511 Fifth Avenue, the Postal Life Insurance Building
511 Fifth Avenue, the Postal Life Insurance Building, consists of a structure designed by the great bank architects York & Sawyer and a (flawlessly maintained) interior renovated in 1962 by Luss, Kaplan & Associates. The renovation retained much of the York & Sawyer design while bringing aboard a sense of jet age sophistication. Not until the… Continue reading
510 Fifth Avenue, The Manufacturers Hanover Trust Building
A revolutionary banking structure of 1954 that put the vault front and center on the street level, the Manufacturers Hanover Trust Building at 510 Fifth Avenue is a masterpiece of proportion from the firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and provided the basis for countless (usually inferior) knockoffs nationwide. Recent conversion to commercial space has… Continue reading
384 Fifth Avenue
Built in 1908 and given a new façade sometime in the 1950s, 384 Fifth Avenue lacks the double-breasted nattiness of similar recladding projects such as 310 Fifth Avenue to the south.
310 Fifth Avenue
This Mid-Century recladding of the original IBM headquarters at 310 Fifth Avenue employs luxe materials and sleek aluminum spandrels to create a near automotive sense of streamlined modernity. The neon sign for the hat shop adds a kick of Cary Grant-like glamour.
254 Fifth Avenue
It would be easy to dismiss 254 Fifth Avenue out of hand as another half-witted mid-20th century recladding job, similar to 240 or 253 Fifth, yet closer examination of this 1947 design reveals intriguing details. Although the style in the Madison Square North Historic District’s designation report is given tersely as “none” and the name… Continue reading