earlier, only the 13th floor was affected. A high-pressure fire-suppression system was also activated in Lower Manhattan in 1908, providing protection to both buildings. Early 20th century Home Life moved its headquarters from Brooklyn to 256 Broadway in 1906. The company gradually expanded its presence in 256 Broadway; it only occupied the 2nd through 6th floors in 1916, but was using fifteen full floors by the 1940s. The ground floor and basement of 256 Broadway contained the First National City Bank from 1936 to 1964. Next door, Postal Telegraph continued to be the main occupant at 253 Broadway until 1928, when it moved to the International Telephone Building at 67 Broad Street. Despite having moved out, Postal Telegraph extended its lease of 253 Broadway with Trinity Church in 1929. In 1930, the Corn Exchange Bank acquired the ground lease for the building. In 1936, Junior Leasing Corporation bought 253 Broadway at an assessed value of $1.45 million, as well as took over Corn Exchange Bank's ground lease. A $1 million renovation of 253 Broadway, designed by Ely Jacques Kahn, was completed the next year, and 253 Broadway became known as the Paragon Building. The first three floors were refaced in glass blocks; the spaces above the ground-floor stores were recessed; the windows were replaced; five new elevators were installed; and new air conditioning, plumbing, and wiring systems were installed. Postal Telegraph moved back to 253 Broadway in 1939, signing a long-term lease for six floors in the building. Four years later, Postal Telegraph merged with Western Union. The space vacated by Postal Telegraph was filled by the federal government of the United States during World War II, including a unit of the United States Treasury. During this time, the ground floor space was occupied by Wallach's Inc. and the basement housed a branch of the Longchamps restaurant chain. Merger and later use Home Life acquired 253 Broadway in November 1946, paying Trinity Church $1.7 million in cash. The agreement was finalized in January 1947. Openings were created in the party wall between 253 and 256 Broadway, and staircases were built to connect the corridors in the two formerly-separate buildings. By doing this, Home Life more than doubled the amount of usable space it had. The main entrance was relocated to 253 Broadway in 1963, while the ground floor of 256 Broadway became retail space. The entrance to 256 Broadway was