🖋 By Meenakshi – AZAD Architects, Barnala
The Iconic Flatiron Building: A Historic Marvel of Manhattan
Once known as the Fuller Building, the Flatiron Building is a striking 22-story, 285-foot-tall (86.9 m) triangular skyscraper located at 175 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District of Manhattan, New York City.
Designed by architects Daniel Burnham and Frederick P. Dinkelberg, it was initially nicknamed “Burnham’s Folly” when it opened its doors in 1902.
The structure is built on a wedge-shaped plot bordered by Fifth Avenue, Broadway, and East 22nd Street, with East 23rd Street touching its northernmost point. Its signature triangular form, reminiscent of a vintage cast-iron clothes iron, inspired the name “Flatiron.”
Developed as the headquarters for the Fuller Company, a leading construction firm at the time, the land was purchased from the Newhouse family in May 1901. The building went up quickly and officially opened on October 1, 1902.
Initially featuring 20 floors, a small street-level structure called a “cowcatcher” and a penthouse were added shortly afterward. Ownership of the building changed hands over the decades: sold to a syndicate in 1925, it was foreclosed and taken over by Equitable Life Assurance Society in 1933, which then sold it in 1945.
Helmsley-Spear managed the building through much of the late 1900s, overseeing several renovations. In 1997, Newmark Group assumed management. A consortium of companies began further restoration in 2019.
In early 2023, Jacob Garlick won an auction to purchase the building but failed to complete the transaction. As a result, three of the four existing ownership groups retained control. In October 2023, it was announced that the Flatiron Building would be converted into luxury residential condominiums, with completion anticipated by 2026.
The building’s façade reflects classical architectural principles, divided vertically into three distinct sections—akin to a traditional column.
The lower levels feature limestone cladding, while the upper floors are finished with glazed terracotta. Engineered by Purdy and Henderson, the steel framework was built to endure wind forces four times stronger than typical for the area.
Celebrated as one of the world’s most recognizable skyscrapers and a lasting symbol of New York City, the Flatiron Building proudly marks the southern end of Madison Square and the northern tip of the Ladies’ Mile Historic District.
The surrounding area, known today as the Flatiron District, derives its name from this architectural masterpiece. The building was declared a New York City Landmark in 1966, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and named a National Historic Landmark in 1989. A 2023 survey ranked it the fourth-most-beloved building in the United States.
Site and Surroundings of the Flatiron Building
The Flatiron Building stands proudly on a uniquely shaped triangular block in Manhattan, bordered by Fifth Avenue on the west, Broadway on the east, and 22nd Street to the south.
Its sharp northern point is where Fifth Avenue and Broadway converge with East 23rd Street, creating the building’s iconic “peak.” This unusual plot shape is a result of Broadway’s diagonal path cutting across the otherwise orderly Manhattan street grid.
The dimensions of the site include approximately 197.5 feet (60.2 meters) along Fifth Avenue, 214.5 feet (65.4 meters) on Broadway, and 86 feet (26 meters) on 22nd Street.
Above the street level, the structure’s three corners feature gently curved edges. Interestingly, while the building is often likened to a clothes iron, the land it sits on is technically a scalene right triangle, not the symmetrical isosceles triangle that a traditional flatiron resembles.
The Flatiron Building is surrounded by notable neighbors: the Toy Center lies to its north, the Sohmer Piano Building to the southwest, the Scribner Building directly to the south, and Madison Green to the southeast.
Right next to the building are entrances to the 23rd Street subway station, served by R and W trains, offering convenient public transit access.
Positioned at the northern edge of the Ladies’ Mile Historic District, the Flatiron anchors an area historically rich in commerce and architecture, spanning from 15th Street up to 24th Street.
By the 1990s, the neighborhood immediately south of the structure was officially dubbed the Flatiron District, in honor of the building that defines its skyline.
Before the Flatiron: A Look at the Site’s Early History
Long before the Flatiron Building rose over Fifth Avenue, the site had a rich and varied past. By 1855, the St. Germain Hotel (sometimes spelled St. Germaine) stood on the southern part of the lot, part of a wave of hotel development in the area during the mid-19th century.
In 1857, real estate investor Amos Eno purchased the entire block for $32,000. Shortly thereafter, he developed the grand Fifth Avenue Hotel on a neighboring site across the street.
Sometime after 1880, Eno demolished the St. Germain Hotel and constructed a seven-story apartment building known as the Cumberland in its place. On the remaining parts of the triangular plot, he added four three-story commercial buildings, leaving part of the Cumberland’s north wall exposed.
