1480 Fifth Avenue, The New Ebenezer Baptist Church
Now one of the many small “shop-front” churches that serve the Harlem community, 1480 Fifth Avenue may have been a commercial building originally. An arched central door and first-floor windows lend a note of mid-19th Century “Romanesque” character.
1215 Fifth Avenue, Brisbane House
The northernmost of the truly grand Fifth Avenue apartment buildings, 1215 Fifth Avenue is also known as Brisbane House, after Arthur Brisbane, the Hearst Organization editor whose memorial stands across the street a few blocks down on the Central Park side. A decidedly eclectic figure, Brisbane also had a role in the development of the… Continue reading
1212 Fifth Avenue
An unusual building designed in 1926 by architectural brothers George and Edward Blum, 1212 Fifth Avenue was renovated as a condominium residence in 2012 by S. Russell Groves. Replacement windows give the façade an unfortunately blank look.
Temple Emanu-El
The largest synagogue in New York City and one of the largest in the world, Temple Emanu-El is an imposing combination of Romanesque and Art Moderne motifs. The third building to serve a congregation founded in 1844, Temple Emanu-El was designed in 1929 by Robert D. Kohn, a noted Art Nouveau architect whose other works… Continue reading
475 Fifth Avenue, The Farmers’ Loan & Trust Building
Constructed in 1926 as the Farmers’ Loan & Trust Building, 475 Fifth Avenue is a skyscraper design by Starrett & van Vleck, whose Lord & Taylor flagship stands just a few blocks to the south. A mish-mash of Gothic and Romanesque elements, it sports some of the avenue’s most insidious-looking gargoyles. The original crested mansard… Continue reading