This Beaux Arts masterpiece and designated NYC Landmark at 597 Fifth Avenue, was designed in 1912 by renowned American architect Ernest Flagg. It is a 10-story, French-inspired building with a limestone and ironwork facade. Click here for more photos. Flagg, who was married to Scribner's sister, received this design job as one of his first major commissions from Charles Scribner, who owned the publishing house Charles Scribner's & Sons. At the time of the building of the 5th Avenue structure, Scribner had reached the summit of publishing with authors like Edith Wharton, Henry James, Robert Louis Stevenson, Rudyard Kipling, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Wolfe, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Scribner was friends with many of these authors and brought out many of their seminal works. The space was occupied from 1984-88 by Rizzoli, then by Brentanos Bookshop. In 1996, Bennetton took over the space and opened its first US flagship store, completely restoring the space to its former glory - with renovations of spiral staircases, Caen stone finishes, glass brick flooring, Carrera marble grand staircase, skylight etc. It is now occupied by Sephora. The interior vaulted, space (with ceilings as high as 30 feet) was designed to feel like a small library. It's really one of the grandest interior spaces in NYC. Many do miss the bookstore - it was such a grand space for a noble pursuit. I suggest a visit ...
Monday, December 18, 2006
Charles Scribner
This Beaux Arts masterpiece and designated NYC Landmark at 597 Fifth Avenue, was designed in 1912 by renowned American architect Ernest Flagg. It is a 10-story, French-inspired building with a limestone and ironwork facade. Click here for more photos. Flagg, who was married to Scribner's sister, received this design job as one of his first major commissions from Charles Scribner, who owned the publishing house Charles Scribner's & Sons. At the time of the building of the 5th Avenue structure, Scribner had reached the summit of publishing with authors like Edith Wharton, Henry James, Robert Louis Stevenson, Rudyard Kipling, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Wolfe, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Scribner was friends with many of these authors and brought out many of their seminal works. The space was occupied from 1984-88 by Rizzoli, then by Brentanos Bookshop. In 1996, Bennetton took over the space and opened its first US flagship store, completely restoring the space to its former glory - with renovations of spiral staircases, Caen stone finishes, glass brick flooring, Carrera marble grand staircase, skylight etc. It is now occupied by Sephora. The interior vaulted, space (with ceilings as high as 30 feet) was designed to feel like a small library. It's really one of the grandest interior spaces in NYC. Many do miss the bookstore - it was such a grand space for a noble pursuit. I suggest a visit ...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Great architecture and quite an educational post. I will add it to my list of future visits. Thanks.
Thanks. I know there has been quite a bit of architecture posts on this site, but this is one of the greatest things about the city.
Brian
The great lighting in the building sure helps make this one 'pop'. Almost a bit too postcardish, but nice shot nonetheless.
New York is definitely a place of excitement - even miss USA could not avoid its appeal - I love the dramatic view of this store - its a great shot of christmas season
I love this space. Very Beaux Arts. When I was walking through the displays of makeup and perfume here last year, I was lost in the architectural detail and had the very same thought...that such a beautiful space deserves a more noble pursuit (although, don't get me wrong, makeup is a pursuit in its own rite). I wish I had been able to see it as a bookstore but it doesn't require much imagination to envision. Truly beautiful.
Post a Comment