Saturday, May 4, 2024

United States Custom House: History, Architecture, and Facts

united states custom house

A new federal building that opened in the early 1960s threatened its continued use, but due to the united support of local preservationists, legislators, and U.S. Customs Officials, the building still functions today as it was originally intended. In early 1850, private architects were invited to compete for the commission to design the building. Ultimately, none of the entries was chosen as submitted, and Supervising Architect of the Treasury Ammi B. Young incorporated elements from four competition drawings into one cohesive design. Designer Stephanie Hatten updated the Gatehouse Kitchen, turning it into an airy English-country-inspired space.

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The three-year project included conservation of original surface finishes, upgrading mechanical and lighting systems, and ensuring access for the disabled. The building is once again fully occupied, and annual energy costs have been reduced 60 percent. The United States Custom House, sometimes referred to as the New York Custom House, was the place where the United States Customs Service collected federal customs duties on imported goods within New York City. Native California wildflowers accent the Arroyo Vista Garden, which was designed with fire safety in mind.

Architectural Style

The cruciform building, executed in the Roman Corinthian order, is monumental in scale, measuring 259 feet on its east-west axis and 152 feet on its north-south axis. Marble is used throughout the building and highlighted in details such as office fireplaces. The interior of the building revolves around a two-story center room, called the Business Room. Fourteen Corinthian columns support its second floor gallery, and most offices open onto this room. The ceiling is ornamented with artificial sky lights, a depiction of the American flag and other patriotic symbols, and stenciled classical motifs. The building's interior revolves around the two-story cortile, which early records reference as the Business Room.

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united states custom house

Luckily, some of the best yet affordable custom home builders in Los Angeles have the expertise to make your dream home happen. Located a few blocks from the Mississippi River, the great waterway that enabled New Orleans to become an important port city, the U.S. Custom House was planned in the 1840s in response to increasing trade through the Mississippi Valley. The building was also designed to accommodate other Federal offices, most notably the main post office and federal courts.

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If you’ve got the time, I suggest you climb the outside stairs to the main floor (the other floors are not open to the public). The main floor, designed like a cortile, similar to an indoor courtyard, is beautiful. There are some places to sit and rest your feet, but the furnishings are sparse which I think emphasizes the grandeur of the interior. The exterior has changed little since the building was constructed, though the interior has been modernized.

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Both architecturally and historically, the United States Custom House is an outstanding public building. Its continual use as a custom house completes the commercial history of one of the country’s busiest early ports. White serving as superintendent architect, but the building was not completed until 1879. The Roman Corinthian order was carried throughout the structure, not only in the pedimented porticos on the east and west fronts, but also the columns decorating the piers between the windows. Originally there was to have been a rotunda with a dome and skylight at the intersection of the cross arm, but apparently this was eliminated as construction of the building was prolonged and became costlier.

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We are a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to preserve the history of South Carolina’s historic, natural, and cultural landmarks before they are lost to time. This website serves as a permanent digital archive of over 2,300 South Carolina landmarks – and counting. Located in historic downtown Charleston, the United States Custom House was completed in 1879 and is one of only several historical custom buildings that continues to serve its original purpose. The United States Custom House is an Art-deco skyscraper designed by Ritter & Shay and built between 1932 and 1934, for a reported $3.50 million dollars, in Philadelphia, PA. In 1960, the building was included in the designation of the Charleston Historic District, which was in the first group of districts recognized as National Historic Landmarks in the United States.

It is possible that the north and south portico were enclosed to increase office space in repairs after the 1886 Charleston earthquake. Some offices contain original marble fireplaces with classical carvings including columns and rosettes. Interior doors retain white marble surrounds and some have original embossed door knobs and hinges featuring Treasury Department and Customs Service symbols. Construction began in 1853, with workers finding the remains of a Colonial-era fortification, Craven's Bastion, while digging the foundation.

All national permit holders should visit the eCBP portal to submit their required annual user fee. Login using authentication from Login.gov and provide the user fee payment to fulfill the requirement. Payment receipting ensures that the permitted broker has documentation of compliance. Customs Brokers and Customs Broker License applicants should refer to this webpage for information and announcements.

The building has been restored 3 times over the years to ensure its conservation and adaptation to the pass of time. The functions of the Customs Service are to assess and collect duties and taxes on imported goods, to control carriers of imports and exports, and to combat smuggling and revenue fraud.

Custom House, the federal government bought the site in 1848 to construct the new Custom House. The onset of the Civil War brought construction efforts to an indefinite close, and the building sustained considerable damage when it was struck by shells during the bombardment of Charleston. In 1870, work resumed under revised plans that eliminated the original design's domed cupola and side porticos. The building was completed and occupied nine years later at the total cost of $2.8 million. Custom Service had outgrown its offices in the 1771 Exchange Building on East Bay Street. Responding to increased trade activity in the Atlantic port city, Congress appropriated funds in 1847 for the purchase of a site for a new custom house.

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