American Surety Building

Manhattan, United States

Exterior only

Visible from the street; the inside is private.

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ReferenceCTBUH Skyscraper Center↗

The American Surety Building stands at the corner of Pine Street and Broadway in Manhattan's Financial District, directly across from Trinity Church. Designed by Bruce Price in the Neo-Renaissance style and completed in 1896, this 23-story office tower was among Manhattan's first structures to employ steel framing and curtain wall construction, reaching 388 feet in height. Its Maine granite facade is organized into three horizontal sections—base, shaft, and capital—mimicking classical column proportions, an innovative approach for early New York skyscrapers. Ornamental sculptural elements designed by J. Massey Rhind embellish the facade, while its interior features a steel skeleton with cantilevered foundations. An annex designed by Herman Lee Meader was added between 1920 and 1922, increasing floor space and adding two stories. Following its tenancy by the Bank of Tokyo, Kajima International restored the lower 13 stories between 1973 and 1975. The building was designated a New York City landmark in 1995.