By Ben Fractenberg
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
FINANCIAL DISTRICT — The historical neo-classical granite building that once housed the American Bank Note Company is up for sale in the financial district.
The building at 70 Broad Street, which was given historical landmark status in 1997, is on the market for a cool $25.5 million as a residential, office, retail or mixed-use building. The five-story, 15,218 square foot landmark was built in 1908 and renovated in 2009, according to realtor Brown Harris Stevens.
The site was originally constructed as the headquarters for the ABNC. The company was one of the most influential producers of bank notes, stamps, stock certificates, and letters of credit during the late nineteenth century.
The corporation sold the building in 1988. The site then served, of all things, as a fast food facility for several years before being remodeled as a restaurant in 1996.
The late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi — of Beatles guru fame — purchased the building in 2004, turning it into part of his Global Country of World Peace.
The top floor has a full-floor two-bedroom residence, so if you’re looking for a place to raise the kids and work from home like the robber barons of yore, this could be the place — though you’ll probably have to buy the top hat and monocle yourself.
The building also houses something called the “Cisco Tele-Presence conference room,” which sounds rather futuristic and a tad bit scary.
The price has already been lowered twice, Curbed reported in April. So hopefully the building can use some of its Yogi good vibes to lure a buyer.
