Brooklyn Trust Company Building

Brooklyn Trust Company
Industry	Banking
Founded	1866
Fate	Absorbed into JPMorgan Chase
Headquarters	Brooklyn, New York, United States

The Brooklyn Trust Company Building, situated at 177 Montague Street in the Brooklyn Heights section of Brooklyn, New York, was erected between 1913 and 1916 to serve the Brooklyn Trust Company. Crafted by the architectural firm York and Sawyer in the Renaissance Revival manner, its design draws inspiration from Verona’s Palazzo della Gran Guardia. Both the exterior and interior of the structure have been designated as New York City designated landmarks, and it is also recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

This edifice comprises a principal western portion along with an annex facing Pierrepont Street to the east. The base, spanning three stories, together with the annex, is constructed from rusticated stone blocks and features expansive double-height arches on all three adjoining streets; those on Montague and Pierrepont Streets incorporate elaborately detailed entrances. The fourth and fifth levels evoke a loggia, with windows divided by pilasters beneath a roof adorned with Spanish tiles. Ornamental vestibules greet visitors upon entry, while inside, the rectangular banking hall on Clinton Street showcases floors made of Cosmati marble, walls clad in yellow-beige marble, and a vibrantly decorated vaulted ceiling. Initially, additional office spaces were located on the ground, fourth, and fifth floors, alongside two bank vaults in the basement. The banking hall continues to operate as a branch of Chase Bank, whereas the upper stories have been transformed into 12 condominium units.

Since its establishment at Montague and Clinton Streets in 1873, the Brooklyn Trust Company experienced considerable growth over five decades. In 1913, it purchased the adjacent Brooklyn Club’s clubhouse and developed its headquarters in two stages, reaching completion by September 1916. The upper floors were originally leased for office use while banking functions remained on the ground floor. Following several corporate mergers, Brooklyn Trust was absorbed into JPMorgan Chase, which eventually sold the property in 2007. Ownership transferred to the Stahl Organization in 2009, who undertook a conversion of the upper floors into condominiums between 2012 and 2015.

Site

Positioned within Brooklyn’s Brooklyn Heights neighborhood in New York City, the Brooklyn Trust Company Building occupies a slender parcel on Clinton Street’s east side, nestled between Montague Street to its south and Pierrepont Street to its north. The plot encompasses , featuring frontages measuring along Clinton Street, along Pierrepont Street, and along Montague Street; notably, the easternmost segment on Pierrepont extends just into the block. It adjoins both the People's Trust Building and 185 Montague Street, although these neighboring bank structures exhibit distinct architectural styles. Nearby landmarks include the Montague–Court Building, Brooklyn Union Gas Company Headquarters, the Center for Brooklyn History, St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church, and the Crescent Athletic Club House associated with Saint Ann's School. Directly opposite its Montague Street entrance is an access point to the New York City Subway's Borough Hall/Court Street station.

Historically, this site was under ownership of developer Hezekiah Pierrepont, whose name is commemorated by Pierrepont Street; Montague Street honors his kin, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. Prior to this building’s erection, a residence constructed in the 1850s stood at the Clinton and Montague corner as home to politician George Taylor, later becoming the bank’s headquarters in 1873. During the late nineteenth century, cultural institutions such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music and Brooklyn Mercantile Library flourished nearby. The Brooklyn Club occupied adjacent property on Pierrepont Street that had formerly housed the Greenleaf Female Institute. By the 1890s, commercial expansion reshaped this district; Montague Street earned its moniker "Bank Row" due to an influx of bank buildings erected in the early twentieth century.

Architecture

The Brooklyn Trust Company Building was crafted by the banking architects York and Sawyer specifically for the Brooklyn Trust Company. Its architectural inspiration stems from the Palazzo della Gran Guardia located in Verona, Italy. Constructed in the 1910s amid a wave of standalone bank edifices in New York City, it incorporates classical design elements typical of that period. York and Sawyer later echoed this architectural approach in their designs for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Building and the Apple Bank Building in Manhattan.

