In 1915 the 40-story oblong monolith known as the Equitable Building was completed. This steel frame structure, still standing today at 120 Broadway, caused a furor because it blocked out light and prevented circulating air from reaching the ground below. Public outcry over its height forced changes in the city zoning laws. Henceforth no structure could be built such that it covered its entire site above a certain height. Instead the size of the building had to be reduced in a series of [G 13 / setbacks].