Eno saw a unique opportunity and rented this blank façade to advertisers, including The New York Times, which mounted an illuminated sign made of electric lights—believed to be the first of its kind in New York City. This innovation foreshadowed the development of Times Square’s famed Great White Way.
Eno later enhanced the advertising display by hanging a canvas screen and projecting moving images onto it using a magic lantern—a precursor to modern slide projectors.
These projections included not only ads but also engaging visuals and live news bulletins. On election nights, thousands would gather in Madison Square to watch the latest results flash across the screen, creating a public spectacle unmatched in its time.
The location gained several informal nicknames, such as “Eno’s Flatiron,” “Eno’s Corner,” and even “the cow catcher.” By the 1890s, the family was making approximately $42,000 annually from the property’s advertising value. Despite being one of the city’s biggest landowners by 1894, Eno consistently refused offers to sell the lot.
That changed after his death in 1899, when the property was finally put on the market. Although the New York State Assembly allocated $3 million for the city to purchase it, the plan unraveled due to a scandal involving Tammany Hall’s Richard Croker. Instead, William Eno, Amos’s son, purchased the site at auction in April 1899 for $690,000—over 20 times what his father had paid.
Surprisingly, within just three weeks, William resold the land to Samuel and Mott Newhouse for between $750,000 and $801,000. Initially, the Newhouses did not envision a skyscraper due to the site’s unusual shape and engineering challenges.
Their original plan, announced in November 1900, proposed a 12-story structure with shops at ground level and bachelor apartments above. However, these designs never materialized, even as the surrounding neighborhood transitioned from low-rise buildings to eight- to ten-story commercial structures.
From Idea to Icon: The Flatiron’s Development Begins
In early March 1901, news outlets began circulating reports that the Newhouse family intended to sell the now-famous triangular lot—then often referred to as "Eno’s Flatiron"—for an estimated $2 million.
The buyer was said to be the Cumberland Realty Company, a newly formed investment entity led by Harry S. Black, the head of the Fuller Company.
The Fuller Company was a trailblazer in construction, widely recognized as the first major general contractor in the U.S. to oversee all stages of building projects—except for architectural design.
With deep experience in high-rise construction on compact plots, their portfolio already included prominent towers like the Trinity and United States Realty Buildings in Lower Manhattan.
Harry S. Black envisioned a striking new headquarters for the company right on this oddly shaped parcel of land, even though the surrounding Flatiron District was facing some decline at the time.
Undeterred, Black moved forward. By the end of March 1901, the Fuller Company had created a dedicated subsidiary to manage the project’s development.
The transaction was officially completed in May 1901, setting the stage for one of the most iconic skyscrapers in New York City’s history.
Blueprints and Breakthroughs: The Flatiron Takes Shape
In February 1901, Harry S. Black enlisted the renowned architectural firm of Daniel Burnham to design a groundbreaking 21-story structure for the newly acquired triangular plot.
This commission marked Burnham’s first architectural project in New York City. Once completed, it would stand as the tallest building in Manhattan north of the Financial District and the first skyscraper north of Union Square, situated just beyond 14th Street.
By May 1901, the transformation of the site was underway. The Northwestern Salvage and Wrecking Company began demolishing the existing buildings after most lease agreements had expired.
Many tenants of the Cumberland apartment building accepted compensation and vacated without resistance. However, one notable exception was Winfield Scott Proskey, a retired military colonel who refused to leave until his lease officially ended later that year.
In a failed attempt to hasten his departure, the developers tried cutting off Proskey’s water and gas, but he remained on-site even as the surrounding buildings were torn down.
Eventually, by the end of May, Proskey’s financial troubles caught up with him, leading his creditors to assume control of the lease. They swiftly authorized the full demolition of the Cumberland by June 1901.
On June 2, 1901, the New York Herald published an illustration of the site labeled “Flatiron Building,” helping to solidify the name even before construction began. That August, structural engineer Corydon Purdy officially filed blueprints for a 20-story skyscraper.
Although not the first building with a triangular footprint, the Flatiron would be the largest of its kind upon completion.
Similar shaped structures had appeared before, including an 1867 building in Syracuse, New York; a triangular Roman temple in ancient Verulamium (now St Albans, UK); Bridge House in Leeds, England (1875); the I.O.O.F. Centennial Building in Alpena, Michigan (1876); and Atlanta’s English-American Building from 1897.
