The Story of One Hanson Place
Standing tall over Brooklyn's skyline since 1929, One Hanson Place—originally the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower—has been a defining symbol of the borough's ambition, craftsmanship, and spirit of reinvention. Once the tallest building in Brooklyn and still one of its most recognizable landmarks, it represents nearly a century of architectural pride and urban transformation.
Designed by the noted firm Halsey, McCormack & Helmer, the tower is an Art Deco masterpiece inside and out. Its limestone façade, intricate mosaics, and the gleaming gilded dome were all created to project confidence at the height of the Jazz Age. Inside, the vast former banking hall—with its soaring ceilings, marble floors, and celestial murals—was built to inspire awe and trust in equal measure. The building's famous four-sided clock, visible for miles, quickly became Brooklyn's unofficial beacon.
Over the decades, One Hanson Place evolved with the city around it. By the mid-20th century, it was affectionately known as the "Tower of Dentists," home to hundreds of medical and dental offices. When Brooklyn began its cultural renaissance in the early 2000s, the tower once again transformed—this time into luxury condominiums that preserved its historic details while introducing modern living at the center of one of New York's most vibrant neighborhoods.
Today, residents live within a landmark that blends history and modernity unlike any other address in Brooklyn. The restored banking hall now serves as an event space worthy of its grandeur, while the upper floors offer contemporary residences with sweeping views of Manhattan, the harbor, and beyond. Steps from the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Barclays Center, and the Atlantic Terminal transit hub, One Hanson Place sits at the heart of the borough's cultural and transportation crossroads.
To live here is to inhabit a piece of Brooklyn's story—one that has continually adapted, risen, and redefined what it means to call this borough home.
In the News
- "My Brooklyn; A Tower of Dentists Wears a Golden Crown" (The New York Times)
- "From the Archives: The Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower" (Urban Omnibus)
- "Building of the Day - One Hanson Place" (Brownstoner)
- "A Walk on Hanson Place" (Forgotten NY)
- "Historical Photographs, Architectural Drawings, Memorabilia" (Center for Brooklyn History)
- "Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower" (Wkipedia)