▁State ▁Street ▁Corporation ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁Ast or ▁Trust ▁Company ▁building ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁the ▁Ocean ic ▁In vest ment ▁Company ▁announced ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁building ▁at ▁the ▁n ortheast ▁corner ▁of ▁Fif th ▁Avenue ▁and ▁ 4 2 nd ▁Street ▁to ▁replace ▁a ▁commercial ▁building ▁built ▁by ▁the ▁P ott ier ▁& ▁St ym us ▁Company ▁ ▁( which ▁itself ▁replaced ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Mans ions , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁by ▁Alexander ▁J . ▁Davis ). ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁building ▁was ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁Ast or ▁Trust ▁Company ▁who ▁was ▁the ▁new ▁building ' s ▁primary ▁ten ant ▁after ▁they ▁took ▁a ▁ 2 1 - year ▁le ase ▁and ▁agreed ▁to ▁move ▁from ▁their ▁existing ▁offices ▁at ▁ 3 8 9 ▁Fif th ▁Avenue ▁( and ▁ 3 6 th ▁Street ) ▁into ▁the ▁new ▁building ▁upon ▁its ▁completion ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁Ast or ' s ▁old ▁office ▁was ▁then ▁occupied ▁by ▁the ▁American ▁Red ▁Cross . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁new ▁building : ▁ ▁" The ▁ground ▁floor ▁will ▁be ▁devoted ▁to ▁stores , ▁while ▁the ▁Ast or ▁Trust ▁Company , ▁now ▁at ▁Fif th ▁Avenue ▁and ▁Th irty - six th ▁Street , ▁will ▁occup y ▁the ▁first , ▁second , ▁and ▁third ▁flo ors , ▁also ▁using ▁the ▁bas ement ▁for ▁safe ▁depos it ▁v ault s . ▁The ▁main ▁bank ing ▁rooms , ▁while