Flatiron District, Fifth Avenue Between 23rd and 22nd Streets

Mary Sargent © 2010 ………………….…………..… ………………….. click to enlarge

It wasn't until I turned around and saw this doorway that I realized I was standing by the great Flatiron Building, seen here on March 17, 2009.

New York City Landmarks describes the building as "clad in traditional Italian Renaissance ornament, most of it white terra cotta."

Chelsea, 30th Street Between Seventh and Sixth Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2010 ………………….…………… ………………….. click to enlarge

Here is the landmarked building I promised.  It is the Cass Gilbert, only recently named after its architect, upon being converted to condominiums.  You may know Cass Gilbert as the architect of the Woolworth Building, at one time the world's tallest building.  Also the U.S. Courthouse.  This building, then, built in 1927-28, was unusual for him, in that it was really a manufacturing loft building, built for the fur industry which had recently begun developing in this area.

In 2003, the developer, Henry Justin, divided the building into 45 condominium units and it sold out within 60 days.  He had received permission from the architect's grandson to use the name.  According to the New York Times, Justin said that if the grandson had refused, he might have named it the "Beaver Pelt Building."

Had that occurred, it may have taken longer than 60 days to sell out.




Mary Sargent © 2010 ………………….…………… ………………….. click to enlarge

Here's a close-up of one of the entrances showing terra cotta reliefs of chariots and roaring lions, part of the reason for its landmarked status.  Those of you interested in stuff like this should go to the report of the Landmarks Preservation Commission.  I love those reports; this one talks about the neighborhood, the architect, why it makes sense that he designed this building (it was a social connection), the design, what a loft building requires, the zoning law which required setbacks, architectural terra cotta, and finally, why they gave it landmark status.  Every question I could possibly have, they answer.

By the way, this is right next to the also landmarked 23 Police Precinct Station House, seen here at the beginning of this walk on June 29.

Chelsea, 30th Street Between Seventh and Sixth Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2010 ………………….…………… ………….......……….. click to enlarge

A week ago Saturday, I found myself on this block in front of this building that we first saw two years ago.  With one important difference.  This time I had a wide angle lens.  And now you can see the whole thing.  This is the former 23rd Police Precinct Station House and you can read all about it at the above link.

Chelsea, 16th Street Between Sixth and Seventh Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2010 ……………...…….…………… ………………….. click to enlarge

Apologies for the skewed photograph.  It's the fault of the sun.  When I was in the best spot for shooting, the sun was shining over the building right into my camera.  Then when I moved up to get in the shade, I was too close.  If my goal was to shoot this building, I would go on a cloudy day or I would go in the morning or late afternoon, but since my goal was to shoot this walk on this day at the time I was taking it, you end up with a skewed photograph. 

This building was built in 1878 to house the New York House and School of Industry, an institution founded in 1851 to help destitute women by providing them with employment doing needlework.  It is supposedly the first in the city to be built in the Queen Anne Style, and it was landmarked in 1990.  Christopher Gray's 1987 column on this building is well worth reading for its explanation of why this is considered Queen Anne, anyway, and for the bit of history about charities in the 19th century.

Flatiron District, 16th Street Between Fifth and Sixth Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2010 ………….....……….…………… ………………….. click to enlarge

These curvy buildings caught my eye and I came home to discover that they became landmarks in 1990.  In the 1840s the streets just north of 14th Street and west of Fifth Avenue were developed with row houses, but by the end of the 19th century most of them were gone as the area had become more commercial.  However, to quote from New York City Landmarks:

. . . West 16th Street retains a significant number of Greek Revival houses.  The most impressive are the four survivors of a row of nine wide houses - Nos. 5, 7, 9, and 17 - each of which has a full-height curving bay on its front facade, an extremely rare feature in New York.

These three houses are 5, 7, and 9, from right to left.




Mary Sargent © 2010 ……… ………………….. click to enlarge

Here is a view of No. 9 from a different angle, showing the curving bay to a better advantage.

It's hard to see why these are Greek Revival since they are asymetrical, lack pedimented gables or friezes, and have no columns.  And who ever saw curving bays on Greek architecture?  Someone please explain.

See map.

Midtown, 30th Street Between Seventh and Sixth Avenues

Mary Sargent © 2008 ……………………………………. click to enlarge

I have a feeling a police station is on this block. Or rather, Traffic Control building. (And note unusual angle parking.)



Mary Sargent © 2008 ………. click to enlarge

Yes, here we have it.

This was built as the 23rd Police Precinct Station House in 1907-08. What a fantasy building! It is officially Medieval Revival Style – because the police commissioner wanted a building that looked like a police station.

If this building had been in any one of the lesser cities I lived in before moving here, it would have been highly visible and well known; after all, how many cities have a medieval castle in their midst? But here, it's on a lightly traveled side street and it's just one of the many amazing sights in Manhattan. Ho hum.

It is in what used to be called the Tenderloin, the most crime ridden area in New York City (and thus, the country) in the 19th century. If you're interested in New York City history, I recommend the report of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The architect, R. Thomas Short, was of the firm Harde & Short, which designed the Red Hovse on West 85th. We were there in January last year.




Mary Sargent © 2008 ………. click to enlarge

This is an automobile entrance. That's what it says.

See map.