Mortimer Building facts for kids

The Mortimer Building on Wall Street in New York City.

The Mortimer Building was an important office building in New York City during the late 1800s. It stood at the corner of Wall Street and New Street in the Financial District of Manhattan. This area is famous for its banks and businesses.

W.Y. Mortimer started building it on June 1, 1884. It was finished in March 1885. A famous architect named George B. Post designed it. The building was quite large, facing Wall Street for about 57 feet and New Street for 65 feet. It was used only for offices. Many lawyers, brokers, and bankers had their offices there. The building was right next to the New York Stock Exchange Building.

The Stock Exchange Buys the Building

The New York Stock Exchange bought the Mortimer Building in December 1918. They paid $745,000 for it. The Stock Exchange wanted to bring all its different departments together. They also needed more space for foreign issues, which are stocks from other countries. In 1920, the land alone was worth $710,000. With the building, it was worth $745,000.

Inside the Mortimer Building

The rooms inside the Mortimer Building were very bright. They were set up as single offices or groups of offices. The walls were mostly made of a beautiful wood called mahogany. The hallways had marble and mahogany panels on the lower part of the walls. The stairs were made of strong iron and stone.

The building was considered very safe from fire. It had modern features for its time. These included steam heating, gas lights, and electric lights. There were also two fast elevators to help people get around quickly.

Older Buildings with the Same Name

The Mortimer Building built in 1884 was not the first one. An earlier building with the same name stood on the same spot. It was built in 1835 by Richard Mortimer. This older building was constructed as part of the Mortimer family's property plans. W.Y. Mortimer was in charge of managing these plans.

Richard Mortimer also had another Mortimer Building built. This one was at 935-939 Broadway in New York City. It was designed by architect Griffith Thomas in 1862. This building is still standing today. It was once home to the first offices of the American Institute of Architects.

See also

In Spanish: Mortimer Building para niños