5 West 54th Street, Commercial building at West 54th Street, Manhattan, US
5 West 54th Street is a four-story Renaissance Revival building with a limestone ground floor and buff-colored brick upper levels decorated with carved limestone details. The facade shows careful attention to the ornamental elements that define this architectural style.
Developer Moses Allen Starr commissioned architect R. H. Robertson to design this residence beginning in 1897, with construction completed by 1899. The building later changed purposes after World War II, serving different functions in the city's evolving landscape.
The building reflects how wealthy New Yorkers in the 1890s chose to display their status through architecture in this neighborhood. You can see this preference in every detail, from the materials chosen to the careful decorative elements.
The building is located near Fifth Avenue and sits comfortably within the street grid of this neighborhood. You can view the exterior facade and study the architectural details from the sidewalk.
After World War II, the former private mansion was converted into a retreat space for war veterans before becoming office space for the perfume company Fabergé. This shift shows how grand residential buildings in Manhattan often take on entirely new roles over time.
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