Writers House Agency Annex (New York City, New York)

 office building, Federal style (architecture)

3-story Colonial-revival office building completed in 1881, but given a new facade in 1922, designed by Peabody, Wilson & Brown for the new owner, Vincent Astor. Vincent Astor became head of the American branch of the Astor family in 1912, after his father died in the sinking of the ocean liner, the Titanic. From this building, and the adjacent building at 21 West 26th Street, the Astors managed their immense real estate holdings, which included property throughout Manhattan and the Bronx.

For a time this was the headquarters of the Communist Party USA; the offices were bombed a half-dozen times from 1964 to 1972, with a particularly powerful blast in 1966 destroying the stained glass in St. Sava's apse across the street.

The 3-bay facade is clad in red brick, with a low brick stoop leading to the arched entrance at the east end. The entry has a wrought-iron fanlight screen and gate, and there is an iron fence fronting the basement areaway. To the left of the entrance, the 1st floor has a tripartite show-window with angled side panes, framed in beige cast-iron with a stone sill and wrought-iron grille.

The two upper floors have projecting stone sills and splayed brick lintels. Each windows is flanked by light-blue wooden exterior shutters. The facade is crowned by a dentiled cast-stone crown molding and a brick roof parapet with masonry coping.

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