321 Fifth Avenue

One of the recent buildings to be completed south of 34th Street, 321 Fifth Avenue weaves an uneasy compromise between the glittering high-tech of its upper floors and an oddly hesitant attempt to meet the street level. The tower is all flashing reflections and airy balconies, suggestive of the tropical flair of Miami. The lower… Continue reading

320 Fifth Avenue, The Reed Barton Building

One of Robert Maynicke’s best buildings, 320 Fifth Avenue, The Reed Barton Building, is unusual for the architect in being faced entirely in limestone.  The curved corner, handsome in itself, provides a wonderful foil to the angularity of the Empire State Building a block to the north.  The ground floor has seen some depredations, but… Continue reading

319 Fifth Avenue

The polite and well-tended little Colonial Revival building at 319 Fifth Avenue was built in 1917 and makes an interesting contrast to the opulence of the Kaskel Building located cater-corner – to say nothing of 321 Fifth directly to the north. The building stands on the site of the original Knickerbocker Club, now located further… Continue reading

316 Fifth Avenue, The Kaskel Building

Possibly the most sumptuous commercial building of its size and type remaining in New York, the incredible Kaskel Building at 316 Fifth Avenue is also one of the most flagrantly wrecked. Created for the stylish men’s fashion firm of Kaskel & Kaskel by the architect Charles I. Berg, this astonishing 1902 pile suggests the robust… Continue reading

315 Fifth Avenue

The Rock Building at 315 Fifth Avenue is a handsome 1906 design by Maynicke & Franke.  Featuring numerous Baroque details, it is similar in scale and effect to many of the firm’s buildings further south on The Ladies Mile.  The renowned bookstore Brentano’s was the original ground floor tenant. The façade has been recently cleaned and… Continue reading