United States Realty and Trinity Building 1908

The twin Gothic skyscrapers at 111 and 115 Broadway caused quite a commotion when they were completed in 1905 and 1907. Not only were they among the earliest Gothic-inspired skyscrapers in the city, but a whole street had to be relocated in order to make room for the brand new buildings.

In 1902, US Realty and Construction Company--one of the many large corporations that began replacing individual building developers in the early 20th century--bought the old Trinity Building at 111 Broadway. The long, narrow building, which was designed by Trinity Church architect Richard Upjohn, was wedged between Trinity cemetery on the south and a small Thames Street on the north, with only 40 feet of frontage on Broadway. In a time before efficient indoor lightning, the location offered natural lighting ideal for office buildings.

US Realty’s original plan was to combine the Trinity plot with the land on the opposite side of Thames Street and move the street along the edge of Trinity cemetery. Because of delays that held up the project, though, US Realty went ahead and began erecting their new building on the site of the original Trinity Building itself. In 1904, the street relocation plan was modified, and it was decided that instead of moving Thames Street to the south, it would be shifted 28 feet north of its original location.

Architect Francis H. Kimball, whose architectural firm designed the Empire State Building in the late 19th century, designed the new Trinity Building in the neo-Gothic style, which was not yet an accepted style for skyscrapers. Although the connotations of Gothic architecture such as spirituality and craftsmanship didn’t match those of capitalism and big business, Kimball chose the style because of the building’s proximity to Trinity Church. The neo-Gothic office building and the old Gothic church, Kimball thought, would complement each other perfectly.

By the time Trinity Building opened in 1905, US Realty had bought the plots on the north side of Thames Street, where the corporation began clearing the land and building the US Realty Building at 115 Broadway. Trinity’s sister building, which was also designed by Kimball, would not be completed until 1907.

The media praised the new buildings for their beauty, architectural innovation, and its harmony with the old church. Though the buildings went through several bouts of foreclosures and vacancies in the 1990s, the two skyscrapers continue to adorn the Manhattan skyline and serve as testament to the once unheard of Gothic-style skyscraper.