Although the structure appears to have four stories, it actually comprises five floors when including its annex. Each floor’s height corresponds to that of a conventional seven-story building. The main roof is distinguished by its green tile covering. Both the exterior facade and interior spaces have been designated as New York City landmarks, and in 2009, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Facade

The facade showcases an Italian Renaissance design, built from limestone and granite, and is horizontally segmented into two parts. The base, formed by the ground and third floors, features rusticated and vermiculated limestone above a pink-granite water table. While the banking hall on the ground floor aligns with the annex’s first and second stories, it is officially counted as one story by the New York City Department of Buildings. The piano nobile occupies the fourth and fifth floors, marked by a colonnade of double-height Corinthian engaged columns and pilasters crafted from smooth limestone. A three-bay-wide annex at the northeast corner presents a rusticated limestone facade.

Montague Street

The primary ornamental element on Montague Street is a central round arch approached by a stoop with five steps. Stone pedestals flank this stoop and support 15-foot-tall cast-iron torchères adorned with motifs such as lions, tortoises, volutes, acanthus leaves, flowers, fruits, birds, and foliage; these hold globe-shaped lamps. The recessed entrance comprises double-height wrought-iron gates embellished with foliate designs alongside inner bronze and glass doors. When opened, these gates slide back into a Roman Imperial-style limestone frame decorated with rinceaux, floral patterns, birds, animals, urns, and centaur-like figures.

At street level adjacent to the entrance are rectangular windows fitted with metal grilles and voussoirs capped by keystones; comparable windows appear at mezzanine level with a flagpole projecting from the central keystone. Above the arch at mezzanine height sits a lunette divided into three sections by vertical bands featuring a stone grille with floral and urn motifs; its central plaque reads "Erected MCMXV" beneath an eagle with outstretched wings. Above this is a cartouche displaying a shield carved with an eagle alongside Roman numerals MDCCCLXVI (1866) and MCMXV (1915), denoting the Brooklyn Trust Company’s founding year and building completion date. This is surmounted by a winged helmet flanked by interlaced key designs.

The piano nobile on the fourth and fifth floors features a three-bay colonnade with two-over-two sash windows separated by Corinthian engaged columns. Dark-red marble spandrels decorate the space between floors, complemented by balustrades in front of each fourth-story window. Pilasters frame both the colonnade and ends of the building. Above the fifth floor runs a frieze adorned with urns dividing square panels inscribed with Brooklyn neighborhood names: "Greenpoint–Flatbush–Wallabout" on the west side and "Breucklyn–New Lots–Red Hook" on the east side (notably spelling Brooklyn as "Breucklyn"). These inscriptions reference towns that were incorporated into present-day Brooklyn. Just below the tiled roof lies a cornice featuring dentil molding along with lion-head water spouts.

Clinton Street

The Clinton Street facade is horizontally segmented into two distinct parts, mirroring the design approach seen on the Pierrepont and Montague Street facades. The base level consists of nine bays; the two outer bays include rectangular windows on the ground floor and square windows with grilles and voussoirs on the third floor. The central seven bays are characterized by double-height arches housing recessed windows, each divided by robust mullions into six panes arranged in a three-over-three configuration, with each window containing 61 individual panes. Below these windows are painted stone panels, while voussoirs accentuate the arch tops.

The fourth and fifth floors display fourteen vertical bays. Pilasters and antae mark the northern and southern extremities. On the outermost bays, fourth-floor windows are adorned with balustrades topped by cartouches and triangular pediments, whereas fifth-floor windows are simple rectangles. The twelve central bays create a colonnade featuring two-over-two sash windows separated by Corinthian engaged columns, with dark-red marble spandrel panels between stories and balustrades on the fourth floor. Pilasters frame each end of this colonnade. Above the fifth story runs a frieze inscribed with "Anno Domini MCMXV" at both ends, flanked by urn motifs. The entire facade is crowned with a denticulated cornice embellished with lion-head water spouts.

