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A smart investment for Wall Street
The market was unpredictable. Our cooling wasn’t. Decades before our debut as a publicly traded company, Johnson Controls made its presence felt on the New York stockbroker trading floor. In 1901, we were chosen to provide reliable ventilation and temperature control to a building that demanded the best. That mission continues today.
The early 1900s were a turbulent time for the American stock market. Along with increased interest in speculative trading, a bold cast of characters tempered prosperity with a healthy dose of volatility. As a heated dispute between tycoons like Jacob Schiff and E.H. Harriman led to The Panic of 1901, an overcrowded trade floor at New York’s trading headquarters was raising temperatures in a literal sense. It wasn’t just uncomfortable. It was unsafe.
Maintaining calm under pressure began with the air itself. It demanded Johnson Controls — just 16 years into what would become a 140-year legacy of innovation and reliability.
The best that ingenuity and skill can produce
When the number of New York stockbrokers began to compound toward the end of the 19th century, their Broad Street and New Street physical locations – which had already expanded several times – became insufficient for traders. Beyond the lack of floor space, plumbing and ventilation were deemed inadequate by the city’s sanitary engineers.
The cornerstone for 18 Broad Street – which remains home to many New York stockbrokers – was laid on September 9, 1901. That same month, Johnson Controls was contracted to deliver 140 thermostats and 480 valves for $11,370. At the time, it was the fifth largest contract ever booked by our New York City branch.
"Where so many of our members spend the active years of their lives, they are entitled to the best that architectural ingenuity and engineering skill can produce”
R. H. Thomas, chairman of the building committee that oversaw the construction
Our work on Wall Street was the beginning of a long tradition: delivering climate confidence to those who move markets, ideas and industries.
Environments fit for an empire
It’s been more than a century since we made our first impact on New York City and, much like The City That Never Sleeps, our passion for innovation hasn’t slowed down.
Following our success on Wall Street, we expanded our New York presence to provide environmental control to prominent buildings of the day: Metropolitan Life Building, the Bank of America Building, and the Singer Building – the world’s largest skyscraper at the time and (thanks to our 1,200 thermostats and 1,800 valves) also one of the smartest.
Though the names on the buildings may have changed, the innovation that brought them to life continues through offerings like the YORK® YK-CP Economized Cycle Centrifugal Chiller – a breakthrough in chilled water solutions with unmatched efficiency and greater modularity in a more compact footprint than ever before. It’s designed to meet a myriad of priorities expected of an effective cooling system: reliable, cost effective, easy to manage, well supported, efficient, compliant with regulations and capable of delivering on decarbonization goals.
Today’s facilities face unprecedented challenges. Whether you oversee a massive Manhattan high rise or a rural Montana hospital, our smarter solutions are scalable and specific to your needs. Get in touch and let’s discuss how we can power your mission.