The Fred F. French Building: Babylonian Splendor on Fifth Avenue
Why is it significant?
Stand at the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and 45th Street and look up at the Fred F. French Building. Completed in 1927 and designed by H.
Key Facts
| Place | The Fred F. French Building: Babylonian Splendor on Fifth Avenue |
|---|---|
| Address | 551 5th Ave, New York, NY 10176, USA |
| Geo Coordinates | 40.75540, -73.97890 |
| Part of Walk | New York: Midtown Art Deco and Grand Central Cathedrals |
| Generated | Generated |
Stand at the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and 45th Street and look up at the Fred F. French Building. Completed in 1927 and designed by H. Douglas Ives alongside the firm of Sloan & Robertson, this thirty-eight-story tower is one of the most exotic and visually striking Art Deco skyscrapers in New York. While other architects drew inspiration from classical Greece or European cubism, Fred F. French looked to ancient Mesopotamia, adorning his corporate headquarters with motifs drawn from ancient Babylon and Assyria.
Look up at the top of the tower, where a magnificent water tower enclosure features brilliant faience tiles depicting golden sunbursts flanked by two winged griffins drinking from fountains of wisdom. Lower down, a vibrant polychromatic terra-cotta frieze wraps the setback levels in turquoise, cobalt blue, and orange tiles. The frieze depicts bees symbolizing tireless human industry and integrity, alternating with mythical winged bulls that evoke the grand palaces of Nebuchadnezzar. French insisted that the exotic Near Eastern iconography symbolized the eternal commercial virtues of honesty and industrious labor, providing his clients with an unforgettable architectural signature that stood out boldly on conservative Fifth Avenue.
Step into the bronze entrance vestibule to admire the barrel-vaulted ceiling, adorned with twenty-five gilded bronze bas-relief panels depicting the diverse professions that construct a city: architects, draftsmen, bricklayers, stone carvers, and financiers. Fred F. French pioneered the innovative French Plan, allowing small investors to buy shares in high-rise construction projects and share in the real estate profits of modern Manhattan.
Notice the elaborate bronze elevator doors depicting mythological figures and celestial globes, preserved in immaculate 1920s condition.
Walk east along 46th Street to Lexington Avenue, then head north to 51st Street to witness the most electrifying Art Deco crown in the city.