The Mortimer Building was a 19th-century edifice located at Wall Street and New Street. It was built by W.Y. Mortimer beginning on June 1, 1884, and completed for occupancy in March 1885. It fronted Wall Street for a distance of fifty-seven feet and New Street for sixty-five feet. Used entirely as an office building, the structure adjoined the stock exchange building on the west and south. Tenants included lawyers, brokers, and bankers.
The New York Stock Exchange acquired the Mortimer Building for $745,000 in December 1918. Reasons for the acquisition included consolidating all of the adjuncts of the exchange beneath one roof and the necessity for additional floor space for foreign issues, entertained by the NYSE. The site was valued at $710,000 in February 1920; $745,000 with the building included.
Interior design and history
Its rooms were light, arranged in suites and singly. The walls were made primarily of mahogany. The halls were wainscoted in marble and mahogany. The stairways were composed of iron and stone. The structure was considered fireproof from top to bottom. Modern conveniences included steam gas, electric lights, and two speedy elevators.
The Mortimer Building replaced an earlier edifice with the same name built in 1835 by Richard Mortimer. The latter structure was constructed in accordance with the Mortimer estate, W.Y. Mortimer executor.