The exterior walls of the Astor Building (shown here) and 7 Pine Street formed part of their structural systems. Unlike the steel framed Hanover National Bank Building, where the exterior wall could be removed independently of the floor structure, demolition contractor Albert A. Volk had to dismantle the smaller buildings a single floor at a time. Once the floor (or roof) structure was removed the exterior walls could be demolished to the next story, where the cycle repeated.