St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Begun in 1858 and only reaching its present form in 1931, St. Patrick’s Cathedral was designed by James Renwick Jr., one of the foremost of New York’s Gothic Revival architects. Equally adept in other styles, he also designed the Italianate castle of the original Smithsonian Institute and the Main Building at Vassar College in the… Continue reading
Just Off Fifth: 30 Rockefeller Plaza
30 Rockefeller Plaza, also known as 30 Rock, The GE Building and more recently the Comcast Building, is the largest building in Rockefeller Center and one of the greatest Art Deco structures in the world. As of this writing still the 14th tallest building in New York City at 850 ft and 70 stories, it… Continue reading
Rockefeller Center
A spectacular collection of Art Deco buildings and the largest single construction project in the world when built, Rockefeller Center is one of the glories of American urbanism. Built between 1930 and 1939 with Raymond Hood as the chief architect, the complex was funded by John D. Rockefeller Jr., who had originally planned to incorporate… Continue reading
608 Fifth Avenue, The Goelet Building
A beautifully modulated and detailed Art Deco building, 608 Fifth Avenue, the Goelet Building, was commissioned by the aristocratic family of the same name whose house stood a block south across the street. Designed by Victor Hafner with the engineer Edward Hall Faile, the building has been praised by architectural critic Paul Goldberger as “New… Continue reading
604 Fifth Avenue
Currently almost completely covered by a billboard advertising its availability, 604 Fifth Avenue is one of the few completed works by William Van Alen, the architect of the Chrysler Building. Constructed in 1925 as a location for the Childs restaurant chain, 604 Fifth Avenue featured a sophisticated curved façade that took advantage of light then… Continue reading