History and architecture
The U.S. Realty Building, designed by Francis Hatch Kimball and built in 1907, is among the first Gothic-inspired skyscrapers in New York. Kimball's sensitive adaptation of this historical style established a sympathetic relationship between the earlier Trinity Building and its neighbor, Trinity Church, which is continued in the design of the U.S. Realty Building. An entirely freestanding, steel-framed structure, the U.S. Realty Building, like its near twin, the Trinity Building, anticipates the skyscraper "cathedral" tower type which emerged a few years later—of which the Woolworth Building is the most notable example.
The spire of Trinity Church, the picturesque rooflines of the Trinity and U.S. Realty Buildings, and the Woolworth Building tower form a romantic ensemble and create a striking, Gothic silhouette on Lower Broadway. Kimball, who had worked with the English Victorian Gothicist William Burges, had won acclaim as a designer of theaters and churches before receiving several important skyscraper commissions at the turn of the century; these tall buildings are known for their important innovations in the technology of caisson foundations.
His strong predilection for Gothic design and his engineering expertise made Kimball the ideal architect of for the U.S. Realty Building commission.
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.