Jamaica Savings Bank (Sutphin Boulevard) facts for kids
The Jamaica Savings Bank building is located at Jamaica Avenue and Sutphin Boulevard in Jamaica, a neighborhood in Queens, New York City. This special building was constructed between 1938 and 1939. It was designed in the Art Deco style, which was very popular at the time. Before this building, another bank called Queensboro Savings Bank was on the same spot. The Jamaica Savings Bank bought that bank in 1934. The old building was taken down in 1938 to make way for this new one. Today, the building is officially recognized as a New York City designated landmark.
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Why This Bank Was Built
In the early 1900s, Jamaica grew very quickly. New train lines and other ways to travel made it a busy center for business in Queens. As more people moved to Jamaica, they needed more banks. George S. Downing, who was the President of the Jamaica Savings Bank, saw this need. He believed that more bank branches were important for the growing community.
In December 1934, the Queensboro Savings Bank joined with the Jamaica Savings Bank. From then on, the Queensboro Savings Bank became known as the Jamaica Savings Bank. The main office was at 161-02 Jamaica Avenue. The Sutphin Boulevard location became a branch office. All the employees from the Queensboro Savings Bank kept their jobs. They simply became employees of the Jamaica Savings Bank.
By 1934, the Jamaica Savings Bank had over 50,000 customer accounts. It was even ranked among the 100 largest savings banks in the United States.
Building the Bank
On August 27, 1938, George S. Downing announced that construction was starting. He expected the new bank branch to be finished by February 1, 1939. Downing explained that the decision to build came from Jamaica's fast growth. He also mentioned that the new subway line extension brought many new apartments to the area.
The Sutphin Boulevard branch of the Jamaica Savings Bank officially opened on April 22, 1939. The building was designed by architect Morrell Smith. Theodore L. Rubsamen and Company of Jamaica was the builder.
Special Features of the Building
This Art Deco building has many cool and unique details. The most famous part is a large American eagle carved above the entrance. It looks like it's flying out from the wall.
The entrance has fancy bronze doors. These doors open into a round hallway. This hallway is covered with beautiful black and gold marble. Inside, you can see furniture made of American walnut wood. There are also bronze light fixtures. Even the carpets and curtains were chosen to match the building's design.
The outside of the building is covered with light-colored Indiana limestone. It has a dark, polished granite base. The longer side of the building, facing Sutphin Boulevard, has an emergency exit. Tall, rectangular windows are placed along the outside walls. Above these windows, there are decorative panels. These panels have stars and geometric shapes carved into them. A flagpole stands tall on the roof, just as the architect planned.
Mural Inside
The inside of the bank once had a large mural. A mural is a big painting on a wall. This one was 16 feet tall and 25 feet wide. It showed a scene from 19th-century Fulton Street. You could see a stagecoach and a wide street in the painting. Sadly, this mural was removed in 2011 by Capital One Bank.
A New York City Landmark
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The Jamaica Savings Bank had a long history, almost 100 years! In 1999, it was bought by North Fork Bank. Then, in 2008, North Fork Bank was bought by Capital One Bank. Today, the Sutphin Boulevard building is a Capital One Bank branch.
The main office of the Jamaica Savings Bank building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It became a New York City Landmark in 2008. The second branch building on Sutphin Boulevard, which is the one we're talking about, was named a New York City Landmark in 2010. This means it's a special building that is protected because of its history and design.
