945 Fifth Avenue
A mid-century transitional building of 1949 by Emery Roth & Sons, 945 Fifth Avenue is a boldly massed composition in beige brick topped by a vast octagonal service tower, one of the most dramatic in New York. The rather severe detailing includes multiple oculi around the tower, giving it a somewhat military appearance, as of… Continue reading
579 Fifth Avenue
A Kohn Pederson Fox recladding of an Emery Roth original, 579 Fifth Avenue is a glammed-up version of the classic white-brick commercial block that the latter firm turned out by the dozen in the post-war period. The insertion of corner windows and renovated terraces make this a pleasant work space, although the new façade looks… Continue reading
546 Fifth Avenue
Completed in 1990 for the Bank of Brazil, the mirrored 546 Fifth Avenue is a flashy and (almost immediately) dated affair that suggests the opening credits of Dallas rather than the Midtown blocks of Manhattan. A rather bizarre first floor commercial space features neo-classical wood paneling jarringly at odds with the exterior. Emery Roth &… Continue reading
445 Fifth Avenue
The first Miesian skyscraper we’ve encountered, 445 Fifth Avenue was designed by Emery Roth & Sons as a condominium building and features the dark glass and bronze-colored framing elements associated with Mies Van der Rohe’s famed Seagram Building on Park Avenue. Until recently the first two floors were framed with wretched PoMo “neo-classical” details: these… Continue reading
Two Fifth Avenue
Located directly across the street from Corbett’s masterpiece at One Fifth, Two Fifth Avenue seems at first glance