The Haier Building:
Constructed: 1922–1925
Architect: York & Sawyer
NEW YORK—A rainy day brings surprises. Coming across The Haier Building in Midtown’s Garment District was one of them.
A set of imposing gold doors decorated with flower and vase motifs secure the back entrance, compelling visitors to venture to the front doors. An American flag hangs above a blue Haier flag, juxtaposed against the facade. Similarly, eight magnificent Roman columns above each doorway support eaves both in front and back.
The name, The Haier Building, is inscribed in gold letters that are visible even in the dark, or the rain, thanks to six lights shining down upon them.
It was originally The Greenwich Savings Bank building, which moved Uptown from Greenwich Village. Roman inspired architecture was favored for banks around the turn of the century, as it was for The Haier Building.
Its design—a rectangular shape and large round banking room—are similar to ancient amphitheaters, including the Coliseum. Inside, limestone, sandstone, and steel serve as backdrops for inscriptions of Minerva and Mercury, representing wisdom and commerce, respectively. A dome tops off the structure, which spans 36th Street from Broadway to Sixth Avenue. It’s located at 1136 Broadway.
After 1980, it changed ownership several times. Haier America, a global appliance company, purchased it for its corporate headquarters in 2000.
Presently, the building is leased to Gotham Hall, an event management company.
