15 Broad Street facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 15 Broad Street |
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Seen in the background; the smaller building in front at the street corner is 23 Wall Street
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| Former names | Equitable Trust Building |
| Alternative names | Downtown by Philippe Starck |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Neoclassicism |
| Location | Financial District, Manhattan, New York City |
| Address | 15 Broad Street, New York, NY 10005 |
| Coordinates | 40°42′24″N 74°0′38″W / 40.70667°N 74.01056°W |
| Completed | 1928 |
| Renovated | 2005 |
| Height | 551 feet (168 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 43 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Trowbridge & Livingston |
15 Broad Street is a tall building in the Financial District of Manhattan, New York City. It stands on the east side of Broad Street, between Wall Street and Exchange Place. You can also enter it from 51 Exchange Place or 35 Wall Street.
This building was finished in 1928. By 1931, it was one of the 20 largest office buildings in the world. Today, it is known for its luxury apartments.
Contents
Discover 15 Broad Street's Design
This building was made in the neoclassical style. It was originally built for a company called the Equitable Trust Company. That's why it was first known as the Equitable Trust Building. The architects who designed it were Trowbridge & Livingston. They also designed other buildings nearby, like 14 Wall Street.
The building has an L-shape because it wraps around another famous building, 23 Wall Street. It is about 540 feet (165 meters) tall and has 43 floors. The outside of the building is made of grey brick. Its base is made of limestone, matching the building next door.
History of 15 Broad Street
Building Its Foundation
Before 15 Broad Street was built, two older buildings stood on its spot. One of these was the Mills Building. To build the new skyscraper, a special support beam was needed. This beam went over 23 Wall Street. The company that owned 23 Wall Street allowed this. They sold the "air rights" above their building. This meant the new building could use the space above it. Workers placed heavy wood beams on 23 Wall Street's roof to protect it during construction.
The building was completed in 1928. The Equitable Trust Company was a part of the Chase National Bank. This bank was one of the biggest in the world at that time. A law firm that had been in the old building moved back into the new one. They stayed there until 1959.
First Major Changes
In 1955, a company called J.P. Morgan & Co. decided to buy 15 Broad Street. They bought it from Chase Manhattan Bank. Chase wanted to build a new main office. Selling 15 Broad Street helped them get money for their new project. After the sale, J.P. Morgan & Co. announced big plans. They hired Turner Construction to update the building.
The updates included adding air conditioning. They also created a new entrance on the ground floor at 35 Wall Street. Cooling towers were put on the roof. All this work was finished by mid-1957. As part of the project, 15 Broad Street was also connected to 23 Wall Street.
Later, in 1959, J.P. Morgan & Co. merged with another company. They became the Morgan Guaranty Trust Company. This new company thought about adding more floors to 23 Wall Street. They also considered replacing both buildings with one large headquarters. In 1962, a big renovation started for both buildings. This was to prepare them to be the main office for Morgan Guaranty. The renovation was completed in 1964.
Becoming Homes: Condominium Conversion
In 2003, 15 Broad Street and 23 Wall Street were sold for $100 million. They were bought by Africa Israel and Boymelgreen. This happened after plans to tear down the building for a new stock exchange were stopped. Instead, 15 Broad Street was turned into luxury apartments. This type of apartment building is called a condominium.
The famous French designer Philippe Starck helped design the new apartments. The project was named Downtown. This made 15 Broad Street one of many office buildings in the Financial District being turned into homes. The remodeling was mostly finished by May 2007.
By November 2006, almost all the apartments were sold. Prices for the 326 units varied. A small studio apartment might cost around $335,000. A two-bedroom apartment with a terrace could cost $4.6 million. The building offers many cool features for residents. These include:
- A gym
- A swimming pool
- Dance and yoga studios
- A squash court
- A bowling alley
- A business center
- A movie theater
- A lounge
- An in-house dry cleaning service
A very special chandelier now hangs in the lobby of 15 Broad Street. This huge chandelier has 1,900 pieces. It used to be in the main hall of J. P. Morgan's 23 Wall Street building. The designer Philippe Starck said many pieces came from Austria-Hungary before World War I. He believes they are Swarovski crystal. Starck also turned the roof of 23 Wall Street into a large garden. This garden is about 5,000 square feet (465 square meters). It has a children's pool and a dining area. Residents of 15 Broad Street can use this garden.
See also
In Spanish: 15 Broad Street para niños
