Building at 116 John Street, Art Deco skyscraper in Financial District, Manhattan, US.
The building at 116 John Street is a 35-story office tower with a brick and terra cotta facade in Manhattan's Financial District. The structure follows a three-part composition that gradually tapers from a broad base through a central shaft to narrower upper sections.
Built in 1931 as a speculative office building for insurance companies, 116 John Street was designed by Louis Allen Abramson. Interior rehabilitation began in 2011, and by 2013 some floors had been converted to apartments. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014, and Larry Silverstein bought the building in 2021 for $248 million.
The building displays Art Deco features in its recessed entrances and lobby design, reflecting early 1930s American architectural tastes. These design elements remain visible throughout the interior and shape how the space looks today.
The building stands at the corner of John Street and Pearl Street in the heart of the Financial District. As a visitor, keep in mind that most of the interior functions as private office and residential space.
The facade displays a distinctive stepped reduction upward, a design feature often overlooked in Art Deco skyscrapers. These setbacks served both aesthetic and legal purposes, following early New York City zoning laws that limited tower height.
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