Equitable Building

The Equitable Building at 120 Broadway is a 36-story Neoclassical skyscraper rising 164 meters in the Financial District. Its H-shaped structure features a facade of granite, terracotta, and Yule marble with 5,000 windows.

The building was constructed in 1915 to replace the original Equitable Life Building, destroyed in a devastating fire in 1912. This reconstruction marked a turning point in how New York City approached building regulations.

The building shaped how Manhattan developed, prompting the city to create new zoning laws in 1916 to control how tall structures could rise. These rules changed the way architects designed skyscrapers across the entire city.

The structure contains around 1.2 million square feet of office space with an efficient elevator system handling daily traffic. The extensive window system provides natural light throughout the building's interior spaces.

The building's foundation extends more than 25 meters below street level, showing the remarkable engineering of its era. This deep anchorage reflects how skyscrapers in Manhattan must be firmly rooted to support such height.

Location: Manhattan

Inception: 1915

Architects: Ernest R. Graham

Official opening: 1915

Architectural style: Neoclassical architecture

Floors above the ground: 36

Height: 164 m

Made from material: brick, granite, terracotta, Yule marble

Part of: Wall Street Historic District

Address: 120 Broadway

GPS coordinates: 40.70822,-74.01052

Latest update: December 17, 2025 08:18