Coty Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coty Building |
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(2019)
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| General information | |
| Location | Manhattan |
| Address | 714 Fifth Avenue |
| Town or city | New York City |
| Coordinates | 40°45′44″N 73°58′29″W / 40.76222°N 73.97472°W |
| Named for | François Coty |
| Groundbreaking | 1871 |
| Renovated | 1907 1990 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 6 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Woodruff Leeming |
| Known for | René Lalique Windows |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | Beyer Blinder Belle |
| Designated: | January 29, 1985 |
| Reference #: | 1534 |
The Coty Building is a famous six-story building. You can find it at 714 Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It has a special look with a French-style front (`facade`) and a unique sloped roof (`mansard roof`).
What makes it really special are the 276 glass panes on its third, fourth, and fifth floors. These beautiful glass pieces are the only known architectural work in the United States by the famous artist René Lalique. The Coty Building is also the base of the tall skyscraper next to it, at 712 Fifth Avenue.
This building started as a regular brownstone house in 1871. Later, in 1907–1908, an architect named Woodruff Leeming redesigned it. The owner, Charles A. Gould, wanted to change its look. He knew the area was becoming more for businesses than homes.
In 1910, the building was rented by a perfume maker named François Coty. Coty then asked Lalique to create the amazing glass windows. Even though Coty's company moved out in 1941, people still call it the Coty Building. Since 1985, it has been a protected landmark in New York City. This means it's an important historical building.
Contents
History of the Coty Building
In the late 1800s, Fifth Avenue between 42nd Street and 59th Street was not very busy. The building at 714 Fifth Avenue was built in 1871. It was one of many brownstone houses on the street.
By the early 1900s, this part of Fifth Avenue started to change. It became a popular area for shops and businesses. Because of this, the owner, Charles A. Gould, decided to update his building. He hired architect Woodruff Leeming to redesign the front of the brownstone. This happened between 1907 and 1908.
Lalique's Amazing Windows
In 1910, the newly designed building was ready. It had a French-style front and a sloped roof. A famous perfume company, led by François Coty, rented the building. It became their main office in the United States.
Coty wanted something truly special for his building. He asked René Lalique, a well-known jeweler and glass artist, to design a wall of glass windows. Lalique created a stunning design in the Art Nouveau style. It featured glass panes decorated with flower vines. These windows were so big they covered the third, fourth, and fifth floors.
Coty's company stayed in the building for many years. Their first rental agreement was until 1931. They renewed it until 1951. However, after François Coty passed away in 1934, his company moved out in 1941. They moved their business to another location. Over time, the beautiful 276 glass panes became covered in dirt.
What the Building Looks Like
The Coty Building is six stories tall. Its front (`facade`) is like a big glass wall. This glass wall is surrounded by a frame.
The first two floors have strong stone pillars (`piers`) and a decorative ledge (`cornice`). These parts look like one continuous section. The third, fourth, and fifth floors are also designed as one large glass wall. This glass wall has a stone frame around it. The frame has special designs at the top and on the sides.
There are five tall, narrow window sections. Thin metal bars (`mullions`) separate them. The building's overall design is still like it was when it was first built. However, the original windows were replaced with Lalique's glass art.
Each window section has many small glass panes. The middle sections have clear glass. But the side sections have decorative glass. Above the third floor, there is a curved, shell-shaped decoration (`pediment`). Each glass pane is about 0.5 inches (13 mm) thick. They are held in place by metal frames. The outside of each frame is slightly raised. The glass on the third through fifth floors shows designs of twisting vines and flowers. Experts believe these might be poppies.
The very top floor has a decorative ledge (`cornice`) with brackets. These brackets support a railing (`balustrade`). The sloped metal roof has arched windows (`dormers`). This design helped the building fit in with its neighbors. From the street, the Lalique windows are the most eye-catching part of the building. It is the only known building in the United States with Lalique's architectural glass work.
Protecting the Building
In 1983, a builder named David S. Solomon planned to construct a new, very tall office building. This new building would be 44 stories high. It would have entrances on West 56th Street and Fifth Avenue. At that time, the Coty Building and the nearby Rizzoli Building were not protected landmarks. So, the builder planned to tear them down.
In 1984, an expert in building history, Andrew Dolkart, noticed the dirty windows at 714 Fifth Avenue. They were above an electronics store. He did some research and found out that these windows were amazing Art Nouveau artwork by Lalique. Even though they weren't signed, he knew they were special. He believed they should stay in place, not be moved to a museum.
A group called the Municipal Art Society worked to protect the building. They asked the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission to make the Coty Building an official landmark. In early 1985, both the Coty Building and the Rizzoli Building became protected landmarks. This meant they could not be torn down.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission also allowed the new skyscraper, 712 Fifth Avenue, to be built. But it had to be built behind the existing Coty Building. This way, the old front of the Coty Building would be part of the new design. The company building the skyscraper had their permits changed because of the landmark decision.
In 1986, a studio in Manhattan cleaned and fixed the 276 Lalique glass panels. These panels were about 14-by-14-inch (360 mm × 360 mm) in size. They had been taken off the building's front. Forty-six of these panels were too damaged. So, new copies were made by another glass studio.
In 1990, an architectural firm called Beyer Blinder Belle restored the building's front again. This was for the opening of a new store, Henri Bendel's flagship store. Inside, the old Coty offices were removed. A new four-story open space (`atrium`) was added. More restoration work happened in 2000. This was because water had caused some of the metal frames to expand, cracking ten glass panes. Experts say that this way of saving old buildings, while also allowing new development, is important for modern cities.
Images for kids
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The storefront as seen in June 2021
See also
In Spanish: Coty Building para niños
