71 Fifth Avenue
71 Fifth Avenue is a sophisticated 1906 design by Charles Volz. Its strong cubistic proportions are heightened by an abstract approach to decoration, with the ornament being reduced to crisp lines of delineation. Not much is known of Volz, but judging from this building, he had a sure grasp of the potential of the coming… Continue reading
The Milano School, 72 Fifth Avenue
The oldest commercial work on Fifth Avenue south of 14th Street, 72 Fifth Avenue is also arguably the most inventive. The overall scheme follows the example of the great 19th century architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose highly individualistic revival of the Romanesque led to the recognition of an eponymous style: the Richardsonian Romanesque. Yet the structure also incorporates… Continue reading
55 Fifth Avenue
Built as the Hotel Grovesnor, 55 Fifth Avenue currently houses a mix of office space and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law for Yeshiva University. Designed by the firm of Maynicke and Franke and completed in 1910, it is the tallest commercial building south of 14th Street at 19 floors. A classic steel skeleton… Continue reading