The original Onondaga Savings Bank was designed by Horatio Nelson White in the "Second Empire" style and completed in 1867. It was built of limestone quarried on Onondaga Nation territory and then finished in a stone yard where the Dey's Building now stands.  The innovative construction, using iron beams with masonry partitions, made the building highly fire resistant. The bank agreed to include a four-sided clock in the bank's tower in exchange for the city's closing a public right-of-way to the canal.

(Click thumbnail image for enlargement)

1886

2002

Source: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, (original from Onondaga Historical Association), HABS, NY, 34-SYRA, 7.

Photo: David L. Bridges

.

1886

Source: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, (original from Onondaga Historical Association), HABS, NY, 34-SYRA, 7.

In 1875-76 a fifty foot addition, exactly matching the style of the original, was made to the building at the east end facing Hanover Square. This addition included a steam-powered Otis elevator.

In 1897 the bank moved its operations into a new and much larger building directly across the street. The original building was purchased in 1899 by Francis Gridley who then hired Archimedes Russell to develop plans for its renovation.

This series of photos illustrates one or Russell's major changes, which was to close the Salina Street entrance.  In the early days (1867), the land at the west end of the building was graded to form a ramp leading up to the Salina Street entrance. By 1895 the ramp had been replaced with stairs leading up to a bridge over the canal. The current picture shows that, after the canal was closed, the now too high Salina Street entrance was also closed.  It is now just an unusually large second story window.

In 1974, the building underwent a major restoration, replacing windows, removing interior partitions and repairing and cleaning original features.

More Photos

The first three photos from 1962 were taken as part of the National Park Service, Historic American Buildings Survey. Below these are some photos taken more recently.

1962 North and west elevations Source: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Historic American Buildings Survey, HABS,NY,34-SYRA,7-2	1962 West Elevation Source: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Historic American Buildings Survey, HABS,NY,34-SYRA,7-1	1962 West & south elevations Source: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Historic American Buildings Survey, HABS,NY,34-SYRA, 7-3.
2004 South entrance	2004 Southwest entrance	2004 Pediment above southwest entrance
2004 North Elevation	2004 West facade detail	2004 West facade detail
2004 Tower south elevation	2004 Tower west elevation