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Upon its completion, the American Surety Building reached a height of approximately 400 feet and comprised 25 stories.
Answer: False
Upon its completion, the American Surety Building stood at a height of approximately 308 to 312 feet with 21 stories. Its current height is approximately 338 feet.
Louis Sullivan is identified as the principal architect responsible for the design of the American Surety Building.
Answer: False
The principal architect credited with the design of the American Surety Building is Bruce Price, not Louis Sullivan.
Construction of the American Surety Building commenced in 1894 and was finalized in 1896.
Answer: True
The construction timeline for the American Surety Building spans from 1894 to 1896.
The initial construction cost for the American Surety Building was approximately $5 million.
Answer: False
The original construction cost for the American Surety Building was approximately $1.75 million, not $5 million.
Upon its initial completion, the American Surety Building was equipped with six elevators and a spiral staircase.
Answer: True
The building's initial configuration included six elevators and a spiral staircase to serve its occupants.
The elevators within the American Surety Building operated at a speed of 100 feet per minute upon its opening.
Answer: False
The elevators in the American Surety Building operated at a significantly faster speed of 400 feet per minute when it first opened, which was considered rapid for the era.
The American Surety Company commissioned the building to serve as its corporate headquarters.
Answer: True
The American Surety Company was both the developer and the original owner, commissioning the building specifically for its headquarters.
What was the approximate original height of the American Surety Building upon its completion?
Answer: 310 feet
Upon its completion, the American Surety Building measured approximately 308 to 312 feet in height.
Who was the principal architect credited with designing the American Surety Building?
Answer: Bruce Price
Bruce Price is recognized as the principal architect responsible for the design of the American Surety Building.
In what year range was the American Surety Building constructed?
Answer: 1894-1896
The construction period for the American Surety Building extended from 1894 to 1896.
What was the approximate original construction cost of the American Surety Building?
Answer: $1.75 million
The original construction cost for the American Surety Building was approximately $1.75 million.
How many elevators did the American Surety Building initially contain?
Answer: Six
The American Surety Building was initially equipped with six elevators.
What was the reported speed of the elevators in the American Surety Building when it first opened?
Answer: 400 feet per minute
The elevators in the American Surety Building operated at a speed of 400 feet per minute upon its initial opening.
Which company originally developed and owned the American Surety Building?
Answer: American Surety Company
The American Surety Company was the original developer and owner of the building, utilizing it as its headquarters.
The architectural style employed in the design of the American Surety Building is Neo-Renaissance.
Answer: True
The American Surety Building was designed in the Neo-Renaissance architectural style.
The primary facade material of the American Surety Building is limestone.
Answer: False
The facade of the American Surety Building is primarily constructed from Maine granite, not limestone.
The articulation of the American Surety Building's facade, featuring distinct base, shaft, and capital elements, intentionally evokes the structure of a classical column.
Answer: True
The facade's tripartite division into base, shaft, and capital is a deliberate design choice, drawing a parallel to the components of a classical column.
J. Massey Rhind was the artist responsible for designing the sculptural elements adorning the facade.
Answer: True
The sculptural elements featured on the facade, including classical figures, were designed by J. Massey Rhind.
The progressively recessed windows on the upper stories were incorporated solely for aesthetic effect.
Answer: False
The recessing of windows by one inch per story on the upper levels served a dual purpose: to enhance illumination in the upper stories and to create an architectural effect analogous to entasis.
Which architectural style best characterizes the design of the American Surety Building?
Answer: Neo-Renaissance
The American Surety Building was designed in the Neo-Renaissance architectural style.
What material constitutes the primary facade of the American Surety Building?
Answer: Maine granite
The facade of the American Surety Building is predominantly constructed from Maine granite.
The facade's articulation, featuring a base, shaft, and capital, is reminiscent of what?
Answer: A classical column
The tripartite division of the facade into base, shaft, and capital deliberately evokes the structure of a classical column.
Who designed the classical figures featured on the facade of the American Surety Building?
