One Hanson Place, more commonly known as the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower, has served the Brooklyn skyline well for almost a century.  

Prior to the recent building boom in the borough, the multi-tiered Art Deco structure provided a beacon for Brooklynites. Essentially, it was a tower of one from 1929 to 2009 while it reigned as Brooklyn’s tallest building.

Today, the Brooklyn skyline is cluttered with skyscrapers, many of which have soared past the iconic tower.   In fact, at the time of this writing, the Williamsburgh Savings Bank had fallen off the top ten list of tallest buildings in the borough.  At a relatively modest 512 feet – at least by today’s standards – the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower was proudly referenced by previous generations as the “Empire State Building of Brooklyn. “ 

So it’s with a bit of Brooklyn pride that we salute this monument of Brooklyn’s past as the latest edition to our “Buildings We Love” series.

One Hanson Place is preeminently located in Fort Greene at the junction of Flatbush Avenue, Hanson Place, and Ashland Place, directly across from Atlantic Terminal, Brooklyn’s busiest transportation hub.  The building falls within the Brooklyn Cultural District, amidst some of the city’s finest art and cultural institutions.  Barclay’s Center is just a block away and a Whole Foods Market is across the street.  If you want to smack some tennis balls or take in a lazy day, Fort Greene Park is two blocks to the north.

One Hanson Place contains a mix of residential and commercial spaces. The residential component, consisting of 178 condominiums, starts on the ninth floor.  The commercial space (mostly medical offices) occupies the lower floors with retail at the building’s base.  Each use has its own separate entrance.  The property was converted to condominium ownership in 2007 by Dermot Company and Johnson Development Corporation.

The Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower opened in 1929.  Despite the financial implications of the Great Depression, the novelty of the new tower attracted a strong tenant base.   The structure was designed by Halsey, McCornack, and Helmer, a firm known for designing ornate bank buildings throughout the city. 

Aside from its height, One Hanson Place has a multitude of distinguishable features.  A series of dramatic setbacks reduce the building’s overall mass.  The four-sided gilded clock and the gold-painted louvered dome at the top of the tower are an integral part of the skyline as well as the borough’s history.  The dome is in tribute to the original Williamsburgh Savings Bank building which remains today at 175 Broadway. 

The Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower has meant many things to many people in Brooklyn.  It’s been a bit of a Swiss army knife over the years for locals.  Prior to the advent of the smartphone, the clock tower served as a navigational tool and the go-to timepiece for residents to set their watches.

Apartments at One Hanson Place range in size from studios to full-floor penthouses. The lower floors are composed of twelve apartments while the upper floors host just one or two residences.  Most units offer 10.5-foot beamed ceilings while select homes have ceiling heights that soar upwards to 16 feet. A few floors offer private balconies.

At street level, there are distinct entrances for the residential, commercial, and retail sectors of the building. The original banking hall, with its soaring 60-foot tall ceiling, has been restored and is now used as an entertainment and event venue.  

One Hanson Place offers a full-time concierge as well as a host of amenities.  Residents have access to a lounge, billiards room, roof deck, fitness room, laundry room, and a business center.  

Currently, there are a number of apartments available at One Hanson Place. The one-bedrooms start at $890,000.  The two-bedrooms start at $1,595,000.  Over the past 24 months, the average closed price of an apartment has averaged $1,431,500 with an average per square foot cost of $1,162.Please visit

Linecity to view current availabilities at One Hanson Place, Brooklyn.