NYC Facades

Aerial photo of old Penn Station

Although this was a very well known building, its destruction is even better-known; see this post on my personal blog for historical quotes on the progression of the demolition and the public outcry.

From left: The Knickerbocker Trust Company in 1904; in 1952, after its 1921 enlargement; and as it looks today.

From an article in the real estate section of the New York Times, March 5, 2009. Wikipedia also has an article on the building (there is a great period advertisement linked from there as well).

The article gives a history of the bulding, but it is hard to imagine from the building’s appearance today — not a trace of original facade remainds — what was there to begin with. Look inside the article also for a picture of original interior.

Shabby extended shack

Like other iconic buildings, I tried to have a different take on this one, but those pictures didn’t come out. However, this funny modification made my cut; it looks like the ram on a giant triangular ship. The little shack they added would not be so silly, if not for the fact that the pillars visible through the clear glass are so out of place!

Do they have enough communications equipment attached?

This was taken from Madison Square. I have been told that during the race for height with The Chrysler building, the Empire State was not expected to have a needle. Can you imagine it without the needle? (I am actually told there is such an imitator in Houston, Texas.) It would be truly awful; basically a towering, art deco warehouse. As it is, the top looks like the bridge of a ship.

EDIT: As the comment below says, the Houston building is the former Transco Tower, now known as the Williams Tower. It bears some resemblance to the Empire State Building, but definitely has an other-wordly aspect due to its futuristic glass facade. I quite like it, actually.

Upper floors with exapnsion

Lower detail

One thing I enjoy about looking up is noticing how the architects decided to incorporate expansions. This building clearly added a floor, and made no effort beyond matching the red to fix it into the existing design. Nonetheless, it has some very subtle features to enjoy.

Upper detail

Lower detail

As many of the buildings on 23rd street near 7th avenue demonstrate, one need not go out of their way to find interesting buildings. (See also: Amsterdam Avenue).

Upper stories with friezes

Detail - is the eagle on the right looking down?

Detail

This was hard to get a shot of, since it’s in the middle of the street. I used the GIMP to try to improve the view in the second to pictures (cropped from the first), however they just look a little funny.

This building is next to the famous Chelsea Hotel, which is so well-known I had no interest in looking at it. On the other hand, the Carteret (named after the English aristocratic family) looked like a palace, with sentries of eagles and knights, and large ornamental patterns. The air conditioners sticking out the window ruin the effect, of course.

I’m quite sure the central tower is actually disguising the water tower.

Upper stories

Arches, pilasters and capitals

Upper stories detail with mullions

The bottom of this building is so bland in comparison with the top floors (visible in the first picture), it is almost like another world.

Decorative parapet

This building caught my eye well before I was looking carefully. It’s like a castle, don’t you think?

Quoins, hood molding

Capstone, ornament and molding

I am very fond of this type of architecture. The ornamented, rustified quoins (the horizontal bricks at corners, here around the windows) just really get me; the consistency of style between the window horizontals and verticals (on the right) and the scaling on the left that matches that on the right.