781 Fifth Avenue, The Sherry Netherland Hotel

A glittering fantasy, the former Sherry Netherland Hotel at 781 Fifth Avenue is one of the city’s most remarkable towers.  Designed by Schultz & Weaver in 1927, the French Renaissance rocket is capped by a minaret that would do Arthur Rackham or J.R.R. Tolkien proud. The amazing visuals continue on the interior where the spectacular… Continue reading

580 Fifth Avenue, The World Diamond Tower

A unique Gothic-Normandy mish-mash from Warren & Wetmore, 580 Fifth Avenue is also known as The World Diamond Tower.  Located at the gateway to the block-long Diamond District on West 47th Street, it is an imposing if eccentric presence. The building is currently under renovation.

243-249 Fifth Avenue

Replacing The Knickerbocker, one of New York’s earliest apartment houses, the gothic skyscraper at 243-249 Fifth Avenue was designed by George Pelham and finished in 1927.  The highly modeled setbacks on the upper floors incorporate a hexagonal water tower.  The lobby is a classic of its kind, a swanky, atmospheric space that suggests a lush… Continue reading

235-237 Fifth Avenue

The slender, faintly Gothic structure at 235-237 Fifth Avenue was designed by Trowbridge & Ackerman in 1911.  Planned as an 11-story structure, an amendment filed with the Department of Buildings during construction stated that the building would be topped off at seven stories with the additional floors to come at some future date. For reasons… Continue reading

218-220 Fifth Avenue

A highly accomplished work in the Skyscraper Gothic style forged by architects such as Henry Ives Cobb and Cass Gilbert, 218-220 Fifth Avenue was constructed in 1910-1912 as the Croisic Building by architect Frederick C. Browne.  The name of the building may be intended as a reference to the commune in the Loire-Atlantique region of… Continue reading