Harold Craig Severance (July 1, 1879 – September 2, 1941) was an American architect who designed a number of well-known buildings in New York City, including the Coca-Cola Building,

Nelson Tower Nelson Tower is a 46-story, building located at 450 Seventh Avenue between 34th Street and 35th Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. History It was completed in 1931 and became the tallest building in the Garment District of Manhatta ...

and most prominently,

40 Wall Street 40 Wall Street (also the Trump Building; formerly the Bank of Manhattan Trust Building and Manhattan Company Building) is a neo-Gothic skyscraper on Wall Street between Nassau and William streets in the Financial District of Manhattan in Ne ...

Biography

He was born on July 1, 1879, to George Craig Severance and Emma Alida Gilbert. He married Faith Griswold Thompson. In his early career, Severance worked for Carrere and Hastings and later, in partnership with

William Van Alen William Van Alen (August 10, 1883 – May 24, 1954) was an American architect, best known as the architect in charge of designing New York City's Chrysler Building (1928–30). Life William Van Alen was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1883 to ...

. The partnership ended on unfriendly terms, and in the late 1920s, the two found themselves in competition to build the world's tallest building, with Severance's 40 Wall Street and Van Alen's

Chrysler Building The Chrysler Building is a , Art Deco skyscraper in the East Midtown neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States. Located at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue, it is the tallest brick building in the world wit ...

. Although the Chrysler Building claimed victory with its spire at 1,046 feet, Severance protested that his building had the highest usable space. The issue became moot when the

Empire State Building The Empire State Building is a 102-story, Art Deco-style supertall skyscraper in the Midtown South neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its n ...

was completed less than a year later. He died on September 2, 1941.

Other well-known designs

* 50 Broadway, New York City *

400 Madison Avenue 400 Madison Avenue is a 22-story office building in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is along Madison Avenue's western sidewalk between 47th Street (Manhattan), 47th and 48th Streets, near Grand Central Terminal. 400 Madison Avenue was de ...

, New York City * Bank of the U.S., New York City * Montague-Court Building, New York City * Taft Hotel, New York City

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Severance, H. Craig 1879 births 1941 deaths 20th-century American architects Architects from New York (state) People from Clinton County, New York