The
Metropolitan Life began as the National Union Life & Limb Insurance Company in
1863. It was divided, in 1866, into two companies: the National Life Insurance
Company and the National Travellers Insurance Company. The company's name
changed to Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in 1868.
Metropolitan Life was first located in offices at 243 Broadway, a building facing City Hall Park, between Park Place and Murray Street. In 1870 the company moved to 319 Broadway, on the northwest corner of Thomas Street. In 1875, Joseph Fairchild Knapp, Metropolitan Life's president, bought the old five-story Constant Building (Wilson B. Hunt building), on the southwest corner of Church Street and Park Place. Knapp commissioned the architectural firm of Napoleon LeBrun (1821-1901) to remodel the building. The ground floor was rearranged, a two-story pavilioned mansard roof was added and elevators and other conveniences were introduced to accommodate the Metropolitan Life's quarters.
In 1890, the company bought the site at the corner of Madison Avenue and East 23rd Street, across from Madison Square Park, intended to serve as the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company's home office. Knapp hired architect Napoleon LeBrun to design a seven-story Italian Renaissance office building on 23rd Street between Madison Avenue and Fourth Avenue. Work commenced in May 1890 with the demolition of five brownstone mansions at 23rd Street and Madison Avenue. After Knapp died in 1891, the building was expanded to 11 stories. The company occupied the second through fifth floors for its own use in 1893. Later expanded to the sixth and ninth stories, while filling the ground-story storefront spaces. The 11-story building was completed in stages through 1905.
