The Trump Building

40 Wall Street
40 Wall Street in December 2005
Show map of Lower Manhattan Show map of Manhattan Show map of New York City Show map of New York Show map of the US Location within Lower Manhattan
Alternative names	The Trump Building, Manhattan Company Building
Record height
Tallest in the world from April 1930 to May 27, 1930
Preceded by	Woolworth Building
Surpassed by	Chrysler Building
General information
Location	40 Wall Street, New York City, New York 10005
Coordinates	40°42′25″N 74°00′35″W / 40.706964°N 74.009672°W / 40.706964; -74.009672Coordinates: 40°42′25″N 74°00′35″W / 40.706964°N 74.009672°W / 40.706964; -74.009672
Construction started	1929
Completed	April 1930
Owner	Donald Trump
Height
Architectural	927 ft (283 m)
Top floor	836 ft (255 m)
Technical details
Floor count	72
Floor area	1,111,675 sq ft (103,278.0 m2)
Lifts/elevators	36
Manhattan Company Building
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
NYC Landmark
Location	40 Wall Street, New York City
Area	less than one acre
Built	1929–1930
Architect	H. Craig Severance, Yasuo Matsui, et al.
Architectural style	Skyscraper
NRHP Reference #	00000577
Added to NRHP	June 16, 2000
References

40 Wall Street, also known as the Trump Building, is a 71-story skyscraper between Nassau Street and William Street in Manhattan, New York City. Erected by The Manhattan Company as its headquarters, the building was originally known as the Bank of Manhattan Trust Building, and also as the Manhattan Company Building, until its founding tenant merged to form the Chase Manhattan Bank. The structure was completed in 1930 after 11 months of construction.

The building was designed by H. Craig Severance, along with Yasuo Matsui (associate architect), and Shreve & Lamb (consulting architects). Edward F. Caldwell & Co. designed the lighting. Der Scutt of Der Scutt Architect designed the lobby and entrance renovation. Its pinnacle reaches 927 feet (283 m) and was very briefly the tallest building in the world, surpassed by a spire attached to the Chrysler Building a few months later.

Construction of the Bank of Manhattan Building at 40 Wall Street began in 1928, with a planned height of 840 feet (260 m), making it 135 feet (41 m) taller than the nearby Woolworth Building, completed in 1913. More importantly, the plans were designed to be two feet taller than the Chrysler Building, which was in an ostensible competition to be the world's tallest building.

To stay ahead in the race, the architects of 40 Wall Street changed their originally announced height of 840 feet (260 m), or 68 stories, to 927 feet (283 m), or 71 stories, making their building, upon completion in May 1930, the tallest in the world. This triumph turned out to be short-lived.