Jamaica Savings Bank Building (Sutphin Boulevard)
| Company type | Savings bank |
|---|---|
| Industry | Banking |
| Defunct | 1999 |
| Fate | Acquired by North Fork Bank |
| Successor | North Fork Bank (later Capital One Bank) |
| Headquarters | Jamaica, Queens, New York City , United States |
Key people | George S. Downing (President), Leander B. Faber (Vice President), Robert W. Higbie (Vice President), George K. Meynen (Vice President), Charles R. Doughty (Treasurer), G. Warren Smith (Secretary), Richard W. Reeves (Assistant Secretary) |
| Products | Savings accounts and banking services |
The Jamaica Savings Bank edifice situated at the intersection of Jamaica Avenue and Sutphin Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, was erected between 1938 and 1939, showcasing the Art Deco architectural style. This structure supplanted the former Queensboro Savings Bank building located at 90-55 Sutphin Boulevard, which Jamaica Savings Bank had acquired in 1934 and subsequently demolished in 1938. Presently, the address is 146-21 Jamaica Avenue, and the building holds the status of a New York City designated landmark.
Context
During the early 1900s, Jamaica evolved into the economic center of Queens County, largely due to advancements in transportation infrastructure. To accommodate the increasing financial activity, President George S. Downing emphasized expanding branch networks. In December 1934, a merger took place between Queensboro Savings Bank and Jamaica Savings Bank; the former’s premises became a branch office while the headquarters remained at 161-02 Jamaica Avenue. Employees from Queensboro continued their positions under the new administration.
By 1934, Jamaica Savings Bank maintained 50,614 accounts and was ranked fifty-seventh among the top one hundred savings banks in the United States. The bank’s leadership team included President George S. Downing; Vice Presidents Leander B. Faber, Robert W. Higbie, and George K. Meynen; Treasurer Charles R. Doughty; Secretary G. Warren Smith; and Assistant Secretary Richard W. Reeves.
Construction
On August 27, 1938, Downing announced plans to construct a second branch to support rapid growth stimulated by the extension of the Eighth Avenue subway line into Jamaica and an increase in apartment developments.
The Sutphin Boulevard Branch officially opened on April 22, 1939. Designed by architect Morrell Smith and built by Theodore L. Rubsamen and Company, this Art Deco building features a striking American eagle relief positioned above its main entrance, decorative cast bronze doors leading into a semicircular vestibule lined with marble, furnishings crafted from American walnut, bronze light fixtures, as well as coordinated carpets and draperies.
The building is clad in Indiana limestone with a polished granite base. Along Sutphin Boulevard’s longer frontage is an emergency exit. The façade includes tall rectangular windows set within recessed frames and bas relief spandrel panels adorned with stars and geometric motifs. A flagpole atop the roof completes this architecturally significant financial institution.
Mural
A mural measuring 16 by 25 feet once adorned the western interior wall, depicting nineteenth-century Fulton Street featuring a stagecoach on a broad avenue; this artwork was removed by Capital One Bank in 2011.
New York City Landmark
Jamaica Savings Bank operated for nearly one hundred years before being acquired by North Fork Bank in 1999; North Fork was subsequently purchased by Capital One Bank in 2008. At that time, the combined organization served the New York City metropolitan area through over 350 branches with assets totaling around $60 billion. The Sutphin Boulevard location continues to function as a Capital One branch. The original Jamaica Savings Bank building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 and received New York City Landmark designation in 2008. The second branch on Sutphin Boulevard was granted landmark status in 2010.