In October 1901, the Real Estate Record and Guide featured an architectural sketch of the proposed building. Although the image was labeled “The Cumberland”, its design closely matched what the Flatiron Building would ultimately become.
Construction: Crafting a Steel Icon in the Sky
In August 1901, the Atlantic Terra Cotta Company began manufacturing custom terracotta panels to adorn the exterior of what would become one of New York’s most distinctive buildings.
Around the same time, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) raised concerns about the proposed structure’s safety standards. While structural engineer Corydon Purdy complied with most of the DOB’s demands—providing in-depth documentation on the framework, wind bracing, and fireproofing—he resisted the inclusion of external fire escapes in the design.
Surprisingly, the DOB later withdrew its requirement for them, though the reasons remain unclear.
Originally, New York’s building codes also called for metal-framed windows, which would have significantly inflated construction costs. However, the Board of Building Commissioners granted an exemption to developer Harry S. Black’s investment group, stirring some public suspicion and claims of special treatment.
With a new building commissioner taking office in early 1902 and pledging to uphold code enforcement, Black’s team revised their plans, opting instead for fire-resistant wood window frames coated in copper.
The American Bridge Company in Pennsylvania was contracted to fabricate the steel skeleton. By January 1902, the steel structure began to rise above the street, but construction soon stalled due to shipment delays and a severe February blizzard.
Additional holdups stemmed from a labor strike at Hecla Iron Works, the company producing elevators and railings for the project.
Despite these setbacks, the steel components were so precisely manufactured that, as The New York Times reported, they were assembled “without the need to redrill a single hole or replace a rivet.” Workers used air-powered riveting tools, more efficient than steam-powered alternatives, to connect the massive beams, especially useful across long distances.
By February 1902, the steel framework was fully assembled, and while the uppermost levels were still being finalized, laborers began fitting the terracotta tiles. By mid-May, half of the exterior had been clad, and the terra cotta facing was completed in June.
With the finishing touches in place, scaffolding was taken down and the building’s sleek, iconic form was finally revealed. The developers, Fifth Avenue Building Company, had spent $1.5 million to bring the project to life.
In August 1902, officials from the Fuller Company formally named the tower the Fuller Building, in honor of their late founder George A. Fuller, widely credited as the “father of the skyscraper.”
Still, New Yorkers had long referred to the site as the “Flatiron” due to its wedge-like shape. Despite the initial branding effort, the name “Flatiron Building” persisted in common usage and eventually became official, much to the annoyance of Harry S. Black and his associates.
The Fuller name was later reassigned to a new skyscraper on Madison Avenue, while the Flatiron Building became a true architectural icon and the namesake of the surrounding neighborhood.
Early Days Under Fuller Company Ownership
As the Flatiron Building neared its debut, the Fuller Company—its proud developer—launched an active promotional campaign. In the weeks leading up to its opening, they distributed six-page brochures to attract both potential tenants and real estate brokers. These leaflets boldly advertised that the building would be “ready for occupancy” by October 1, 1902.
Once the building opened, the Fuller Company claimed the entire 19th floor as its corporate headquarters. Towering above its neighbors, the Flatiron quickly drew attention for its dramatic height.
When the New York City Fire Department tested the building’s standpipe system in November 1902, officials remarked that its elevation made it a strategic asset in combating fires in nearby structures.
At the time of its completion, the Flatiron Building ranked as the seventh-tallest structure in Manhattan, following giants like the Park Row Building, Manhattan Life Insurance Building, St. Paul Building, American Surety Building, American Tract Building, and the Empire Building.
The Flatiron’s arrival sparked a transformation in the surrounding area. What had once been primarily an entertainment zone gradually shifted into a bustling commercial district, driven in part by the landmark’s presence.
An early feature of the building was a flagpole crowning its peak, which was dutifully maintained by a man nicknamed “Steeplejack” Kay for nearly forty years.
In 1904, steel magnate Henry Clay Frick showed serious interest in purchasing the Flatiron Building and even considered offering $5 million for it. However, the sale never materialized, and the building remained under the Fuller Company’s ownership through its formative years.
Additions and Alterations to the Original Design
During the construction phase, Harry S. Black proposed adding a small retail section at the building’s northernmost point—an area measuring just 93 square feet (8.6 m²) that otherwise would have gone unused.
This triangular nook, which would later become known as the "cowcatcher", was intended to generate extra rental income by taking advantage of every inch of the lot.