Answer: J. Massey Rhind
The classical figures adorning the facade were designed by the sculptor J. Massey Rhind.
The American Surety Building was among the pioneering structures in Manhattan to incorporate steel framing and curtain wall construction techniques.
Answer: True
The American Surety Building represented an early adoption of steel framing and curtain wall construction in Manhattan, marking a significant advancement in skyscraper engineering.
The foundation system for the American Surety Building incorporated grillage and caissons, extending to bedrock.
Answer: True
The building's foundation utilized a combination of grillage and caissons, which were sunk to bedrock at depths ranging from 71 to 79 feet.
The foundation design for the American Surety Building failed to account for the potential structural impact of future subway construction in the vicinity.
Answer: False
The foundation design explicitly considered the anticipated effects of a nearby subway tunnel, incorporating measures to withstand vibrations and structural stresses.
The internal steel structure of the American Surety Building was constructed independently of adjacent structures, utilizing cantilevered piers.
Answer: True
The building's internal steel frame was cantilevered over its foundation piers, enabling its construction to be entirely independent of adjacent structures and eliminating the need for party walls.
Fireproofing measures implemented in the American Surety Building included encasing exposed steel beams with 3.5-inch-thick fireproof tile.
Answer: True
Fireproofing protocols involved covering exposed steel beams with 3.5-inch-thick fireproof tile and constructing floor arches from 10-inch-thick firebrick.
Water tanks, collectively holding 50,000 gallons, were strategically located on the 10th and 21st floors of the building.
Answer: True
The building's water supply system included tanks on the 10th and 21st floors with a combined capacity of 50,000 U.S. gallons.
Which of the following construction innovations was pioneered by the American Surety Building in New York City?
Answer: The first skyscraper with a full steel skeleton
The American Surety Building was notable as the first skyscraper in New York City to employ a complete steel skeleton structure.
How did the foundation design account for potential subway construction?
Answer: It was designed to withstand vibrations from a nearby subway tunnel.
The foundation was engineered with consideration for the anticipated subway tunnel, designed to withstand the associated vibrations and structural impacts.
What structural approach allowed the American Surety Building's internal frame to be independent of adjacent buildings?
Answer: Cantilevering the steel structure over foundation piers
The internal steel structure was cantilevered over the foundation piers, ensuring its independence from adjacent structures and eliminating the need for party walls.
Which of the following was a fireproofing measure employed in the American Surety Building?
Answer: Covering exposed steel beams with fireproof tile
Fireproofing measures included covering exposed steel beams with 3.5-inch-thick fireproof tile.
What was a primary benefit derived from the use of non-load-bearing curtain walls on the American Surety Building's northern and western elevations?
Answer: They allowed for more usable interior space and increased rental income.
The utilization of non-load-bearing curtain walls on specific elevations facilitated greater usable interior space, thereby increasing potential rental income and reducing foundation requirements.
Where were the main water tanks located within the American Surety Building, and what was their combined capacity?
Answer: 10th and 21st floors; 50,000 gallons
Water tanks were situated on the 10th and 21st floors, providing a combined capacity of 50,000 U.S. gallons.
The American Surety Building is considered significant in early skyscraper development for its incorporation of:
Answer: Steel framing and curtain wall construction
The building's significance in early skyscraper development stems from its incorporation of advanced steel framing and curtain wall construction techniques.
The American Surety Building is situated at the intersection of Wall Street and Broadway in Manhattan.
Answer: False
The building is located at the intersection of Pine Street and Broadway, not Wall Street and Broadway, in Manhattan's Financial District.
Upon its completion in 1896, the American Surety Building held the distinction of being the tallest building in New York City.
Answer: False
When completed in 1896, the American Surety Building was the second tallest building in New York City, surpassed by the Manhattan Life Insurance Building.
Life insurance firms in the late 19th century erected prominent skyscrapers primarily to accommodate their expanding administrative staff.
Answer: False
The construction of prominent skyscrapers by life insurance companies during this period was primarily a strategic initiative to project an image of financial stability and corporate presence to the public.
