40 Wall Street

The building is an office tower in Manhattan and one of the characteristic structures in the Art Deco style found in the financial district. The steel and glass construction rises from a granite base through seventy-one floors, ending in a pyramid-shaped crown.

The tower was completed in 1930 as the headquarters for the Bank of Manhattan Trust and briefly held the title of tallest building in the world. Four days later, the Chrysler Building surpassed it, and both were overtaken the following year by the Empire State Building.

The address refers to its location in the financial district, where bankers and business professionals have walked through the doors for over ninety years. The light granite facade and pyramid-shaped crown recall a time when skyscrapers were meant to be landmarks as much as office buildings.

The tower is located a few minutes' walk from several subway stations and can be reached through the main entrance on Wall Street. The lobby areas are open to visitors during regular business hours, though access to the office floors remains restricted.

In 1946, a small military plane crashed into the northern facade, killing five people on board but causing no injuries inside the building. The tower is now a protected landmark and one of the few skyscrapers from this era that have retained their original lobby and facade details.

Location: Manhattan

Inception: 1930

Architects: H. Craig Severance, Yasuo Matsui, Shreve, Lamb & Harmon

Architectural style: Art Deco architecture

Floors above the ground: 70

Elevators: 36

Height: 284 m

Made from material: steel, glass, granite

Part of: Wall Street Historic District

Website: http://40wallstreet.com

GPS coordinates: 40.70694,-74.00972

Latest update: December 4, 2025 19:01