Federal Office Building (New York City)

The building you are approaching at 201 Varick Street was completed in 1929 as the United States Appraisers Stores Building. It was designed by the firm of Buchman and Kahn, architects who were celebrated for their Art Deco skyscrapers and lavish interiors. The structure was commissioned during a massive federal building program meant to move government agencies out of scattered, rented offices and into permanent, high-quality facilities. While the architects were known for their flair for eastern decorative arts, this twelve-story building stands as a more grounded, utilitarian example of their work, characterized by its buff-toned brick and limestone facade.