Knabe Piano Co. Building (New York City, New York)

 office building, Beaux-Arts (architecture)

160-foot, 11-story Beaux-Arts office building completed in 1907. Designed by C.P.H. Gilbert, it was referred to as the Knabe Building after its longtime tenant the Knabe Piano Company. The west facade on the avenue has three bays, and the north facade spans seven bays. At the 2-story base, the bays are articulated by limestone piers with alternating larger and smaller bands. Each bay on the north facade has infill of beige stone blocks. The four western bays have plate-glass storefronts on the ground floor, and there is another storefront in the 2nd-from-easternmost bay. The bay to the west of this one has a single metal service door with a metal vent above and to its left. The easternmost bay has double metal service doors, and a row of three square windows above. The three eastern bays have large double-openings divided by slender iron columns. Most of the openings are filled by metal panels or louvers. The next three bays each have a single, narrow opening at the 2nd floor with a cross-hatched metal grille. The westernmost bay has a large, square plate-glass window. On the west facade facing the avenue the two end piers frame an infill area of beige stone. The wider middle bay has a storefront topped by a round-arch and shallow keystone; the northern bay has a smaller storefront topped by a segmental-arch; and the southern bay has a recessed main building entrance also topped by a segmental-arch. The northern two arches are filled by dark-grey panels, while the arch above the entrance has a brass grille. All three bays are framed in brass. The 2nd floor has plate-glass windows in the end bays. The piers have capitals with egg-and-dart moldings supporting a cornice with a patterned molding that caps the base.

The upper floors are clad in buff-colored brick with terra-cotta detailing. They have double-windows, slightly smaller at the end bays, where the windows have terra-cotta sills and cornices. At the 3rd floor the middle bays have window pairs divided by terra-cotta pilasters and topped by dentiled terra-cotta cornices with end brackets that serve as small balconies for the 4th floor, topped by decorative black iron railings. Above, the middle bays have black iron pilasters between the double-windows and iron spandrel panels with beveled edges and medallions in the centers. At the top of the 8th floor, each pier has a console bracket supporting a large, dentiled stone cornice.

At the 9th & 10th floors the middle bays have pairs of square windows, with terra-cotta lintels at the 9th floor. The double-windows continue at the end bays, where terra-cotta spandrels have pairs of large modillions serving as brackets for small balconies at the 10th floor, also with decorative iron railings. The 10th floor is topped by a dentiled cornice. Both facades are crowned by a curving green copper mansard. The end bays, as well as the three middle bays on the north facade, have elaborate stone single-window dormers with rounded pediments. The other bays have shorter copper double-window dormers with decorative frames. The top of the mansard is lined with copper cresting.

The east elevation is clad in brick, with continuations of the cornices above the 8th & 10th floors. The south elevation, above the neighboring building, is clad in brick. The design details of the main facades (cornices, balconies and dormers) are present at the front of the elevation near the street side. A brick chimney divides the rest of the facade, which lacks detail. The building now features a roof deck behind the top of the mansard. The ground floor is occupied by Berger's Fine Foods & Catering, and Just Salad.