488 Madison Avenue, International Style office building in Midtown Manhattan, US.
488 Madison Avenue is a 23-story office building in Midtown Manhattan featuring the clean geometric lines and minimal decoration typical of International Style design. The glass and metal facade follows the modern principle that function comes before ornament.
The structure was designed by Emery Roth & Sons in 1950 when Manhattan was transforming into a center of International Style buildings. It marks the period when the city began replacing traditional architecture with modernist office towers.
The building exemplifies how post-war corporations expressed their values through clean, efficient design rather than ornamental details. Today, it remains a visible example of the functional aesthetic that dominated business districts of that era.
The building sits in the heart of Midtown with multiple subway lines and bus routes nearby, offering direct access to Grand Central Terminal and Fifth Avenue. Its central location makes it easy to reach other major Manhattan attractions from this point.
The building holds three separate protective designations: it is a New York City Landmark and also listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the New York State Register of Historic Places. This triple recognition is unusual and reflects how significant this structure is considered in architectural history.
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