Although architect Daniel Burnham initially resisted the idea, considering it a distraction from the building’s symmetry and form, Black remained persistent. By April 1902, he had a Fuller Company draftsman draw up alternate plans.
A formal proposal for the annex was submitted to the Department of Buildings (DOB) in May 1902. While the initial design was rejected for having walls too thin to meet code, a revised version received DOB approval in June, despite Burnham’s continued disapproval.
The completed retail spot was leased to United Cigar Stores, turning the tiny space into a functional storefront.
Another post-construction addition was the penthouse, which was not part of the building’s original blueprint. By 1905, as the Fuller Company expanded, there was a growing need for additional workspace—specifically for their technical drawing department.
That March, plans were filed with the DOB to construct a $10,000 fireproof penthouse, complete with internal stair access from the 20th floor.
The newly added rooftop structure soon became a hub for artists, including illustrator Louis Fancher. Many of these tenants worked on pulp magazine illustrations, seamlessly linking the creative energy of the penthouse with the publishing operations taking place in the offices below.
Early Tenants and Cultural Legacy of the Flatiron Building
From the moment it opened, the Flatiron Building became a hub for an eclectic mix of tenants. While its top floor housed the Fuller Company headquarters, many other early occupants brought distinct energy to the iconic structure.
Among the earliest were major publishing firms, including industry pioneer Frank Munsey, and American Architect and Building News, reflecting the Flatiron’s immediate appeal to creative and editorial professionals.
The Equitable Life Assurance Society leased nearly the entire third floor, and several smaller tenants filled out the remaining offices—ranging from a patent medicine company and the Western Specialty Manufacturing Company, to Whitehead & Hoag, a firm specializing in celluloid novelty products.
The building also attracted a variety of other businesses and organizations. Tenants included:
• An overflow of music publishers from nearby Tin Pan Alley (28th Street),
• A landscape architect and Bohemian Guides Society,
• The Imperial Russian Consulate, which occupied three full floors,
• The New York State Athletic Commission, and even
• The notorious Murder, Inc. crime syndicate.
Interestingly, the Roebling Construction Company, linked to the sons of Tammany Hall boss Richard Croker, also rented office space. In the 1910s, renowned puppeteer Tony Sarg worked from a studio in the Flatiron Building, contributing to the arts culture that was blossoming inside.
Shifts in Occupancy and Use
By 1911, Harry Black moved the Fuller Company’s offices to the Trinity Building at 111 Broadway, aligning with its parent company, U.S. Realty. However, by 1916, U.S. Realty relocated its offices back into the Flatiron, signaling the building’s continued importance despite changing tenant needs.
The building’s basement was expansive—its vaults stretched over 20 feet beneath surrounding streets. While the original idea was to open a ratskeller, opposition from Manhattan borough president Jacob A. Cantor prevented it. Instead, the cellar became home to the Flatiron Restaurant, a massive dining space that could serve up to 1,500 patrons from morning until late at night.
With Broadway theaters nearby, it became a popular destination for pre- and post-show dining. In its early years, sightseeing buses brought tourists to dine here and visit the 21st-story observation deck.
In 1911, the basement restaurant underwent a transformation. Under the ownership of Louis Bustanoby of Café des Beaux-Arts fame, it was rebranded as Taverne Louis, a trendy 400-seat French restaurant.
Notably progressive for the time, Taverne Louis welcomed LGBTQ+ clientele and featured one of the city’s earliest black jazz bands, Louis Mitchell and his Southern Symphony Quintette.
Their performances helped introduce ragtime to New York’s upscale dining scene. The group was later recommended by Irving Berlin to take their music to London, where they found success. Unfortunately, the restaurant could not survive the economic strain of Prohibition and was eventually forced to close.
Civic and Wartime Use
When the United States entered World War I, the building played a patriotic role. The United Cigar Store, housed in the building’s “cowcatcher” annex, donated its space to the U.S. Navy as a recruiting center. Outside, Liberty Bonds were sold at stands lining the sidewalk, turning the Flatiron into a symbol of civic duty and national service.
Changing Hands: Rosenbaum Era and Equitable Takeover of the Flatiron Building
In March 1925, a significant chapter in the Flatiron Building’s history unfolded when Harry Black sold the property to a real estate syndicate led by Lewis Rosenbaum.
This group already controlled several prominent buildings across the United States, signaling a strategic investment in one of Manhattan’s most recognizable landmarks.
