The Surrogate's Courthouse was designed in the Beaux-Arts style.The general design was created by John Rochester Thomas,as well as by Arthur J.Horgan and Vincent J. Slattery.After Thomas 1901 death,the design was completed by Horgan and Slattery,whose relatively unknown firm had connections to the politically powerful Tammany Hall organization of the time.

 

The design largely conforms to Thomas's original plans, though Horgan and Slattery were largely responsible for the sculptural ornamentation.Fay Kellogg helped design or prepare plans for the Hall of Records,and designed the prominent double staircase in the building's lobby.The design has undergone relatively few alterations since its completion in 1907.

 

The Surrogate's Courthouse's seven-story granite facade wraps around the building's structural frame,while the interiors are elaborately designed in marble.The building was designed to be fireproof,in order to safely house the city's paper records.The interior spaces are popular with film and television production companies and have been used in many commercials,TV series, and movies.In addition to housing the Surrogate's Court for New York County,the building contains the New York City Municipal Archives and the New York City Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS)'s City Hall Library,as well as the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.