Cary Building (New York City)

The Cary Building stands as a masterpiece of mid-nineteenth century commercial ambition. Built in eighteen fifty-six, it features a twin-fronted design that was revolutionary for its time, allowing it to stretch through the entire block from Chambers Street to Reade Street. Its primary innovation lies in its skin, which is composed entirely of prefabricated cast-iron panels produced by the city's most famous foundry of the era, Daniel D. Badger’s Architectural Iron Works. These iron pieces were carefully molded to mimic the heavy, elegant look of Italian Renaissance masonry, complete with rusticated surfaces and arched windows, even though the structure underneath is a more conventional skeleton.