Equitable Building

The Equitable Building is a historic skyscraper in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, located at 120 Broadway. Designed by Ernest Graham, the building was completed in 1915 and, with its enormous floor area, was the largest office building in the world at the time. It occupies an entire block bounded by Cedar, Nassau, and Pine Streets and Broadway, just one block from the World Trade Center. The building is a striking example of early skyscraper architecture and holds a central position in the Financial District.

The history of the site dates back to 1870, when the first skyscraper in history was built there. That original building, home to the Equitable Life Assurance Society insurance company, burned down in 1912, after which the present skyscraper was erected on the same spot. The 169.2-meter (555-foot) tower has 38 floors and rests on a six-story base in the Beaux-Arts style. Its monolithic form, with vertical edges and two slabs, had such an impact on the cityscape that in 1916 it led to New York's first stricter building regulations for tall buildings, which mandated setbacks.

Today the building is a designated landmark and part of the Wall Street Historic District. Following extensive renovations in the 1990s and 2010s, which also included the creation of new roof terraces, it now houses a variety of institutions. Current tenants include the New York City Department of City Planning, the publisher Macmillan Publishers, and the offices of the New York State Attorney General. You can admire this architecturally significant building from the outside and experience its historical importance in the context of New York's urban development.