New York City’s Federal Reserve Bank Has The Largest Gold Storage In The World
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York Building, usually referred to as 33 Liberty Street, is a structure in Lower Manhattan's Financial District that houses the organization's main offices. Between Liberty, William, and Nassau Streets and Maiden Lane, the structure fills the entire block; it narrows at its eastern end and follows the shape of the block.
The Federal Reserve Building, designed by York & Sawyer with ornamental ironwork by Philadelphia's Samuel Yellin, has fourteen above-ground stories and five basement levels. The base, middle, and top portions of its facade are divided horizontally into three pieces. The stone facade is reminiscent of Florence's Palazzo Strozzi and Palazzo Vecchio, two early Italian Renaissance palaces. The stones on the facade are heavily rusticated at the horizontal and vertical joints. The gold vault of the Federal Reserve Building is situated on the bedrock of Manhattan, 80 feet (24 m) below street level and 50 feet (15 m) below the sea. Approximately 6,190 short tons (5,620 metric tons) of gold were stored in the vault as of 2019, making it the largest gold storage in the world.
The structure was constructed between 1919 and 1924, with an eastward addition constructed in 1935. Upon completion, the Federal Reserve Building's size and design received widespread appreciation. In 1966, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission classified the structure as a city landmark, and in 1980, it was listed on the NRHP. The Wall Street Historic Designation, an NRHP district established in 2007, includes it as a contributing property.
