135 5th Avenue (New York City, New York)

 office building  Add category

10-story Renaissance-revival office building completed in 1899. Designed by David W. King for the Century Bank, which merged with Chase Manhattan in the 1920s. Other tenants then included publishers, clothiers, milliners and Japanese importers.

On Fifth Avenue the 3-bay wide facade is divided into three distinct sections united by the vertical alignment of rectangular window openings. Articulated by two coursed piers supporting an entablature which is decorated with consoles, the base contains a recent bank front at street level and original tripartite metal show window at the 2nd level. Above the bank front remains the original stone cornice. The 2nd floor features three metal-framed fixed-pane windows above a metal band decorated with shields depicting the date of construction.

The 6-story, central section has intermediate coursing which divides (1) a heavily-banded lowest story, (2) quoined-and-banded 2-story segment in brick and limestone with a prominent segmentally-pedimented window surround, and (3) a 3-story span of brick wall with limestone quoining, several flat-arch window lintels, and one window surround with cornice. The terra-cotta cornice which caps the central section is emphasized by paired brackets. The 2-story uppermost section contrasts the brick wall with smooth limestone quoining and very simple window treatment. A less prominent terra-cotta cornice separates the bulk of the building from the limestone balustrade along the roof.

The three western bays of the 8-bay 20th Street facade duplicate the Fifth Avenue facade. The five eastern bays are vertically ordered in a similar fashion due to common cornices and string courses; however, fenestration in four of the five bays differs from the remainder of the building in its paired window openings. On the lowest section, coursed piers, identical to those of the Fifth Avenue side, separate the bays, which have segmentally-arched openings at street level. The only other significant differences on this facade are the window enframements at the 7th and 8th floors at the uppermost segment of the central section. At the ground floor of the eastern bay there is an original secondary door surround, in metal, with elaborate lintel and glass side lights.

The eastern elevation is a red-brick wall with fire escape doors, windows, and a metal fire escape. Along the southern edge, there are orange brick and limestone returns. The ground floor is occupied by Kate Spade.

The exterior was used as a location for "The Devil Wears Prada" (2006) as Andy speaks to Christian Thompson about finding a book manuscript. The Mohawk Building diagonally across the street can be seen in the background as well as the Empire State Building.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xMAO-eBNOE&ab_channel=High...