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In both design and workmanship, the
Broad Street National Bank Building is indicative of the high
quality of early 20th century architecture built in the city of
Trenton. One of the tallest and most massive buildings in the
downtown of Trenton, the imposing structure visually dominates the
neighborhood and is visible from many viewpoints. The building is an
example of French Renaissance architectural influences upon the
modern skyscraper movement traveling to the city via the New York
school of architecture. The structure built in three phases over the
course of a quarter of a century, is still able to achieve
cohesiveness between the three buildings by employing similar
detailing and proportion. The entire structure*s main
characteristics include a column composition with a strong limestone
base, decorated mezzanine level with terra cotta banding and
trimwork and French balconies, a repetitive succession of office
floors and a more delicate and ornamented terra cotta Corinthian
capital and copper cornice with bracketing. Windows are set in pairs
breaking the East State Street facade column shaft into a tripartite
composition. Symmetrical vertical elements add to the building*s
rise and columnar appearance.
As additions were made to the
structure, details were carried through to achieve a cohesiveness
however, each addition begins to become more refined and
progressive. The second twelve-story addition soars even higher than
the first and is clearly of a feminine slender proportion. The
twelve-story structure has a delicate flower-like pattern composed
of terra cotta work at the column capital for two floor levels in a
lighter color of masonry to contrast against the background brick
color of the column shaft. Also, the copper cornice work at this
portion of the building is more elaborate with pairs of scrolled
brackets. The entire structure is transformed vertically from the
heavy base to the less massive, repetitive shaft to the light-weight
capital. The final addition along Montgomery Street also shows a
more progressive stance to the structural work than in the original
1900 structure. The final addition*s first floor arched windows are
more expansive and wider showing a freeing up of and more confidence
in the integrity of the steel structure. Also the limestone base of
the final addition is not scored, leaving the base to appear smooth
with a clean finish in the beginning attempts of minimal
expressionism. In short, the Bank Building shows the transformation
of the modern skyscraper from its infancy in the beginning of the
twentieth century through the middle of the era.
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