Pierrepont Street

The Pierrepont Street elevation shares similarities with Montague Street's facade but includes a ground-level entrance framed in limestone decorated with acanthus leaf motifs at its base. Instead of torchères, octagonal lanterns featuring floral designs and a fleur-de-lis pattern adorn this facade. The frieze carries inscriptions naming Brooklyn neighborhoods: "New Utrecht–Flatland–Breucklyn" on the left side and "Gravesend–Gowanus–Bushwick" on the right, all capitalized.

From the first through third stories, the annex is clad in rusticated and vermiculated stone blocks consistent with the main structure, while the fourth and fifth floors have smooth ashlar surfaces. Initially, first-floor windows were protected by grilles beneath voussoirs. Between the second and fourth floors, the central bay contains paired windows flanked by single ones; above the third-story center window is an inscription panel bordered by Renaissance-style shields—a checkerboard symbolizing steadfastness to the left, and an oak tree with exposed roots representing strength and openness to the right. Fifth-floor windows are single units with an expanded central bay; voussoirs top all fourth- and fifth-floor windows, culminating in a plain cornice above the fifth story.

Interior

The building incorporates an internal steel superstructure supported by steel foundations. Originally, the majority of space was allocated to Brooklyn Trust Company's banking functions, including vaults located in the basement and offices spanning the first three floors. The upper two stories were leased as office space. Upon opening, mechanical systems included 46 miles of wiring, while vault construction utilized 1,000 short tons of masonry combined with 500 short tons of steel.

Following renovations in the early 2010s, the upper floors were transformed into twelve condominiums, whereas banking operations continued on the ground level. Residential amenities include a laundry facility, pet spa, fitness center, lounge areas, designated playrooms for children and teenagers, a music practice room, and a rooftop terrace.

Banking hall

The interior of the banking hall showcases design influences from both Ancient Roman and Italian Renaissance styles, highlighted by Cosmati marble flooring and an arched ceiling. This space is organized into seven distinct bays along the west and east walls, accessible through lobbies situated to the north and south. The marble floor incorporates shades of gray, beige, green, and porphyry, carefully sectioned to correspond with each bay and edged with tesserae tiles. Originally, three bronze customer writing desks featured legs shaped like animal forms. On the eastern side, marble teller counters were enclosed by bronze cages, which were replaced in 1994 by wood and Plexiglas barriers.

The walls are clad in a yellow-beige marble finish, with seven bays mirrored on both the west and east elevations. The western wall receives natural light from seven arched windows facing Clinton Street; meanwhile, the eastern wall includes a central round-arched window flanked by six blind arches. Beneath each window runs a cast frieze decorated with medallions portraying classical figures, separated by motifs such as acanthus leaves, urns, and mythological creatures. Rusticated pilasters divide these openings and support a cornice embellished with running dog patterns and acanthus detailing. Within the fourth bay on the western wall is a U-shaped staircase descending to the basement, finished in marble. The eastern wall’s fourth and fifth bays contain elaborately designed doorways leading to offices, while the sixth and seventh bays feature simpler entrances.

The north and south walls reflect each other symmetrically, featuring marble cladding at their corners topped by piers that uphold an architrave decorated with octagonal and trapezoidal motifs. Central double-height doorways on both walls are framed in molded Roman-style surrounds with bronze-and-glass doors topped by transoms. Each doorway is crowned with Renaissance-inspired shields accompanied by carved panels inscribed with phrases emphasizing principles of commerce and trust.

Rising about 40 feet high, the vaulted ceiling is intricately adorned with octagonal coffers painted in hues of blue, green, gold, and beige. These coffers are arranged in a 52-by-12 grid that alternates with lozenge shapes. Above the west and east arches sit lunettes fitted with ornate grilles. Circular medallions featuring floral designs framed by Greek-key borders are centered within select bays; from these hang multi-tiered bronze chandeliers decorated with caryatids, struts, and foliate brackets.

