56 Pine Street

56 Pine Street is an office building in Manhattan displaying Romanesque Revival design with stone, brick, and terra cotta facades featuring deeply recessed windows and rounded arches. The 16-story structure now houses 90 residential units and includes modern amenities such as a fitness center and conference room.

Architect Oscar Wirz designed this structure in 1894, making it one of the first tall buildings to rise in lower Manhattan during that era. The Romanesque style it showcases helped define how buildings were constructed in this rapidly developing financial area.

The stone carvings feature Byzantine-inspired designs with floral panels and decorative heads visible across the facade, showing how late 19th-century builders took pride in ornamental craftsmanship. These details reflect how people once valued beauty in everyday work buildings.

The building sits at a convenient location in the Financial District with good access to public transportation nearby. Since it now operates as a private residential building, the interior is not open to visitors, but the ornate exterior facades can be viewed freely from the street.

Originally designed as a commercial building, this structure was later converted into residential spaces while preserving its historic exterior facade. This transformation illustrates how older Manhattan buildings adapt to new purposes while maintaining their architectural character.

Location: Manhattan

Inception: 1890s

Architectural style: Romanesque Revival architecture

Part of: Wall Street Historic District

Address: 56-58 Pine Street

GPS coordinates: 40.70667,-74.00889

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:50