220 West 57th Street facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 220 West 57th Street
Alternative names	ASCE Society House
General information
Type	Commercial
Architectural style	French Renaissance Revival
Address	218–222 West 57th Street
Town or city	Manhattan, New York
Country	United States
Coordinates	40°45′57″N 73°58′52″W / 40.7657°N 73.9812°W / 40.7657; -73.9812
Groundbreaking	July 1896 (original) June 1905 (annex)
Opened	November 24, 1897 (original) January 1906 (annex)
Renovated	1918, 1939, 2000–2002
Owner	Thor Equities and General Growth Properties
Technical details
Structural system	Steel girders and timber
Floor count	4
Floor area	21,837 square feet (2,028.7 m2)
Design and construction
Architect	Cyrus L. W. Eidlitz (original) Cyrus L. W. Eidlitz and Andrew C. McKenzie (annex)
Developer	American Society of Civil Engineers
Main contractor	Charles T. Wills, William L. Crow
New York City Landmark
Designated	December 16, 2008
Reference no.	2297

220 West 57th Street is a historic building in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It was once known as the Society House of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). The building was designed by Cyrus L. W. Eidlitz in a style called French Renaissance Revival. An extra part, or annex, was later added by Eidlitz and Andrew C. McKenzie. From 1897 to 1917, this building was the main office for the American Society of Civil Engineers.

The building has four stories and a basement. Its outside is mostly made of white glazed brick with fancy decorations carved from Indiana Limestone. The second floor has a special arched window, and the top has a decorative ledge called a cornice. Inside, it originally had a lounge, a reading room, an auditorium, offices, and shelves for the ASCE's large library. After the ASCE moved out, the inside was changed for businesses, and escalators and elevators were put in. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission officially named it a city landmark in 2008.

Location of 220 West 57th Street

This building is on the south side of 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It sits between Broadway and Seventh Avenue, just two blocks south of Central Park. The area it covers is about 8,400 square feet. The building is 75 feet wide and its depth changes from 107 feet on the east side to 118 feet on the west. You might also see it listed with the addresses 218–222 West 57th Street.

Many other important buildings are nearby. To the west is 224 West 57th Street, and to the east are a public plaza and 888 Seventh Avenue. Other famous neighbors include the Central Park Tower and the American Fine Arts Society building.

This part of West 57th Street became a center for art and culture in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This happened after Carnegie Hall opened in 1891. Many important groups, like the American Fine Arts Society and the ASCE, had their main offices here. Later, this area also became known as "Automobile Row" because many car showrooms opened along Broadway, including some very close to 220 West 57th Street.

Building Design and Look

The original building was constructed between 1896 and 1897. It was designed by Cyrus L. W. Eidlitz in the French Renaissance Revival style. This was meant to be the main office for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Later, an annex was added from 1905 to 1906, designed by Eidlitz and Andrew C. McKenzie. The builders were Charles T. Wills for the first part and William L. Crow for the annex. The design was planned to fit in with other grand buildings nearby, like the American Fine Arts Society and Carnegie Hall.

The front of the building faces north towards 57th Street, where the main entrance is. The back of the building faces south. It has four stories and a basement. However, the third and fourth stories are smaller and only cover the front part of the building's area.

Outside Appearance (Facade)

Tripartite window detail

The main side of the building that faces 57th Street is called the facade. The first floor's facade is made of Indiana Limestone. The upper floors are mostly white brick with some limestone decorations. If you look at the building from 57th Street, the three sections on the left (east side) are part of the original building. The two sections on the right (west side) are part of the annex. The middle section of the original building is wider than the others. Both the original building and the annex have decorative stone blocks, called quoins, at their corners.