Other lower-story spaces

Flanking the banking hall to the north and south are nearly identical entrance vestibules distinguished only by a letter box located in the southern vestibule. Both vestibules feature Cosmati marble flooring paired with light-gray marble walls that include chamfered corners. Relief sculptures depicting shields adorned with eagles, garlands, fruit, and foliage embellish the western and eastern walls; beneath the western relief lie four ventilation grilles. The eastern wall contains an alcove housing elevator doors alongside a bronze-and-glass door leading to a staircase. Each vestibule’s plaster ceiling incorporates multicolored relief work centered around a hexagonal bronze-and-glass chandelier suspended from a medallion set within a rectangular frame patterned with Greek keys and cornered by monster figures.

Doors positioned along the banking hall’s eastern wall provide access to the main office and foyer, both of which incorporate plaster ceilings and wood-paneled walls. The foyer includes built-in cabinetry lining its walls alongside ceiling decorations featuring acanthus leaves and floral motifs. Within the main office stands a dark gray marble fireplace mantel flanked by pilasters that divide sections of wood paneling; above runs a wooden cornice adorned with dentil molding. The ceiling is decorated with vine and leaf patterns centered beneath a chandelier. In the ground floor’s northwest corner lies a rectangular office containing a carved wooden fireplace mantel framed by brown-veined granite, complemented by a large recessed mirror and arched plaster-carved walls supporting a vaulted ceiling.

Originally part of the building was an Adam style "retiring room" lounge designed for female clients, furnished with black walnut pieces accented by old blue upholstery. By the 2010s, one bank vault adjacent to the lobby had been converted into a pet grooming area, accompanied by nearby storage for bicycles and strollers.

The Brooklyn City Safe Deposit Company initially occupied the basement level, which features an arched ceiling along an ornamental plaster corridor lined with marble walls matching those found in the banking hall. The floors consist of marble bordered in light-gray stone inset with gray marble panels. Within the northern section of the basement reside two vault rooms separated by a bronze screen featuring a central doorway topped by a clock. Vault walls exceed two feet in thickness; their doors weigh approximately 25 short tons each and open only after lowering the floor in front of them. Contemporary accounts described these vaults as capable of resisting "any known method of attack." Access to the principal vault chamber is via six marble steps fitted with bronze railings; this room’s floor includes a light-gray marble border surrounding a dark-gray central panel beneath its vaulted ceiling. The main vault’s steel wall and door occupy its northern boundary; additional doorways on its west and east sides provide access to further vault spaces, including one secured behind another bronze vault screen.

Upper floors

Initially, the Pierrepont Street annex accommodated three levels of bookkeeping offices, linked to the banking hall through pneumatic tube systems. The fourth floor of the main structure partially housed Brooklyn Trust's boardrooms, while the upper two stories were leased to external companies. By the late 2000s, many of these upper-level spaces had undergone significant alterations, including the installation of dropped ceilings. The conference room on the fourth floor showcased features such as recessed windows, wall sconces, a marble-framed fireplace, and an arched ceiling adorned with plaster detailing and chandeliers. On the fifth floor, original elements like wooden wainscoting and door frames remained intact, with some offices containing black marble mantelpieces.

Following renovations in the 2010s, the upper floors were transformed into condominiums offering up to five bedrooms, with most units providing at least three bedrooms. Access to these residences is through a distinct marble-clad lobby facing Pierrepont Street. Certain units preserve original fireplaces. Due to landmark preservation constraints, modifications were limited; consequently, residential floors are suspended from trusses on the top level, resulting in unique layouts that include three duplex units connected by ladders. One master bedroom conceals a hidden panel granting access to controls for the banking hall clock—a mechanism historically reset twice yearly by the bank manager. Preservation guidelines also dictated that the top floor features operable skylights but lacks traditional windows.

History

Chartered in 1866, the Brooklyn Trust Company relocated in 1873 to George Taylor’s former residence at Clinton and Montague Streets, expanding this property multiple times to meet growing demands. After acquiring the Long Island Loan and Trust Company in early 1913, the institution sought to enlarge its headquarters beyond its then-current size of .

