Architecture of the lost Rossia Insurance Company Building

Descriptions of this vanished building's classically inspired architecture

Built in 1914, the Rossia Insurance Company building stood at the corner of Broad Street and Farmington Avenue in Hartford from 1914 until it was torn down in 1969. It was erected for the American branch of a Russian insurance company and was later the offices of Hartford’s Metropolitan District Commission for two decades. In my latest video on YouTube, I relate the background story of this building and of its notable bronze sculptures by the artist Edmund Schulte Beckum. In front of the building were statues of two Russian bears, later moved to the campus of UC Berkeley, and atop its roof was an elaborate sculpture group known as Mother Russia that was later relocated above the Russian Lady, a famous icon of Hartford nightlife on Ann Street. At the time of the building’s construction, the Hartford Courant described its architecture in great detail in several articles, discussing both its elaborate exterior and grand interior. Not all of this material is featured in the video, so in this post I’m going to share some of these early accounts of a vanished Hartford landmark.

The lost Rossia Insurance Company Building, later home to the Metropolitan District Commission, that stood at the corner of Broad Street and Farmington Avenue in Hartford from 1914 until 1969.

The building was erected to plans by the Hartford architect Edwad T. Hapgood, who designed many other buildings in the area. These were primarily private residences but also included structures like the Scottish Union and National Insurance Company Building, which still stands on Elm Street. Hapgood modeled the Rossia Building on the Petite Trianon at Versailles, with additional elements based on the company’s home office building, which (as described in my video) still exists in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The Hartford building was erected by contractors Charles B. Andrus & Son. Admiring the new building, the Courant declared on June 6, 1914:

From a standpoint of academic development, whereby a pleasing symmetry has been embodied in one unit with unexcelled convenience, the new Rossia building is unique among the office buildings in this vicinity. In point of beauty, it is undoubtedly one of the finest pieces of construction in this country.

Describing the Exterior

Quoting further from the Courant:

The building is two stories in height. In the center rises a dome forty feet in diameter, the largest in the city and second largest In the United States. It is the work of Montague London Castle of New York city. The basement contains a clubroom for employees. The structure is ninety foot wide on Broad street and 135 feet in length. The plan plot has a frontage of 178 feet on Broad street and a depth of 210 feet along Farmington avenue. This depth makes it possible to place the building far enough back to furnish an imposing approach. The front wall is forty feet from the sidewalk and the north side wall twenty-five feet from Farmington avenue. Manager Sturhahn has given a portion of the land to the city to form a curved radius of the highway and sidewalk, and the city has increased the curve of the opposite sidewalk to correspond. The building and land represent an investment of approximately $250,000.

Although the design of the building s French it is largely permeated with modern feeling. To bring the utmost possibilities of this method into play, light colored material that would register with clearness the sharply defined shadows cast by cornices and profiles was required. Being liable to be affected by dampness, the scattercourse, next to the ground, was constructed of Stony Creek red granite. Above this rises the underpinning of Indiana limestone in bold rustications. With the exception of the entrance pavillon, which is entirely of limestone, the walls are faced with light gray pressed bricks. As one approaches the building, |one notes the four magnificent Corinthian columns, two on such side of the entrance, and the decorative urns ranged in pairs and placed on pedestals along the upper cornice.

The front doorway is closed by handsome bronze grilles, backed with plate glass. A pair of bronze lamp standards of classical outline light the entrance when the offices are open at night. The ample aristocratic doorway is surmounted by an arched front bearing the seal of the company and bordered by Grecian chambranle and consols of exquisitely wrought leaf foliage. None but casement windows appear in any part of the building. In the manager's and trustees' rooms, fronting Broad street on each side, windows are of the French variety, opening to the floor. Between the outer jambs, delicately wrought balustrades after the character of those in the Little Trianon extend outward for safety.

Describing the Interior

As one enters through the main doorway, the first steps lie through a small vestibule opening into a good-sized foyer executed in a deep blue gray Tav[r]anelle marble. Almost before one realizes, the easy steps are surmounted and the marble rail of the main office is reached. This in an enormous hall in the shape of a Greek cross, measuring about eighty-five feat square. Abovo rises an immense circular dome.

At the angel [sic] of the cross, massive Corinthian columns support galleries on the four sides. The room is flooded with light by eighteen large windows and the dome which is of pale white cathedral glass supported by dark colored steel girders. The first portion of the dome, the widest section, displays eight Russian eagles in black glass inscribed with the letter "R." Each double eagle is located between the names of the more important countries in which the Rossia owns buildings: Russia, France, England, Germany, the Balkans, Turkey, China and Egypt. Separated from the first piece by a large expanse of white, the next ring of the dome consists of a series of dull pink ovals edged with blue and gold tracery. The third circle consists of spreading figures of a golden shade. The last section is covered by a small and Intricate pattern outlined in green, brown, gold and white. In the apex of the dome, a black steel cap is firmly secured.

