New York County National Bank Building

New York County National Bank Building

Industry	Banking (historic)
Founded	April 1906 (1906-04) (construction started)
Founder	New York County National Bank
Fate	Converted to mixed-use including theater, gym, and museum
Successor	Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company (after mergers)
Headquarters	New York City , United States
Area served	Manhattan, New York City
Key people	Theodore W. De Lemos, August W. Cordes, Rudolphe L. Daus (architects)
Products	Banking services (historic)
Owner	Laura Bohn and Richard Fiore (as of late 1990s redevelopment)

The New York County National Bank Building, situated at 77–79 Eighth Avenue and West 14th Street in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, is also recognized as the Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company Building. Erected between 1906 and 1907, it was designed by De Lemos & Cordes alongside Rudolphe L. Daus in the Neoclassical style. In 1926, a seven-story extension was constructed at 75 Eighth Avenue. Later renovations and an additional expansion in 1999, led by Lee Harris and John Reimnitz, maintained the building’s original architectural integrity.

The structure received designation as a New York City landmark on June 7, 1988, initially under the title "Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company Building," and has since transitioned from its banking origins to accommodate an Off-Broadway theater, a men's gym, and a museum. As of 2018, it serves as the home of the Museum of Illusions.

History

Established in 1855, New York County National Bank had occupied the southwest corner of Eighth Avenue and 14th Street by 1877. In February 1905, the bank purchased the adjacent parcel at 77 Eighth Avenue from John Jacob Astor, which was previously occupied by a three-story printing facility.

Use as bank

Following the expiration of the printing house lease in 1906, construction commenced. The bank initially engaged De Lemos and Cordes to design an eight-story structure with banking functions on the first two floors. However, plans were revised to a one-story building with an attic, with Rudolphe L. Daus joining the design team. Daus submitted plans in April 1906 for a Dover marble bank building valued at $250,000.

The architectural concept drew inspiration from R. H. Robertson's Neoclassical New York Savings Bank (1886) located across 14th Street and aligned with the City Beautiful movement’s preference for classical styles in financial buildings.

In 1921, New York County National Bank merged with Chatham and Phenix National Bank, establishing this site as its twelfth branch. Subsequent mergers included one with Metropolitan Trust Company in 1924, forming Chatham-Phenix National Bank and Trust Company; later, in 1932, Manufacturers Trust Company acquired it. This institution, eventually known as Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company (MHT), continued operating this location as a branch.

The building’s landmark status is closely tied to its association with MHT. In 1991, MHT merged with Chemical Banking Corporation, which ultimately became part of Chase Bank.

Later use

In the late 1990s, Laura Bohn and her husband Richard Fiore purchased the property and proposed residential additions. The project received $6 million in funding from the 14th Street Development Corporation to transform it into a mixed-use complex named the Bank Building. Designed by John Reimnitz Architect and Hudson River Studios, the lower levels were converted into a 499-seat Off-Broadway theater spanning approximately 5,000 ft² on the ground floor and an additional 4,000 ft² in the basement. The upper floors were developed into eleven apartments—mostly duplexes ranging between 1,500 and 3,800 ft². A two-story penthouse was added atop the original structure, along with four stories appended to the annex on Eighth Avenue. To meet landmark preservation standards, the roofline was lowered by several feet and the penthouse set back accordingly.

This redevelopment took place amidst ongoing gentrification within the neighborhood. During construction, nearby merchants expressed concerns over a temporary construction barrier installed by developers that they claimed adversely affected their businesses.

By 2004, a men's spa named Nickel occupied parts of the lower floors. Although there was significant demand from affluent buyers, many condominiums initially served as pieds-à-terre due to the area's then-declining condition. The neighborhood's desirability improved during the early 2010s following the opening of the High Line park and surrounding boutique establishments. In September 2018, the Museum of Illusions opened within the former New York County National Bank Building, adding a cultural dimension to this historic site.

Architects

The architectural firm De Lemos & Cordes, established in 1884 by German-born Theodore W. De Lemos and August W. Cordes, was responsible for designing several prominent retail and commercial structures in New York. Their portfolio includes the Siegel-Cooper Dry Goods Store (1895), the Adams Dry Good Store (1900) showcasing Beaux-Arts influence, the 1901 Macy's Department Store, which has been characterized as an "oversized Renaissance style palazzo," and the 1893 Fulton Building, which accommodated their offices alongside those of Rudolphe L. Daus. In 1903, they created a well-regarded bank edifice at 24 Pine Street for Speyer & Company, a project that likely contributed to their selection for the New York County National Bank Building commission.

Rudolphe L. Daus, born in Mexico and educated across New York, Berlin, and Paris, completed his studies at the École des Beaux Arts in 1879, earning numerous accolades for architectural merit. After working under Richard M. Hunt, Daus opened his practice in Brooklyn in 1884 and moved to the Flatiron Building by 1896 while maintaining a strong focus on Brooklyn projects. His designs spanned residential buildings in Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne styles as well as public structures such as the Lincoln Club (1889), Thirteenth Regiment Armory (1891), and multiple branches of the Brooklyn Public Library.

Although De Lemos & Cordes shared office space with Daus at 130 Fulton Street, there is no documented collaboration between them. The architectural drawings for the New York County National Bank Building bear ambiguous signatures, leaving the exact credit for its design uncertain.

Architecture

Constructed atop brick foundations with a concrete base, the building features a flat roof supported by steel columns and reinforced internal frameworks. The exterior is adorned with rubbed South Dover marble, which was once painted to replicate its initial hue. The entrance on Eighth Avenue is distinguished by a pedimented portico supported by fluted Ionic columns positioned at the corners and two piers; originally, bronze lamps flanked this entryway but have since been removed. The pediment itself displays a large eagle with outstretched wings and a downward-curved neck—a change from the original design where the bird’s head was elevated. The side facade incorporates caduceus motifs symbolizing commerce.

See also

• List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan below 14th Street

References

Notes

Sources