18 East 41st Street (New York City, New York) | office building, Gothic revival (architecture)

 office building, Gothic revival (architecture)

253-foot, 21-story Neo-Gothic office building completed in 1914. Designed by George & Edward Blum, it is three bays wide, clad in white terra-cotta with blue and beige ornamentation. The lower two floors of the base are divided into asymmetric bays: there are two recessed entrances at the west, both with glass doors, one revolving; to the east is a wider metal-and-glass storefront, and at the east end a metal-and-glass entrance to the storefront space. At the 2nd floor, there are pointed-arch windows set in black metal - three above the storefront, and one above each of the entrance, for a total of six windows in four defined bays. The piers are angled and rest on red granite bases. Gothic wall lanterns are affixed to the two end piers and the center pier between the storefront and eastern main entrance.

The upper two floors of the base are set off by ornamental panels with bright blue highlights are vertical bars, overlaid with intricate floriform carvings; projections over three of the piers are angled and capped with low pyramidal tops. These two floors begin the regular organization of the facade into three bays. The four piers are angled at the edges, with recessed centers bearing vertical bands of elaborate beige terra-cotta carvings of fig-laden vines. Each bay has a triple-window divided by wide brown metal mullions. The spandrels between the 3rd & 4th floors have carvings similar to those at the bottom of the upper-base, and yet more similar (slightly larger) carvings above the 4th floor, where each bay has rounded upper corners and is capped by a point. The piers at the top of the base again have angled projections, also decorated with intricate carvings.

At the upper floors the alteration of thick and thin piers creates a strong vertical emphasis. The main piers have narrow angled center sections and angled edges, and the intermediate piers also have angled edges, giving them an almost rounded appearance. There are paired windows in each bay, with projecting beige spandrels taking the form of shallow, faceted balconies, highlighted by heraldic shields. The 19th floor is framed by ornamented bands at the top and bottom, with additional ornament on the piers. At the 20th-21st floors the ornament continues on the piers and each bay has a tripartite window divided by narrow pilasters that span both floors. A tall terra-cotta parapet caps the facade, with more foliate carvings.

The west and east elevations are clad in beige brick, with white terra-cotta on the front edge. The east facade has a north bay of paired windows, a bay of three windows, another bay of paired windows, and a south end bay of paired windows, while the west has three bays of paired windows separated by two bays of single-windows. The ground floor is occupied by Tomiz restaurant.

A number of the early tenants in the building were in the medical professions, while others were horse racing organizations. The Turf and Field Club, the Jockey Club, United Hunts Racing Association, and the National Steeplechase and Hunt Association all had their headquarters here. It was also offices of the John H. Eisele Company contractor in the 1930's. The newly-formed Motion Picture Board of Trade of America also established its offices here in 1915. The 20th floor was converted to a 6-room penthouse apartment which, in 1930, was home to motion picture director Dudley Murphy. Today the building is still heavily occupied by medical offices.