Originally, the main entrance on the first floor had steps leading up to it, with two-part windows on each side. The annex also had a pair of windows at ground level. In 1918, the first floor was covered in stone, and the original windows were replaced with large display windows. On the second floor, in the middle section of the original building, there's a special arched window with three parts and carved designs. The other windows on the second floor are rectangular with arched tops. On the third floor, the original middle section has a three-part window, while the others are rectangular with small ledges and decorative tops. A stone band used to run between the third and fourth stories. In 1939, the rectangular windows on the fourth floor were made larger, extending down into this band. Above the fourth floor, there is a decorative stone cornice with modillions (small brackets).

The eastern wall of the building can be seen from the plaza next to it. This wall is made of brick. You can still see a painted sign on this wall advertising Lee's Art Shop, which used to be a store in the building.

Inside the Building (Interior)

The building has about 21,837 square feet of space. It was built with a strong frame of steel beams and wood. When the ASCE used the building, the basement had a heating and electrical system. It also had storage rooms, publication rooms, and an apartment for the janitor.

On the first floor, there was a reception room and a coat room near the main entrance. The secretary's office was on the right. A large lounge was at the back, stretching across the entire width of the building. A main staircase led to the second floor. Here, you would find a reading room at the front and a large auditorium at the back. The third floor held offices for the ASCE's leaders and editors. The fourth floor had shelves for the ASCE's library, which could hold over 100,000 books! Because the top two floors weren't used as much, the building didn't have an elevator at first, but it did have a special lift for books between the second and fourth floors.

When the annex was built in 1905–1906, the lounge and auditorium were made 50% bigger. A new staircase was also added between the lounge and auditorium.

After the ASCE moved out, the building was mostly used for businesses and offices. In 1928, a brass and iron staircase was added for the Schrafft's restaurant that opened there. The old auditorium was turned into storage space. A marble-covered elevator was also added to the second floor. The Schrafft's restaurant took up the first and second floors and could serve 500 people. When Lee's Art Shop renovated the building in 2002, they added escalators between the first, second, and third floors. They also built an elevator and staircase that went from the first to the fourth floors. Many of the building's original designs inside were kept or rebuilt by Lee's Art Shop.

Building History

The ASCE was founded in 1852. They met in different places in Manhattan over the years. By the 1890s, their office at 127 East 23rd Street was too small. Many meetings were so crowded that people had to stand, and their big yearly events had to be held in a church because their headquarters weren't big enough.

Planning and Building the Society House

In May 1895, the ASCE told its members that they needed a new Society House. The members strongly agreed, and the idea went to the ASCE's Board of Direction. By October 1895, the board chose the spot at 218-220 West 57th Street. This location was good because it was near the growing arts area on 57th Street and easy to reach by public transport.

The ASCE bought the land in January 1896 for $80,000. They then formed a committee to manage the design and construction of their new building. The first plans were for a $90,000 building, but the total cost ended up being more. So, the ASCE asked members for donations. In March, the board decided to hold a design competition for architects. Twelve plans were submitted, and in May 1896, the committee chose Cyrus L. W. Eidlitz's design.

Digging for the building started on July 9, 1896. The New York Times reported that the building would be made of brick and granite. Because of money concerns, the construction contracts were delayed. In November, the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York agreed to help fund the project with a $135,000 loan. In December, a contract was given to Charles T. Wills for $86,775. The building was supposed to be finished by September 1897, but strikes by workers caused more delays.

ASCE Headquarters Years

Seen from east, with 224 West 57th Street behind the former ASCE Society House

The ASCE Society House officially opened on November 24, 1897. It cost about $206,284. At the opening, ASCE's president, Benjamin M. Harrod, said the building was for a professional group, not just a social club. The ASCE proudly stated it was the first building in the United States built only for an engineering society.

In 1903, Andrew Carnegie offered $1 million for a new Engineering Societies' Building on 39th Street. The ASCE was invited to join, but its members voted against it in March 1904. Instead, the board decided to buy more land next to their building on 57th Street to build an annex. The ASCE bought the extra land for over $100,000. A contract for the annex was given to William L. Crow in May 1905. The work cost about $61,000 and was mostly finished by January 1906.

