New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-05
THE NEW BANK BUILDING.

THE NEW BANK BUILDING.
The Williamsburg Savings Bank. which holds over
$50 900 900 in trust for its depOst1rS erected MANY
years ago a conspicuous structure at Broadway ana
Driggs-st the dome OF which can be seen from many
distant points. and which IS usually mistaken for
public building OF some sort. The Dime Savings
Bank the third in size in the city in its resources,
occupies marble building OF classic architecture at
Court and Remsen stS where once liooey'S Theatre
stood. 1t put up about ten years ago. a
square substantial building. at Clinon.st. and
Atlantic-ave., Is occupied by the South brooklyn
Savings Institution. The Germanla Savings Bank
put up It's fine Office building in Fultonst, opposite
the City Hail. last year. at cost Of 100000. But
all OF these will be overshadowed by the imposing
structure which IS Icing erected for the BrooKlyh
Savings Bank the Oldest institution of It's kind In the
city, and second only TO the Williamsburg IN Size
with about 5000 600 on deposit.
The sum of $3.50 900 will be expended upon the
structure the site cost 100000. and enough more
will be spent in furnishing and fitting up the building
TO bring the entire cost In round numbers to half
a million Of dollars The plot Of ground upon wlhch
the structure will stand directly opposite the BrookVh
Club and diag1nay opposite the Long Island HIS
torical society's building. has been occupied for
church uses for more than half century.
When the Bridge Trustees decided to Law ont the
new avenue Of approach from the Bridge plaza along
the line OF Liberty St. TO Fulton and Hillary sts
by widening Ibcrty-st and taking forty feet of the
rear OF the lots on the Fultonst. side. one or the
buildings affected that occupied by III" broohlSh
Savings Rank at Conco:dst.. which extends from
Fuon-st to Lberty-st. This building was erected
In l647, but for third OF century II was Only
half as large as at present. In leoO the rear Hai
OF the structure was erected. doubling the SIZE Oh
It's business capacity. a strong vault forms part
OF the rear half OF the structure. The widening oil
Ilberty.st. will take forty feet of the rear OF Inc
bnlding and make 1t entirely too small Tor 'hc
business OF the bank.
In looking around for new site upon when 10
re establish the bank. It decided not to remove
far from the site 50 long occupied. The choice OIL
available property was limited. but 1t was finally
decided TO go off Fulton-st.. and the site OF the
First Baptist Church. In PeTreponl-st. was purchased
for 5000 600. This more than the trustees had
valued the property at. and az the EXPENSES eS
ceeded the income and the congregation was
shifting one II was felt that the offer conl1 not be
refused although the church did not desire 10 re
move and has found difficulty In securing Il new
site in the neGhb0rho0d
rb, Urooklyn savings Bank incorporated by
Robert Snow Andrew M"rccin and Robert Nichols ~
April : 1927 seven years before Brooklyn became
city, Adrian Van Sndcrn was the first president, and
hsne,s was begun I'm the basement Of the Ap-
prcntices' Library building. at Cranberry and Henry
SIS which was the principal public building OF inc
,ime and whose cornerstone had been lad by MARQUIS
de Lafayette In 1874, when he lmid Ms NM Nlai'
10 this country David stanford became president OF
the bank after Mr.. Van SindcIin, and In 7i', when
the present budding was erected Hosea Webster sur
coded to the presidency. The bank then had deposits
OF 91ol 900 and a surplus OF So,OOO. lie h'id ohce
until his death in 1883 al the age OF ninety'ionr years
and the bank then had deposits OF S2O.OooOoo ana
sur,,us OF S2OOOOOO. Henry F. Morgan succeeded
Mr. Webster and stl holds the Office. The resources
Of the bank are now about $50 100000 and there
,re about depOSitOrs.
The new building OF which the foundations "''
completed ard the walls are rapidly rising, VIII from
on PicrepOnt-st. The structure VIII be OF CLASSIC
design with notifications Of the Italian renaissance
pcnod IL combines features OF the Doric, Ionic ana
Corntlan orders OF architecture and the red tile roj
will be Moorish The general appearance viii be- ina
OF a square structure with pyramidal ROOF, rlehN
feel I'm height and built Of light gray granite but he
exterior will be- broke up with many notifications
The feature Of the main front Viii he an Imposing
The entrance viii be hankcd by polished grant"
columns and the top OF the arch me name Of me
bank will be carved, underneath IA shallow balcony
over the windows on each size OF the enlranr RAM
viii be s %a c one G a "HGn on SGa
other each surrounded with carved wreath.
on the CIinloist. side the building has an cxten
sion with BAY windows and gable. in which there IS
lofty window filed with stained glass; While smaller
N %aSw Of oh G 6%n 'u large Widow on Vq The opposite
side of the structure also lights the interior imn1he
room, ana there are number of skyigh'S to iiiumn
The great banking room viii be % feet wide ana
From the moor the apex OF the dome Of the ceiling
The height will be- - feet There VIII be elght
marble Ionic columns supporting the roof, and me
walls will be pnellcd In ONYX TO the height OF -
feet and the decorations will be unique ana ilch,
while the windows will he filed with stained glass
on the Clinon-st. side will be ne offices for the
president cashier and trustees with private en-
trance. 4 mczzanne for ~ the rear VIII contain
rooms for the clerks and other empioycS. and for
the storage OF the records Of the bank An Immense
fire and burglar proof vault VIII be In IN" rear Of
The building and will be- Of the latest and most ap
proved pattern. The building will be devoted 10
The uses OF The bank alone. . -
p Morgan: vice presidents, Edward ID. White and
Henry X sheldon cashier Felix f.. Flandrenn: con
troIIer Charles C. Putnam trustees. H. l.. MORAN
E. d. White 4. Il. Bayiis. BRYAN IL. smith; Alex
nndcr Forman Edward II. Iitchfed. Frank lyman
Lewis. jr., LYMAN r. Greene. william &. Low: r. l.
Edwards Edward II. Kidder. franklin f.. Taylor,
1rnwrn uodden Edward Goodwin. David &. Leggeit.
Wills l., ogden. John +, Iialstcd, William A. Reai
Counlandt p. Dixon; Daniel i. Lewis W. v H.
smith, and william ID. BanckeT.