History and architecture
The Central Savings Bank, built in 1926-28, was designed by the architectural firm of York & Sawyer in the manner of a grand Italian Renaissance palace.
When the bank celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1934, the president proudly proclaimed: "The Central Savings Bank....is housed in a truly noble building, its lofty interior and its massive exterior typifying all that the Bank has represented in the past---all that the future may bring to us in the way of health and happiness."
The Central Savings Bank is one of the most impressive and dominant features of upper Broadway, complemented by Verdi Square which adjoins it to the south. The design of the bank, which takes unique advantage of the trapezoidal site, is similar in form. The building is six stories high including the monumental story of the banking room, and it is faced with exceptionally handsome blocks of rustic limestone. As a freestanding building, it is visible from all four sides, and three sides are accented by the tall arched windows which light the main banking room.
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.