Why are trading floors so low in the bank buildings?

Basically just title -- I can only speak firsthand for JPM and MS, but it seems like trading floors are the bottom few floors of the building. Is there a reason for that?

Comments ( 11 )

22d
Fillycheesesteaks , what's your opinion? Comment below:

My guess has always been that the trading floor uses the most electricity out of the entire building and so maintence is a lot easier

22d
Pirouline , what's your opinion? Comment below:

I always think it's due to that management thinks even if all elevators are down in the building, traders can still climb stairs easily and quickly and do their job!..

22d
tl2004 , what's your opinion? Comment below:

Bit of a wild guess here, but maybe to do with traders being able to get out of the building easily (separate lifts/stairs etc) if there was an immediate need to relocate to a DR site. Its not spoken about much but many if not all IB's have DR sites dotted about.

  • 1
18d
doostyt , what's your opinion? Comment below:

our bldg fire safety person (former firefighter on 9/11) confirmed this

+ bldgs have dedicated power for floors <10... if power goes out in city (NY blackout) show must go on

  • Incoming Analyst in IB - CB
18d

so you don't jump

  • 1
18d
finansialanalyst , what's your opinion? Comment below:

Since traders typically have acrophobia. Just kidding, to be closer to the infrastructure that is usually plugged at ground level.

7d
JSHCapital , what's your opinion? Comment below:

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