At 23 stories and 390,000 sf, the transformation of the former Dime Savings Bank – now known as The Dime Building – is the largest of its kind in the city’s history. The Bosc Group asked Barton Malow Design architects to reclaim the beauty of the original structure, update building systems, and install the technology backbone required by the 21st century worker.

Designed by Daniel Burnham and completed in 1913, the Dime Building once included a two-story, skylit banking hall, separate from the office portion of the building. After four previous renovations, there was little original interior architecture remaining. The original skylight lobby had been roofed over, and a suspended ceiling installed. Barton Malow removed that ceiling, and installed a new skylight to restore the original airy feeling. Portions of the original decorative plaster ceilings were uncovered; new plaster columns and detailing were added to complement them.

The primary technical challenge was finding a way to integrate new mechanical, sprinkler, electrical, and communications systems into a 90-year-old building with virtually no ceiling space. Now, the design seamlessly includes complete fiber and copper backbones providing voice and data services. The infrastructure includes entirely new HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems.