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Thread: Largest Vaults?

  1. #1
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    Default Largest Vaults?

    A friend asked me where the largest (by volume) bank vault is. This is tough to answer because even if a vault is known to exist, the dimensions are seldom stated. For example the 1902 vault at 25 Broad Street in NYC (now Bobby Van's Steak House). Here's what I was able to come up with:

    1 - Trinity Place, NYC. Two levels; one is 85x20x8 feet, the other is 108x31x8.5 for a total of 42,058 cubic feet.

    2 - One King West, Toronto. Two levels though the size is simply stated to be 33x33x25 for a total of 27,225 cubic feet.

    3 - Boston Stock Exchange. The vault is stated to be 66x40 (outside dimensions); assuming 8 feet high and ignoring wall thickness, 21,120 cubic feet.

    4 - San Francisco, Diebold, Norris & Co., 1874. No doubt long gone, it was stated to be 27x32x12 for a total of 10,368 cubic feet.

    5 - San Diego, Marriott Hotel. The vault is stated to be 27x39x8 for a total of 8,424 cubic feet.

    What large vaults can you come up with?

  2. #2
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    No contest.... Chehyenne Mountain. 4.5 acres.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheyenne_Mountain

  3. #3
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    Though Cheyenne Mountain is an amazing secured space, the request was for the largest bank vault. Still worth mentioning!

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    Sorry... I was reading "Largest Vaults?". Missed the part down below about bank. What about the NY Gold depository?
    Last edited by Dean Nickel; 13-06-12 at 01:47 PM.

  5. #5
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    Yes, the NY depository as well as Federal Reserve Banks are probably quite large but I don't remember seeing any numbers.

  6. #6
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    Default The Silver Vaults of Chancey Lane, London

    The is one big vault with 72 little vaults which are all shops. Although I don't know how big.


    http://www.thesilvervaults.com/history

  7. #7
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    http://cryptome.org/eyeball/gold-vau...ault-frbny.htm

    Well if this is right it is quite large to be 5 levels and about the area of the building above. 90 ton door is also bit big.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Halflock View Post
    http://cryptome.org/eyeball/gold-vau...ault-frbny.htm

    Well if this is right it is quite large to be 5 levels and about the area of the building above. 90 ton door is also bit big.
    The article states there are 5 "basement" levels in the building but it's likely that each vault occupies one floor. And while they imply the lowest one holds the gold, the blueprint page they have on the web site is of the highest one (with one, possibly two rotary doors). From that blueprint page I estimate the vault has around 8400 square feet, so assuming it's ten feet high, that would be 84,000 cubic feet which is double the Trinity Place vault.

  9. #9
    GordR45 Guest

    Default Does 'former' large vault qualify?

    The former home of the Western Canada HQ of long-defunct Canada Permanent Mortage Company in Winnipeg Canada is now home to a payroll service called TelPay. The vault door is a well-preserved, beautiful specimen of the craftsmanship of the J & J Taylor Toronto Safe Works. The vault occupied a wide strip the full length of the south side on all five floors of the building with the main floor door the only access point. The floors are connected by narrow, steep iron staircases. I have no way of ascertaining the total square footage but this is my first exposure to a five-storey vault. Sadly, a precedessor to TelPay broke open the vault walls on all but the main floor so what's left are a series of four balcony-style levels from which the main floor can be viewed. The spaces are used for file storage, offices and meeting rooms. The building dates back to 1909 and has an attractive red sandstone facade that has been lovingly maintained. Were it's original use not disclosed, the main floor interior could be mistaken for the banking hall of a turn-of-the-(20th)-century main bank branch with all marble walls, columns and counters faithfully preserved.

  10. #10
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    GordR45, thanks for pointing this one out. I did find some history on the company, and images of the building. I was not able to find any images of the vault door. Any chance you could take some pictures?

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