At which intersection is the American Surety Building located in Manhattan?
Answer: Pine Street and Broadway
The American Surety Building is situated at the intersection of Pine Street and Broadway in Manhattan's Financial District.
When completed in 1896, what was the American Surety Building's height ranking among New York City buildings?
Answer: It was the second tallest building.
Upon its completion in 1896, the American Surety Building ranked as the second tallest building in New York City.
Why did life insurance firms construct prominent skyscrapers in the late 19th century, according to the source?
Answer: To demonstrate their financial stability and presence.
These structures served as a deliberate strategy for life insurance companies to establish a visible corporate presence and convey an image of financial robustness.
The American Surety Building has been known by alternative designations, including the 'Bank of Tokyo Building'.
Answer: True
The source material identifies the building by several names, including the American Surety Building, the Bank of Tokyo Building, and 100 Broadway.
The American Surety Building underwent major renovations during the 1950s and again in the 1980s.
Answer: False
While the building has undergone modifications, the source specifically details major renovations between 1920-1922 and 1973-1975, with further modifications occurring subsequently, rather than major renovations in the 1950s and 1980s.
The annex constructed between 1920 and 1922 served solely to increase the building's overall height.
Answer: False
The annex construction during 1920-1922 not only increased the building's height by adding two stories but also widened its footprint and expanded the overall floor area.
During the 1970s renovation, the ground-level commercial spaces were reconfigured into a large open arcade.
Answer: True
A renovation undertaken in the 1970s involved the transformation of the ground-level banking and commercial areas into an expansive open arcade.
The annex construction initiated in 1920 was planned with an estimated budget of $1 million.
Answer: False
The planned cost for the annex construction between 1920 and 1922 was $2.5 million, not $1 million.
Kajima International was contracted during the 1970s renovation to refurbish the building's upper floors.
Answer: False
Kajima International was responsible for refurbishing the lower thirteen stories occupied by the Bank of Tokyo during the 1970s renovation, not the upper floors.
A significant aluminum rhomboid sculpture by Isamu Noguchi was installed in the lobby during the 1970s renovation.
Answer: True
The 1970s renovation included the installation of a notable 17-foot-long aluminum rhomboid sculpture created by Isamu Noguchi in the building's lobby.
What transformation occurred at the ground level during the 1970s renovation?
Answer: The banking and commercial spaces became a large open arcade.
During the 1970s renovation, the ground-level banking and commercial areas were reconfigured into a large open arcade.
Which company was responsible for refurbishing the lower thirteen stories of the building in the 1970s?
Answer: Kajima International
Kajima International was engaged by the Bank of Tokyo to undertake the refurbishment of the lower thirteen stories during the 1970s renovation.
What notable artwork was added to the lobby during the 1970s renovation?
Answer: An aluminum rhomboid sculpture by Isamu Noguchi
A significant addition to the lobby during the 1970s renovation was a 17-foot-long aluminum rhomboid sculpture created by Isamu Noguchi.
The dispute with John Jacob Astor concerning the building's cornice was resolved through the demolition of the proposed cornice.
Answer: False
The conflict with John Jacob Astor was resolved not by demolition, but by American Surety leasing the adjacent Schermerhorn Building, thereby allowing their original cornice design to proceed.
Identify the alternative designations for the American Surety Building as provided in the source material.
Answer: Bank of Tokyo Building and 100 Broadway
The source material explicitly states that the American Surety Building is also known as the Bank of Tokyo Building and 100 Broadway.
How was the dispute with John Jacob Astor concerning the building's cornice resolved?
Answer: American Surety leased the adjacent Schermerhorn Building.
The resolution involved American Surety leasing the adjacent Schermerhorn Building for 99 years, thereby circumventing Astor's objections and allowing the cornice design to proceed.
In what year was the American Surety Building officially designated as a New York City landmark?
Answer: 1995
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission officially designated the American Surety Building as a city landmark in 1995.