647 Fifth Avenue, Neoclassical townhouse on Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, United States
647 Fifth Avenue is a six-story stone townhouse on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue featuring neoclassical design elements like arched openings on the ground floor and fluted pilasters. Decorative railings and refined stonework run across multiple levels, giving the facade an orderly and elegant appearance.
This townhouse was built in 1905 by architects Hunt & Hunt as part of a pair called the Marble Twins commissioned by George Vanderbilt. It was created during the era when Fifth Avenue served as a residential street for Manhattan's wealthiest families.
The building represents the last chapter when Manhattan's wealthy families tried to hold their ground against shops and businesses taking over Fifth Avenue. You can still see the refined exterior that once reflected the prestige of living on this exclusive street.
The building is easily viewable from the street along Fifth Avenue between 42nd and 59th Street, making it simple to locate and examine. Today the structure functions as a commercial space, so interior access may be limited, but the historic facade remains visible to the public.
This structure stands as one of the last surviving private mansions from the Gilded Age on this stretch of Fifth Avenue. Its survival shows how rare it is for residential buildings from that era to resist commercial development in this part of Manhattan.
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