The Washington herald., 1907-10-13
MOVES TO new Home
National Metropolitan Again
in Fifteenth Street.
is NEARING CENTURY MARK
Concern Organized in 1S14-Mnssive
Marble Structure, Resembling the
United States Treasury, for Bank
ing Business and oGlces-A Partial
Description of the Furnishings.


Spick and span and fresh from the
hands OF the contractor is the new build
ing into which the National Metropoh-
tan Bank viii move tomorrow. The
new banking house is one OF the latest
additions 10 the marble architecture Of
the city, and one of its handsomest
buildings.
The building stands on the east side
Of Fifteenth street midway Of the block
between F and G streets northwest. 1t
faces the Treasury and in its beautiful
marble front resembles that structure in
design 1t has a frontage of 66 feet
and a depth Of 100 feet The building IS
eight stories high above the street, with
a basement ard sub-basement, the latter
to accommodate the power for working
the elevators and the boilers Tor heatirg-
1t has a court half way back from the
street with equal portions OF the buitd-
ing on either side. This court fronts
south FOR the purpose of utilizing the
sunshine as much as possible With
this arrangement the building is well
lighted and afforded free ventilation to
outside air
Brief Description.
The corporation has owned the lot on
which the building stands for several
years. having bought it when property
on Fifteenth street was cheaper than it
is to-day II is regarded as worth $50
a square foot The building cost, as 1t
stands, about s500000. The plans were
drawn by B. Stanley Simmons. OF this
city. in connection with Tracey * SwaTt-
out, Of New York. The Thompson-Star-
rett Company, OF New York and Wash
ington. were the builders. They began
operations in the fall of 1895 and fin
lshed the building within the time speci-
fed. The A. +. Fox Company has
charge OF the rental Of the Office suites.
The National Metropolitan Bank viii
occupy the entire first floor of the build
ing. One enters the bank directly from
the pavement. without going up any
steps. The entrance is between hand
some marble pillars and the doorway
is Of glass in slender steel frames. in
the French style There is a small yes
thule from which one enters the bank
ing room. To the left stand the receive
ing tellers, In bronze cages, behind spien-
did marble pillars. which reach a height
Of about eleven feet Corinthian IN pat
tern, and the ensemble gives the effect
OF a miniature corridor extending back
along both sides Of the public lobby to
the steel grating IN front Of the vault
On the right are the president room.
followed in succession by those of the
other officers Of the corporation, with the
boCkkeepers and subordinate clerks be-
low. at the foot Of the room On>the left,
in front, is the ladies room
The banking room Is IN height, the ex-
tent Of the first story and the mezzanine
Aoor On the right side above is the
room of the directors and the corridor
leading thereto The ceiling OF the room
is supported by a series OF large marble
pillars Of black stone, highly polished,
while the rest Of the marble work is
clouded white. Of pretty effect.
The lobby OF the bank is 10 by 81
feet. The floor is paved with white
Alabama marble with inlaid discs and
1attorns Of Skyros marble frop
Greece. The large pilasters supporting
the structure above are Of Tinos mar
bic from Greece. while the counter
screen. separating the public from the
banking space is formed by a colonade
Of engaged columns and cornice OF
Skyros and Alabama marble, with
grilles Of antique bronze
The vaulted skylight and large win
dow on the court are glazed with lead
ed glass of Roman design. whose col
ors harmonic with the cOlored mar
hles and the decorations of the richly
modelled ceiling. The court window is
balanced on the opposite side of the
room by mirrors with cleverly de-
signed borders OF cOloTed glass. so that
one standing in the public space seems
to see windows at either side of the
building
An Array of Locks and Bolts.
Standing across the far end Of the room
is the vault In front is a massive steel
door with formidable array OF locks