The intersection of West 14th and Eighth Avenue affords walkers a glimpse into the area's past. Three of the four corner buildings have housed banks in the past but only one of them continues to do so. The Beaux-arts style building has been occupied by a bank since at least 1931, though not always by its current tenant HSBC. The limestone building with its massive Corinthian columns and dramatic eagle pediment diagonal from the current HSBC bank was constructed in 1906 and was occupied by the New York County National Bank until 1961 when the bank was acquired by Manufacturers Hanover Trust Bank. They left the building in 1994 and it was not until 1999 that a men's spa opened up on the site, with the rest of the building converted into residential apartments. This is unfortunate because there is really no way for a visitor to witness the internal grandeur. Thankfully, the non-bank tenants of the building on the northwestern corner have done a better job of preserving the original feel of the space. Constructed in 1897 by the New York Savings Bank, this site housed a carpet store in the 1990s, a Balduccis in the 2000s, and a CVS at present. The salesclerk inside confirmed that countless visitors wonder at the history of the building and take pictures inside. And how could one not fail to be confused and entertained by the juxtaposition between rows upon rows of household goods beneath cavernous coffered ceilings?