After the Engineering Societies' Building paid off its debt in 1914, they invited the ASCE to move there again. This time, the ASCE agreed and moved its main offices to the Engineering Societies' Building by December 1917. The ASCE continued to own 220 West 57th Street and made good money by renting it out.

Automobile Row Era

After the ASCE moved, the Federal Food Board rented the space in December 1917. The National Agricultural Prize Commission also had offices there.

In July 1918, the Ajax Rubber Company, a big tire maker, rented 220 West 57th Street. The ground floor was changed into Ajax's tire showrooms. This made the building part of "Automobile Row," an area with many car and tire showrooms. In 1926, Elias A. Cohen rented the building from the ASCE, planning to build a skyscraper, but this never happened. A showroom for Stearns-Knight and Willys-Knight cars opened on the ground floor in July 1927.

Schrafft's Restaurant and Offices

The F. G. Shattuck and Company, which owned Schrafft's, rented the entire building in March 1928. A year later, they opened a large, 500-seat Schrafft's restaurant on the first and second floors. This restaurant was popular because it was close to Carnegie Hall and the Theater District. It even had a special grill just for men on the second floor. The New York State Federation of Women’s Clubs moved its main office to the fourth floor in May 1932. After Prohibition ended in 1933, Schrafft's got a liquor license, and a bar called the Columbus Room opened in 1936.

By 1939, the third and fourth stories were turned into apartments. The restaurant's inside was updated in 1940. Both the Women's Clubs and Schrafft's hosted many events and fundraisers during the 1930s to 1950s. Other businesses also rented space in the building, like a travel agency and winemakers.

The ASCE finally sold its old Society House in May 1966 for $850,000. Two years later, the Arlen Realty and Development Corporation bought 220 West 57th Street for about $1 million. Arlen also bought land next to it to build a tall skyscraper, 888 Seventh Avenue, which was finished in 1971. Arlen kept 220 West 57th Street and built a public plaza next to it. This plaza helped them get permission to build the skyscraper even taller. Schrafft's faced money problems by 1972 and moved its accounting offices to 220 West 57th Street.

Lee's Art Shop and Modern Retail

Lee's Art Shop advertisement on the eastern facade

Lee's Art Shop, a family-owned store, moved into 220 West 57th Street in 1975. They needed much more space than their old location. The move included updating the inside of the building and adding large display windows. At first, Lee's only used the first floor, while the upper floors were still offices for other businesses. The Steinbergs, who owned Lee's Art Shop, bought 220 West 57th Street from Arlen Realty in 1994 or 1995.

By 2000, Lee's Art Shop began restoring the building's original features. The renovation cost $8 million and was finished in 2002. After this, the store grew to 40,000 square feet and used all four floors. The Steinbergs' furniture and lighting business also moved into the upper floors. After Gilbert and Ruth Steinberg passed away in 2008, their children, David Steinberg and Jill Isaacs, took over the store. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission officially made 220 West 57th Street a city landmark on December 18, 2008.

In 2013, Joseph Safdieh tried to buy the building for $65 million. He later sued the Steinbergs, saying they broke the sale agreement. This lawsuit was dismissed. In 2014, Thor Equities and General Growth Properties (GGP) agreed to buy the building for $85 million. Safdieh then sued Thor and GGP, but the claims against Thor were later dropped.

Lee's Art Shop closed in mid-2016, as the Steinberg children had asked for two and a half years to close their business after the sale. In June 2016, Thor and GGP officially bought the building. They also bought the rights to build in the air space around and above the property. Thor and GGP planned to spend $20 million to turn the inside into luxury retail space. They decided to wait until after 2019, when the Nordstrom store in the nearby Central Park Tower was set to open, to get the most money from their retail space. In late 2017 and early 2018, the empty building was used for an interactive exhibit about the TV show Downton Abbey. The next year, it was redecorated for the movie Trolls and the TV show Trolls: The Beat Goes On! for one year.

See also

In Spanish: 220 West 57th Street para niños