2 5th Avenue

 apartment building, 1952_construction

211-foot, 20-story residential building completed in 1952. Designed by Emery Roth & Sons for Samuel Rudin, it occupied the entire eastern end of the block between Washington Square and Eighth Street. It is composed of two sections, a high portion twenty stories in height representing the main bulk of the building, and a low portion at the south facing Washington Square, designed to be in scale with the handsome row of mansions which adjoins it to the west. This low portion in red brick is five stories high and features vertical tiers of balconies at even intervals and one tier at the Fifth Avenue end.

The high portion to the north is of light colored brick and has a drive-in courtyard facing the Avenue. At the wings, which enclose this courtyard, tiers of rectangular balconies rise up at the corners, with metal mesh railings. Broad metal windows are used throughout except at parts of the low section where narrow casements appear. At the top a series of setbacks provide roof decks for many penthouse apartments.

The fountain to the right of the front door is fed by Minetta Brook, a now-underground river that used to meander through Washington Square Park and the Village. The building was renovated in 2011. The ground floor at 8th Street is occupied by Brown Harris Stevens real estate. There is also an underground parking garage accessed from 8th Street or Washington Square North. The building is currently managed by Douglas Elliman.

www.ellimanpm.com/buildings/2_Fifth_Avenue
dlc.library.columbia.edu/catalog/cul:j6q573n77b