Expansion

In November 1913, Brooklyn Trust purchased the Brooklyn Club’s clubhouse located at Clinton and Pierrepont Streets—adjacent to Taylor’s house—for $115,000. This acquisition more than doubled the bank’s footprint locally to a site measuring . The agreement stipulated that construction must commence within two years, while allowing the club to retain two floors within the new building. Club members approved this sale in December. The bank planned to demolish both the clubhouse and Taylor residence to erect a new headquarters estimated between $500,000 and $750,000—approximately six times larger than their former facility.

The architectural firm York and Sawyer was engaged for design work, with Marc Eidlitz & Son serving as general contractor. Stonework was executed by James McLaren & Sons, while wrought-iron gates and bronze teller grilles were crafted by William H. Jackson.

Construction began by July 1914 with labor drawn from 104 trades. The initial phase replaced the Brooklyn Club building on Clinton and Pierrepont Streets and was completed by mid-1915. The bank moved operations there on September 7, 1915, situating executive offices near this section’s southern end. Work on the Montague Street side commenced later that year; despite a labor strike, it opened on September 13, 1916. The building’s completion coincided with Brooklyn Trust Company’s 50th anniversary.

Occupancy

One notable tenant was law firm Cullen & Dykman, which established offices in the Brooklyn Trust Company Building in 1915 and remained on its upper floors for most of the century while expanding throughout Long Island. During early 20th-century growth across New York City, Brooklyn Trust expanded to 31 branches by the 1930s—including locations in Queens and Staten Island. A Park Slope branch replicated design elements from its Montague Street headquarters. After merging with Manufacturers Trust Company in 1950, this building functioned as one of its branches.

In the 1960s, Manufacturers Trust merged into Manufacturers Hanover Corporation, which centralized Montague Street branch activities at Manhattan's St. John's Terminal in 1966. As part of "Brighten Downtown Brooklyn," Manufacturers Hanover illuminated bronze torches on this building during the late 1980s. Cullen & Dykman renewed their lease for twenty years in 1987. In 1993, public hearings considered landmark status for this and other bank buildings in Brooklyn and Manhattan; it was officially designated a New York City landmark on June 25, 1996.

By the early 2000s, following corporate mergers, this building operated as a JPMorgan Chase branch. After demolition of a nearby historic structure in 2004 prompted preservation efforts, JPMorgan Chase sold the property to Brookfield Asset Management in 2007 but retained a Chase Bank branch on the ground floor. Brookfield sold it to the Stahl Organization in 2008 for $9.7 million. On August 20, 2009, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In December 2012, Stahl announced intentions to convert the annex into thirteen condominiums after previously converting Manhattan’s Apple Bank Building into residential units. This project involved creating a new residential lobby designed by Barry Rice Architects and restoring the facade; landmark protections ensured preservation of the banking hall interior. The Landmarks Preservation Commission approved a revised condominium plan including a one-story annex addition in early 2013; subsequent approvals from the Department of Buildings followed along with floor plan releases later that year. Renovations concluded in 2015 with sales launching for twelve condos starting at $3.35 million each. By year-end four units had been sold, with prices reflecting "exceptional architectural design within existing structural limitations."

Reception

While under construction, the Brooklyn Life praised the Brooklyn Trust Company Building as a significant architectural contribution to Brooklyn, and the Brooklyn Daily Eagle referred to it as one of the borough's "showplaces." The Standard Union remarked that, together with the Mechanics Bank Building, it would stand as a cornerstone of Brooklyn's financial sector.

Half a century later, architecture critic Henry Hope Reed Jr. lauded the bank as "among the finest of its kind," emphasizing its Cosmatesque marble flooring and richly decorated ceiling. In the 2008 Guide to New York City Landmarks, authors Matthew A. Postal and Andrew Dolkart acknowledged the Brooklyn Trust Company—established in 1866—for erecting the most exquisite structure along Brooklyn’s banking corridor.

External links

Chase Bank website
Note: This includes and Accompanying 25 photographs