Universal Pictures Building (New York City, New York)

 office building, commercial building

285-foot, 22-story International-style/early-modernist office building completed in 1947. Designed by Kahn & Jacobs, it was the city's first new major building to be constructed after World War II, and as also the first fully air-conditioned commercial structure in New York City. It is clad in alternating bands of limestone and ribbon windows of glass above a dark-grey granite ground floor. Light-silver metal mullions divide the ribbon bands into individual windows; at the 2nd floor there are wider panes interspersed with the regular size seen on all of the the upper floors.

The main entrance is at the center of the west facade on the avenue. It has glass double-doors below a metal canopy, and storefronts line the ground floor on either side, with blue canvas awnings. There are more storefronts on the north facade, and one at the west end and near the south end of the south facade on 56th Street. In between there are vents, and at the east end there is a loading dock.

A series of terraced setbacks begins at the south half of the building above the 11th floor, and at the north half above the 13th, continuing every two floors.

Lever Brothers Company, Schweppes, Ford Motor Company, Monsanto Chemical Company, and Universal Pictures Corporation all leased space in the structure when it opened. The ground floor is occupied by the Child Mind Institute (on 56th), Heritage Auctions, Alice Kwartler Antiques, Warren Edwards shoes, and Macklowe Gallery.

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