National Register of Historic Places

Scribner Building

New York, New York County, New York
Listed
May 5, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80002715

About this property

The Scribner Building (also known as the Old Scribner Building) is a commercial structure at 155 Fifth Avenue, near 21st Street, in the Flatiron District of Manhattan in New York City. Designed by Ernest Flagg in the Beaux Arts style, it was completed in 1893 as the corporate headquarters of Charles Scribner's Sons publishing company. The Fifth Avenue facade contains a base of rusticated limestone blocks on its lowest two stories. On the third through fifth stories, the facade is subdivided into five limestone bays, while at the sixth story is a mansard roof. Among the facade's details are vertical piers at the center of the facade. At ground level is a retail space that was originally used as Scribner's bookstore. The upper stories originally contained the offices of Charles Scribner's Sons and were subsequently converted into standard office space. Charles Scribner's Sons was founded in 1846 as Baker & Scribner, which occupied several buildings before moving to 155 Fifth Avenue. The company used the Old Scribner Building until 1913, when the firm moved to 597 Fifth Avenue, a structure also designed by Flagg. The family continued to hold the building until 1951, leasing it as office space. The Old Scribner Building was used as the headquarters of the United Synagogue of America from 1973 to 2007. The building was designated a city landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) in 1976 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1980. It is a contributing property to the Ladies' Mile Historic District, which was designated by the LPC in 1989.

Location

153--157 5th Ave.
New York, New York County, New York
40.74034, -73.99039

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Flatiron Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Sidewalk Clock at 200 5th Avenue, Manhattan
Modern
0.1 mi
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
Industrial
0.1 mi
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
Industrial
0.2 mi
Building at 304 Park Avenue South
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Kip's Bay
1776Revolutionary War
1.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Scribner Building listed on the National Register?

Scribner Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 5, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Scribner Building?

Scribner Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Scribner Building?

The period of significance for Scribner Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Scribner Building?

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