489 Fifth Avenue
A striking black and white sliver building, 489 Fifth Avenue was designed in 1970 by the firm of Kahn & Jacobs. A rather alarming Fifth Avenue façade is augmented by a south-facing wall that suggests Russian Constructivism.
483 Fifth Avenue, the Rogers Peet Building
An unobtrusive Beaux Arts building, 483 Fifth Avenue, also known as the Rogers Peet Building, was constructed in 1916. A recent conversion into the Anduz Hotel has brightened the facades, although the new three-story penthouse makes an ungainly transition from old to new.
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
461 Fifth Avenue
An exceptionally handsome Postmodern building by the firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, 461 Fifth Avenue was developed by the Japanese group Mitsui Fudosan. Incorporating cast stone, exposed bracing and a copper mansard roof that echoes numerous other neighboring buildings, 461 Fifth Avenue manages to be playful without being twee and is one of the… Continue reading
455 Fifth Avenue
A staid design by James T. Bartley, 455 Fifth Avenue was the third and final location of the Arnold Constable & Co. department store, previously housed at the magnificent French Second Empire landmark at 113 Fifth Avenue. Tenanted by the New York Public Library since 1970 and wholly under the Library’s ownership since 1982, 455 Fifth… Continue reading