The first object seen on entering the building is a remarkable picture framed in the architecture of the west gallery. "Les Villes Jeantes,” showing the water fronts of New York, Paris and London. This picture, in three sections, was painted by Ashton Knight. It has been awarded the gold medal at the Paris salon, and is Manager Sturhahn's gift to the building. The waters of Now York harbor, the Seine and the Thames seem to converge in the foreground. At the left is the striking sky-line of lower Broadway, New York, as viewed from out on the water passing the Battery. [. . .]

With the exception of the oaken furniture and the battleship linoleum of a brown tone which covers the cement floor, the main room is finished entirely in white plaster, with French panel effects aligned along the side and rear walls. Tav[r]anelle marble covers the broad rail at the front. The fire re-insurance business is conducted in this principal office. Lines of desks alternate with two rows of roller shelves in which are kept the "Bordeaux," re-insurance policy records, filled in numerical order.

In the foyer at the left of the entrance is a white marble bench, inscribed with a Grecian lyre and crossed lutes and bearing other adornments largely of a floral nature. This is the gift of the architect, Edward T. Hapgood.

An Otis elevator is entered from the foyer. This is equipped with a system whereby a private passage through the elevator into the office of the manager is effected. An electric button and separate doorway complete this arrangement.

The first room entered on the right, at the northeast corner of the building, is the manager's office, and the room. directly opposite is for the use of the trustees. Both of these have oaken floors.

The chairs, desks and other fittings in Manager Sturhahn's room and that of Bertram N. Carvalho, secretary, next adjoining, are of American black walnut. French panelling is used. In the trustees’' and manager's rooms, mantels are of Louis XVI. Formosa marble and are surmounted by largo mirrors. The curtains in the manager's room are of a soft brown shade, while those in the trustees’ room will be of royal Russian blue velvet. Oriental rugs further decorate these luxurious rooms.

The third room on the north side is for the stenographers of the officers. The south room next back of the trustees' room occupies the same amount of space as two of the rooms on the north. All the bookkeeping of the company is done hero. The only vault on the first floor is located in the trustees' room.

The grand staircase in the front of the building leading to the second floor is an imposing affair, Handsome brass banisters are faced with marble. A coved celling and skylight rises above the stairway Daylight is admitted through light blue and gold glass.

Illustration of a Hollerith tabulating machine.

In the central and rear portions of the basement are locker rooms and lavatories. A total of 125 lockers have been installed, ninety-eight for women and twenty-seven for men. In the south part of the basement is the statistical department, equipped with punching, tabulating and sorting machines. The Hollerith tabulating machine is kept going, totalling the policies and premiums as fast as the figures are supplied. Another vault is located in the statistical room. In the northeast portion of the semi-basement, directly under the manager's room, a most comfortable club room for the employees will soon be fitted up. A large oaken table in the center, a twelve-foot leather couch, four or five deep leather armchairs, and sectional bookcases, on each side of the mantel will be some of the furnishings. On the table all the latest insurance magazines with the most interesting and instructive passages marked for reading will be found.

A long room on the north side of the second floor is already fully occupied by the marine insurance department. In the front and south side of this floor are some very fine private and general offices which have not as yet been taken possession of. From the gallery on either side a splendid view is obtained of the large main offices. Hidden by the projecting cornice, arranged in a perfect square, are rows of electric lights that shine directly upward upon the dome.

On June 27, 1914, the Courant described the festivities associated with inaugurating the new building:

The opening reception and inspection of the new building of the Rossia Insurance Company, was hold from 11 to 3 o'clock yesterday. A large number of the Insurance and banking men of Hartford and other cities were present to greet Carl F. Sturhahn, American manager, and view the building. Many of the men who attended were accompanied by their wives and daughters. Salad, sandwiches and punch wore served in the bookkeeping room on the south side of the building. The manager's room, the office of Bertram N. Carvalho, secretary, and the trustees' room were decorated with large bunches of dark red, pink and white roses and pink sweet peas. The handsome dark Russian blue velvet curtains in the trustees' room received favorable comment. The immense, decorated dome and the painting "Les Villes Janetes," waterfront scenes of New York, Paris and London, framed into the architecture of the rear gallery overlooking the main room, were admired by all who set foot in the building.

Following golf in the afternoon, the guests of the Rossia Insurance Company enjoyed a banquet in the main dining room of the Farmington Country Club last evening. About 150 prominent officials of insurance companies of Hartford and other principal cities were present. The dinner was informal.