The Jamaica Savings Bank was a bank incorporated in 1866 in the

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

section of the

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. It had four branches across Queens before it was acquired by

North Fork Bank North Fork Bank was an American bank that operated from 1950 until 2008 when it was acquired by Capital One Bank and was merged into that bank. In November 2007, it had 365 branches in the New York metropolitan area. History North Fork early h ...

in 1999, which itself was acquired by

Capital One Bank Capital One Financial Corporation is an American bank holding company founded on July 21, 1994, and specializing in credit cards, auto loans, banking, and savings accounts, headquartered in Tysons, Virginia, with operations primarily in the U ...

in 2008. The bank's original building was built between 1897 and 1898 in the Beaux-Arts style. It is a slender, four-story brick building with a

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

facade. It features a deeply rusticated ground floor with windows protected by elegant metal grilles. The facade is framed by double-story pilasters and covered with elaborate carved brackets, swags and other elements. ''See also:''

History

Incorporation

The original Jamaica Savings Bank was incorporated on April 20, 1866, by 19 local business leaders, including

John Alsop King John Alsop King (January 3, 1788July 7, 1867) was an American politician who was the twentieth governor of New York from 1857 to 1858. He was the 1st Republican governor of New York. Life King was born in the area now encompassed by New York C ...

, governor of New York (1857-1858); Morris Fosdick, and Colonel Aaron A. Degrauw, who met in the Jamaica Town Hall in an effort to "pool their local resources for the purpose of protecting their savings and financing future development" of the Jamaica area. The bank officially opened to the public on July 14, 1866, at 161-02 Jamaica Avenue —a year after the civil war—and operated out of the Queens County Clerk's office with 15 customers depositing a total of $2,675.00. To supplement the ever-expanding community of Jamaica, the bank trustees hired the architectural firm of Hough and Deuell to build the new Beaux-Arts style bank headquarters that became flagship building of the Jamaica Savings Bank in 1898. "This building conveyed the kind of monumentality that is often associated with private social clubs and civic institutions."

Jamaica grows

With the advent of the railroad and other transportation systems, Jamaica quickly developed into the economical and commercial hub of Queens County throughout the early-twentieth century. To fulfill the economic needs of Jamaica's rapidly expanding population, the President of the Jamaica Savings Bank, George S. Downing, felt that the creation of more bank branches was necessary. In December 1934, the Queensboro Savings Bank (located at 90-55 Sutphin Boulevard) was merged with the Jamaica Savings Bank. As a result, the Queensboro Savings Bank was henceforth known as the Jamaica Savings Bank; the bank with the Jamaica Avenue address became the Main Office of the company and the Sutphin Boulevard address served as the Branch Office. The employees of the Queensboro Savings Bank all retained their positions but were then considered employees of the Jamaica Savings Bank."Two Jamaica Savings Banks are Merged" Queensborough-Published by the Chamber of Commerce of the Borough of Queens, December 1934. Retrieved from th
Archives of the Queens Public Library
/ref> In 1934, Jamaica Savings Bank had a total of 50,614 accountants and was listed as fifty-seventh among the 100 largest savings banks in the United States. The officers of the Jamaica Savings Bank at that time were George S. Downing, president; Supreme Court Justice Leander B. Faber, Robert W. Higbie and George K. Meynen, vice-presidents; Charles R. Doughty, treasurer; G. Warren Smith, secretary, and Richard W. Reeves, assistant secretary. On August 27, 1938, George S. Downing announced that the construction of the second Jamaica Savings Bank branch was underway and was expected to be completed on February 1, 1939. Downing stated that the "decision to construct the building had been precipitated by the rapid grown of the Jamaica area" and that the " extension of the Eighth Avenue subway line to Jamaica had resulted in a 'phenomenal growth of apartments' in that section." The Sutphin Boulevard Branch of the

Jamaica Savings Bank The Jamaica Savings Bank was a bank incorporated in 1866 in the Jamaica section of the borough of Queens in New York City. It had four branches across Queens before it was acquired by North Fork Bank in 1999, which itself was acquired by Capita ...

officially opened on April 22, 1939, and was designed by Architect Morrell Smith of 475 Fifth Avenue and Builder/General Contractor Theodore L. Rubsamen and Company of Jamaica. This unique art deco building featured striking decorative features; its most notable feature being the American eagle carved in a low relief and placed over the entrance. "Ornamental cast bronze doors grace the entrance which opens upon a semicircular vestibule lined with marble of black and gold...Furnishings in American walnut, bronze lighting fixtures...and carpets of and draperies of harmonious design and hue complete the interior.

