Lord's Court Building

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277-foot, 20-story neo-Renaissance residential building completed in 1896 as a 15-story office tower. Designed by John T. Williams, it had five more stories added in 1901. It was named for Lord's Court - an open area in the middle of the block originally intended to provide light and air to neighboring buildings.

Its two facades - eight bays wide on Exchange Place and five bays wide on William Street - are arranged as a 3-story stone-faced base with a beige brick tower rising above. The first two floors, on both WiIlliam Street and Exchange Place, are defined by double-height piers; there are storefronts in the ground floor, and large rectangular windows in the 2nd story. Some of the piers separating the storefronts still retain their ornamental capitals. The 3rd floor is transitional.

Above, the brick-faced tower is divided into three sections of three floors each by brick entablatures at the 6th, 9th & 12th floors. The 13th floors is set off below and above by projecting cornices. The 15th floor is capped by an elaborately ornamental cornice. Each bay in the tower, at each floor, has a pair of windows separated by a terra-cotta pier with abstract geometric patterns; there are two such designs, and they alternate from one floor to the next. The windows at the 14th & 15th floors are double-height pairs under round arches, and the piers separating the bays at the 15th floor have terra-cotta capitals, this being the original top floor of the building.

In 2008, the southwest wing was demolished (removing 36 condominium units), so that development rights could be transferred to increase the height of the planned neighboring Nobu Hotel and Residences.