Submitted by Kristi Wachter on
Michael J. Garvin
About the Building
The Haffen Building is an office building designed for Mathias Haffen, a brewery owner.
It originally had a bank on the first floor, the Twenty-Third Ward Bank; their vice-president was John M. Haffen, Mathias's brother. The Twenty-Third Ward Bank became the Bronx County Trust in 1925.
Other banks occupied the building between 1935 and 1950, including the Knickerbocker Trust and the Dollar Savings Bank. Other occupants have included government agencies (including the Tenement House Department), architects Margon & Glaser, and the National Puerto Rican Day Parade organization.
Building Details
The building has two facades, one on Third Avenue and one on Willis. Both feature rusticated limestone and polished granite. The sides are plain brick.
Both facades are four bays wide, with four-story pilasters and cornices dividing the composition.
Ornamental elements include festoons, inverted console brackets, and modillions. Both facades include a copper cornice with scroll brackets announcing the name of the building.