Late 20th century

The modern Jamaica Savings Bank of 1964 is on the corner of 161st Street in downtown Jamaica just across from its Victorian predecessor. Constructed as the new headquarters, the bank built a modernistic steel blue facade with a curved wall of blue

Venetian glass Venetian glass () is glassware made in Venice, typically on the island of Murano near the city. Traditionally it is made with a soda–lime "metal" and is typically elaborately decorated, with various "hot" glass-forming techniques, as well as ...

. The concave entrance continues the accents and it was given an annual architectural award for commercial buildings for innovation by the

Queens Chamber of Commerce Queens is the largest by area of the five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn and by Nassau County to ...

. The award cites the fireproofing materials of gray glazed enamel brick, incorporation of stainless steel columns, and the exterior blue mosaic panels. The building interior had a wrap-around interior mural 162 ft x 11 ft depicting themes of historic Jamaica that included

Captain Kidd William Kidd (c. 1645 – 23 May 1701), also known as Captain William Kidd or simply Captain Kidd, was a Scottish-American privateer. Conflicting accounts exist regarding his early life, but he was likely born in Dundee and later settled in Ne ...

, the

Muscogee The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek or just Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language; English: ), are a group of related Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands Here they waged war again ...

Native American tribe and Revolutionary War General

Nathaniel Woodhull Nathaniel Woodhull (December 30, 1722 – September 20, 1776) was a leader of the New York Provincial Congress and a brigadier general of the New York Militia during the American Revolution. Biography Woodhull was born on December 30, 1722, in ...

. The

fourth branch In politics of the United States, "fourth branch of government" is an unofficial term referring to groups or institutions perceived variously as influencing or acting in the stead of the three branches of the US federal government defined in the Co ...

was built during 1966-1968 at a 56th Avenue and

Queens Boulevard Queens Boulevard is a major thoroughfare connecting Midtown Manhattan, via the Queensboro Bridge, to Jamaica in Queens, New York City, United States. It is long and forms part of New York State Route 25. Queens Boulevard runs northwest to ...

in Elmhurst, next to the Queens Place Mall. The

New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the Government of New York City, New York City agency charged with administering the city's Historic preservation, Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting Ne ...

designated the building as a landmark on June 28, 2005 (designation number LP-2173), but the full council voted the designation down on October 20, 2005.

Legacy

The legacy of the Jamaica Savings Bank lasted for nearly a century until the bank was acquired by

in 1999, which itself was acquired by

in 2008. The Sutphin Boulevard branch of the Jamaica Savings Bank building is a Capital One Bank branch. The original Jamaica Savings Bank building was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1983, and a

New York City Landmark The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and c ...

in 2008. The second branch building on

Sutphin Boulevard Sutphin Boulevard is a major street in the New York City borough of Queens. Its northern end is at Hillside Avenue in Jamaica and its southern end is Rockaway Boulevard on the border of South Jamaica and Springfield Gardens. It comes from the D ...

was dedicated as a New York City Landmark in 2010. The third building has closed and a sneaker company resides inside, the mural is no longer visible. The Queens Boulevard building with an elongated-saddle roof, built in 1966–1968, houses a Bank of America branch.

References

External links

*
Advertisement for Jamaica Savings Bank, Sutphin Blvd. Branch.

by Christopher Day, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', November 3, 1991
1897
an
1939 Jamaica Savings Bank Buildings
(New York City Landmark Preservation Commission) {{Authority control Bank buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in New York City Bank buildings in New York City Beaux-Arts architecture in New York City Commercial buildings completed in 1898 New York City Designated Landmarks in Queens, New York Commercial buildings in Queens, New York Jamaica, Queens 1898 establishments in New York City National Register of Historic Places in Queens, New York