Known as the younger sister of the New York County Courthouse, architecturally the Thurgood Marshall Courthouse has only a few differences: it does not have a pediment above the colonnade, the building is triangular rather than hexagonal, there is no allusion to government or justice inscribed on its frieze and instead of a dome a 30-story, 590-feet tower soars to the sky.
The building was built by architect Cass Gilbert between 1933 and 1936. The base, with its austere and impenetrable façade, consists of seven floors. Inside, the main lobby, however, is more decorative than the one in its sister building. It contains white marble floors, coffer ceilings and rich bronze work with metaphorical images of animals, such as the owl representing wisdom and the dolphin, which according to ancient maritime tradition, was considered a good omen.
The gigantic building is used for the United States Court of Appeals of the Second Circuit and the United States Court for the Southern District of New York.