American Surety Company Building

At the time of its completion in 1895, Bruce Price’s American Surety Building was the second-tallest skyscraper in NYC. It had a steel-skeleton frame and curtain walls that were significantly thinner than heavy load-bearing walls, freeing up additional space in offices.^[1] 

The ornate 23-story American Surety Building at 100 Broadway was the second tallest in New York on completion in 1896. Architect Bruce Price used steel framing and curtain-wall construction, as well as caisson foundation piers that were described in detail in Scientific American.^[2] 

Steel framed, the American Surety Company Building is one of the most significant early skyscrapers. It features granite cladding on all four sides, as the building originally appeared as a free-standing tower. It was designed by Emily Post's father, Bruce Price. The classical statues above the fist floor on Broadway are were commissioned from J. Massey Rhind. The street facades are divided into three distinct elements inspired by the base, shaft, and capital of a classical column. This popular characteristic would be seen in other early skyscrapers. The American Surety Company dealt in surety bonds such as bail bonds, fidelity bonds, fiduciary bonds and commercial bonds. American Surety became the biggest company in its field, employing 15,000 local agents nationally in 1924. It merged with Transamerica Corporation in 1963.