113 Fifth Avenue, Arnold Constable & Co.

This spectacular survivor from the post-Civil War period is one of the most significant commercial buildings on Fifth Avenue and one of the largest examples of the French Second Empire in New York. 113 Fifth Avenue was originally a Broadway building, part of the Arnold Constable & Co. complex designed by architect Griffith Thomas. In… Continue reading

110 Fifth Avenue, The Judge Building

Along with the Flatiron Building at 23rd Street, the Judge Building at 110 Fifth Avenue is probably the most significant skyscraper on the Ladies’ Mile. Designed by the world-renowned firm of McKim, Mead & White in an attempt to match the dramatic structural qualities of Classical Roman architecture, the Judge Building was built in 1888 and… Continue reading

109 Fifth Avenue, The Constable Building

Designed by William Schickel & Co., 109 Fifth Avenue is one of the grandest buildings in the district, a fireproof palace clad in limestone. The ornament is derived from the Italian Renaissance and shows a strong sense of solidity and correctness. The corner ground floor window surrounds are especially fine, likewise the handsomely detailed balconies…. Continue reading

Just Off Fifth: 2 West 16th Street

This rare surviving brownstone mansion, now in a state of some decay, is illustrative of the type of upper class residence that once lined Fifth Avenue. Built by a Dr. Lovejoy in the 1850s, who almost immediately sold it, 2 West 16th Street came into the possession of Henry G. Stebbins, a prominent banker, who lived there with… Continue reading

106-108 Fifth Avenue

Po-faced PoMo sums up 106-108 Fifth Avenue.  The intriguing and rather handsome mansard roof may reference a similar feature on the 19th century structure 106-108 Fifth Avenue replaced, but the flimsy-looking balconies compromise the building’s overall proportions and the setback from the streetscape seems less a gracious gesture and more the act of a wallflower. … Continue reading