Home Savings Bank Building
Encyclopedia
The Home Savings Bank Building is an office building located in downtown Albany
, New York
at 11 North Pearl Street (NY 32
). At 19 stories and 276 feet (84.1 m) tall, it is the tenth tallest building in the city. When it was completed in 1927, the Home Savings Bank Building was the tallest structure in Albany. However, the Alfred E. Smith Building
surpassed it the following year. That building has since been surpassed by the Erastus Corning Tower
, which since its construction in 1973 has held the title of Albany's tallest building. Nevertheless, the Home Savings Bank Building has remained the tallest private building in Albany since its construction. The building features unusual stylized Art Deco
images of Native Americans
and colonial settlers near its roof and ground floor street entrance. The artwork of unique decorative metal and terra cotta
is by Rene Paul Chambellan
. Also of architectural note is the original street-level banking floor with its various historic seals, rich marble walls and incredibly high ceilings. In recent years, the building has been extensively renovated as a combination downtown central business district office building and high tech telecommunications facility. As of 2010, the bank lobby is being leased to a formal event catering company, who uses the facility for banquets and wedding receptions.
In 1980, when the Downtown Albany Historic District
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, the building was included as a contributing property
.
As of 2010, the Home Savings bank building was owned by New York City based Heights Real Estate Company, with commercial office space available at their website: www.heightsre.com.
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
at 11 North Pearl Street (NY 32
New York State Route 32
New York State Route 32 is a north–south state highway that extends for through the Hudson Valley and Capital District regions of the U.S. state of New York. It is a two-lane surface road for nearly its entire length, with few divided and no limited-access sections. From Harriman to Albany,...
). At 19 stories and 276 feet (84.1 m) tall, it is the tenth tallest building in the city. When it was completed in 1927, the Home Savings Bank Building was the tallest structure in Albany. However, the Alfred E. Smith Building
Alfred E. Smith Building
The Alfred E. Smith Building, known officially as the Alfred E. Smith State Office Building and sometimes called simply the Smith Building, is a structure located in downtown Albany, New York across the street from the New York State Capitol and One Commerce Plaza...
surpassed it the following year. That building has since been surpassed by the Erastus Corning Tower
Erastus Corning Tower
The Erastus Corning Tower, also known as the Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd Tower or simply the Corning Tower, is a skyscraper located in downtown Albany, New York. Completed in 1966 and sided with Vermont Pearl marble and glass, the state office building is part of the Empire State Plaza...
, which since its construction in 1973 has held the title of Albany's tallest building. Nevertheless, the Home Savings Bank Building has remained the tallest private building in Albany since its construction. The building features unusual stylized Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
images of Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
and colonial settlers near its roof and ground floor street entrance. The artwork of unique decorative metal and terra cotta
Terra cotta
Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
is by Rene Paul Chambellan
Rene Paul Chambellan
Rene Paul Chambellan was an American sculptor, born in West Hoboken, New Jersey.Chambellan studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Académie Julian in Paris and with Solon Borglum in New York City. Chambellan specialized in architectural sculpture...
. Also of architectural note is the original street-level banking floor with its various historic seals, rich marble walls and incredibly high ceilings. In recent years, the building has been extensively renovated as a combination downtown central business district office building and high tech telecommunications facility. As of 2010, the bank lobby is being leased to a formal event catering company, who uses the facility for banquets and wedding receptions.
In 1980, when the Downtown Albany Historic District
Downtown Albany Historic District
The Downtown Albany Historic District is a 19-block, area of Albany, New York, United States, centered around the junction of State and North and South Pearl streets . It is the oldest settled area of the city, originally planned and settled in the 17th century, and the nucleus of its later...
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, the building was included as a contributing property
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
.
As of 2010, the Home Savings bank building was owned by New York City based Heights Real Estate Company, with commercial office space available at their website: www.heightsre.com.
See also
Other Albany skyscrapers include:- Alfred E. Smith BuildingAlfred E. Smith BuildingThe Alfred E. Smith Building, known officially as the Alfred E. Smith State Office Building and sometimes called simply the Smith Building, is a structure located in downtown Albany, New York across the street from the New York State Capitol and One Commerce Plaza...
- Erastus Corning TowerErastus Corning TowerThe Erastus Corning Tower, also known as the Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd Tower or simply the Corning Tower, is a skyscraper located in downtown Albany, New York. Completed in 1966 and sided with Vermont Pearl marble and glass, the state office building is part of the Empire State Plaza...
- One Commerce PlazaOne Commerce PlazaOne Commerce Plaza, also known as the Twin Towers, is a private office building located on Washington Avenue in downtown Albany, New York. At 20 floors and 270 feet , it is the twelfth tallest structure in Albany....