10 Fifth Avenue
10 Fifth Avenue is an unusual Gothic Revival brownstone dating from the first era of development north of Washington Square. A rare example of the style applied to a townhouse, it is the only survivor of a row of four such houses constructed by Henry Brevoort in 1848 – 1849 that extended northward along the west side of Fifth between 8th and 9th Streets.
The building once housed the Thimble Theater, a tiny playhouse converted from a double parlor and overseen by Charles Edison, son of the inventor; later tenants included the writer Ford Maddox Ford.
The ground floor was converted to shops in 1930, but the building has undergone a recent restoration that preserves and recreates much of its attractive detailing. Its current owners are to be commended for their investment in its continued existence.