spite of its widely recognized architectural significance, the building was demolished in 1964, shortly before the designation of the neighborhood as a historic district.
History
The Brooklyn Savings Bank was established as an institution in 1827. It originally operated from the basement of the Apprentices' Library Building at the corner of Cranberry and Henry Streets, Brooklyn. In 1847, the Bank moved to new premises at the juncture of Fulton, Concord and Liberty Streets. After the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883 however, the city fathers decided to build a "grand avenue" leading to the approach of the bridge, and as the resulting plans entailed demolition of part of the Brooklyn Savings Bank in Liberty Street, the Bank's directors resolved to move to a new location.The location chosen by the directors as the most appropriate for their new premises was the northeast corner of Clinton and Pierrepont Streets, Brooklyn, then occupied by the First Baptist Church. Though initially reluctant to move, the parishioners were eventually persuaded by an offer of $200,000, and the church was subsequently demolished to make way for the new bank. Noted Brooklyn architect Frank Freeman was commissioned to design the $300,000 building. Construction began in 1892 and was completed in 1894.
The building was to remain the Brooklyn Savings Bank's headquarters for almost 70 years. In 1961, the bank's management decided to build a new headquarters at the corner of Montague and Fulton Streets, Brooklyn, and in 1963 the old bank building was sold to the Franklin National Bank
Franklin National Bank
Franklin National Bank, based in Franklin Square in Long Island, New York was once the United States' 20th largest bank. On October 8, 1974, it collapsed in obscure circumstances, involving Michele Sindona, renowned Mafia-banker and member of the irregular freemasonic lodge, Propaganda Due...
, after which it lay idle for some months. In late 1963, Franklin National announced plans to sell the property to developers for commercial redevelopment. In spite of last-ditch attempts by the community to save the historic building, it went under the wrecker's hammer in early 1964.
Loss of the bank, along with several other historic buildings around this time, prompted the city government to move to protect other buildings in the locality, and in November 1965, the area was formally designated an historic district. Today, the former site of the bank is occupied by One Plaza Place, a combined office and residential highrise.
Description
At the time Freeman designed the bank, he had already acquired a reputation as a leading exponent of the Richardsonian RomanesqueRichardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston , designated a National Historic Landmark...
style. In 1893 however, the World's Columbian Exposition
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
was held, which showcased the neoclassical style. Like many other American architects of the day, Freeman was quick to adapt, and the Brooklyn Savings Bank would become one of his first neoclassical designs. In spite of his relative inexperience with the style, the bank has been cited as perhaps Freeman's finest work.
The building was constructed mainly of granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
, from Hallowell, Maine
Hallowell, Maine
Hallowell is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,467 at the 2000 census.-History:The city is named for Benjamin Hallowell, a Boston merchant and one of the Kennebec Proprietors, holders of land originally granted to the Plymouth Company by the British monarchy in...
. The main entrance, on the Clinton St. side, featured a "grand recessed porch", 20 by 25 feet in size, containing a bold Roman
Roman architecture
Ancient Roman architecture adopted certain aspects of Ancient Greek architecture, creating a new architectural style. The Romans were indebted to their Etruscan neighbors and forefathers who supplied them with a wealth of knowledge essential for future architectural solutions, such as hydraulics...
arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
flanked by red granite columns. On the entablature
Entablature
An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
above the arch was emblazoned the name of the bank, while on the cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
at each side was carved the date of the bank's incorporation (1827), and the date construction was begun on the building (1892). The porch itself was flanked by two large circular windows, and surmounted by a shallow balcony onto which opened three more rectangular windows.
The Pierrepont St. side featured a tall, central loggia
Loggia
Loggia is the name given to an architectural feature, originally of Minoan design. They are often a gallery or corridor at ground level, sometimes higher, on the facade of a building and open to the air on one side, where it is supported by columns or pierced openings in the wall...
, topped by a triangular pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
supported by columns, and flanked by a pair of transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
s with stained glass windows, in which the private offices of the bank were located. Above the loggia, running around the walls about two thirds of the way up on each side of the building, was a large cornice moulding of dark stone, above which ran a row of rectangular windows, highlighted at each end by a circular window with a decorative border. The roof was gabled and tiled, and sloped away from the walls on every side. The exterior as a whole is described as having had a "mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
-like magnificence".
The interior of the bank is said to have been equally impressive. The main banking room featured a lofty, 75-foot high ceiling—a recent innovation in bank architecture that traded efficient use of space for visual impact. The ceiling itself featured a large rectangular dome and clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
, supported by eight Ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
columns of Numidia
Numidia
Numidia was an ancient Berber kingdom in part of present-day Eastern Algeria and Western Tunisia in North Africa. It is known today as the Chawi-land, the land of the Chawi people , the direct descendants of the historical Numidians or the Massyles The kingdom began as a sovereign state and later...
n marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
. The bank's walls were panelled with onyx
Onyx
Onyx is a banded variety of chalcedony. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color . Commonly, specimens of onyx contain bands of black and/or white.-Etymology:...
to a height of 22 feet, and the counters finished in onyx and bronze. A mezzanine
Mezzanine (architecture)
In architecture, a mezzanine or entresol is an intermediate floor between main floors of a building, and therefore typically not counted among the overall floors of a building. Often, a mezzanine is low-ceilinged and projects in the form of a balcony. The term is also used for the lowest balcony in...
floor was used to house the bank's records, below which was situated "an immense fire and burglar-proof vault".
The Brooklyn Savings Bank is said to have been "the first and foremost example of neoclassic architecture in Brooklyn Heights". Its demolition has accordingly been lamented as "among the great landmark losses in New York history".