Erected as an office building in 1959 and designed by Voorhees, Walker, Smith & Smith, this structure was converted to a rental apartment building in 1997 by Rockrose Development, one of New York City's major residential developers.

The 28-story building has a spectacular location near historic Federal Hall, the New York Stock Exchange, Trinity Church, and some of the world's greatest skyscrapers in the heart of the city's, and the world's, financial district.

Originally the building housed the Atlantic Insurance Company.

The conversion to 435 rental apartments was designed by Meltzer/Mendl Architects.

It has a health club, a doorman and concierge, a bicycle room, a recreation room, a sundeck, a garage, storage space and valet service. Laundries on on the 3rd and 19th floors. The building has no balconies but some terraces.

In their fine book, "The A.I.A. Guide to New York City, Fourth Edition," Elliot Willensky and Norval White described it as "a bland building grasps for distinction in its new residential posture with an elegant steel and glass marquee."

In her August 22, 1999 article in The New York Times entitled "Roomies on Wall Street," Jennifer S. Lee provided the following comments about this building:

"The residents of 45 Wall Street are relatively young. They are urban. They are brazenly professional. The converted office building in which they live, one block from the New York Stock Exchange, has become known as an upscale dormitory of sorts for armies of fresh college graduates, who invade Wall Street from the country's premier universities. 'The question here is what Wall Street company do you work for, not what do you do,' said James Im, a University of Chicago graduate, who was doing stomach crunches in the gym. 'Forty-five Wall is famous. It's known to be an analyst's dormitory. If you're an analyst, you know someone who lives in 45 Wall.'....When it was converted two years ago to residential use, the building, which is managed by the Rockrose Development Corporation, was designed for professionals, with home offices; some apartments even have high-speed Internet access. But few take advantage of that option. Today, half of the residents work in the financial industry. The average age is 28. The average salary is $70,000....The location is convenient, even though the financial district becomes a ghost town after 6 PM....The doormen at 45 Wall don't find it unusual when residents stumble in at 4 or 5 A. M. Tenants regularly arrive home as others are leaving for work....Like many dorms, 45 Wall even has a common area - the rooftop lounge, complete with pool table, big-screen television and a party-size wrap terrace, which can be rented for $100 a hour....Older people wandering the hotel-like hallways are presumed to be parents of residents....This being Wall Street, the building has an indoor practice golf course. It also has a dry cleaning service....Residents rarely cook, and kitchens are barren....There are two men to every woman...."

The building has three setbacks and is just to the west of the very impressive 55 Wall Street building that is notable for its double colonnade.

Subways are very convenient and the area has become to attract some up-scale stores.