Although the exact sale price was never disclosed, contemporary estimates valued the property at approximately $2 million—roughly the same amount Black had spent to purchase the land and construct the tower two decades earlier.
The Rosenbaum syndicate paid $500,000 in cash, financing the rest through a long-term mortgage. This deal provided much-needed liquidity to the U.S. Realty Company, which had been facing mounting financial stress.
During the late 1920s, the Flatiron Building found new commercial life as numerous pottery, china, and glassware companies leased showroom space. In 1927, the iconic “cowcatcher” retail space at the building’s pointed northern tip underwent another transformation, as Walgreens took over the space from United Cigar Stores, signaling shifting consumer trends.
However, change was also sweeping through the city’s geography. As Midtown Manhattan continued its northward expansion, businesses followed suit. Notably, the Fuller Company—the Flatiron’s original anchor tenant—moved to its newly constructed Fuller Building on Madison Avenue in 1929, permanently vacating the Flatiron.
The Great Depression and Foreclosure
As the Great Depression gripped the nation in the 1930s, the Flatiron’s financial viability declined. Operating expenses soared, while rental income plummeted, putting the building’s future at risk.
Despite its iconic status, the once-mighty skyscraper had been overtaken in height and modern amenities, leaving its rooftop valued more for historical sentiment than strategic importance.
In March 1933, the Equitable Life Assurance Society initiated foreclosure proceedings after the Rosenbaum syndicate defaulted on the mortgage, which still had over $1 million in unpaid principal and more than a year of missed interest payments. On June 30, 1933, Equitable acquired the Flatiron at a foreclosure auction for just $100,000—the only bid placed.
Revitalization and New Tenants
Seeking to reinvigorate the aging structure, Equitable began a series of interior renovations in 1941 to attract modern tenants.
Some of the most notable upgrades included replacing the original cast-iron birdcage elevators, crafted by Hecla Iron Works, with enclosed elevator cabs—although the original hydraulic system was retained.
Additionally, the building’s open grillwork lobby partitions were replaced with elegant marble dividers, giving the entrance a more contemporary and professional appearance.
Throughout this period, the building’s essential systems—including lighting, heating, and elevators—were operated by a dedicated team of eight engineers, though occasional labor strikes disrupted operations.
By the mid-1940s, the Flatiron had achieved full occupancy once again. New tenants included clothing and toy manufacturers, along with diverse companies such as advertisers, paper suppliers, and the editorial team behind Baseball Magazine, showcasing the building’s continued appeal across industries.
Helmsley-Spear Management and the Flatiron Building’s Mid-20th Century Transformation
In October 1945, the Equitable Life Assurance Society sold the Flatiron Building to an investment group led by lawyer Max Silverstein, at a time when the building was valued at approximately $1.05 million.
The real estate firm Dwight-Helmsley, later known as Helmsley-Spear, brokered this sale and continued to manage the property, cementing their role as long-term stewards of the iconic skyscraper.
By 1946, ownership had consolidated under the partnership named Flatiron Associates, with Dwight-Helmsley holding a minority stake. In the early 1950s, the new owners implemented a few surface-level updates.
These included installing a dropped ceiling in the lobby and replacing the original mahogany-paneled entrances with revolving doors to modernize the entranceway.
The lobby’s main entrance underwent a notable redesign by architect George C. Rudolph, an effort that earned Dwight-Helmsley a 1953 award from the 23rd Street Association for their contributions to revitalizing the area.
By this period, the surrounding neighborhood had evolved into an industrial zone populated primarily by businesses in publishing, clothing, toy manufacturing, and related industries.
Publishing Powerhouse Moves In
In 1959, St. Martin’s Press became a major tenant, marking the start of a longstanding publishing presence in the Flatiron. Over time, its parent company, Macmillan, leased additional office space as it became available. Macmillan undertook several renovations to accommodate its imprints, including Tor/Forge, Picador, and Henry Holt and Company.
St. Martin’s Press president Thomas McCormack famously maintained an office within the building’s signature prow — the narrow, pointed end of the Flatiron. McCormack described the space’s charm, noting how employees and authors were “fascinated” by the unique location, where one could stand and simultaneously see the East River, the Hudson River, and Central Park without moving.
Macmillan highlighted the building’s quirky layout, featuring oddly shaped “point” offices with angled walls and stunning views of Manhattan landmarks such as the Empire State Building.
Management Challenges and Decline
The building’s ownership under Helmsley and Flatiron Associates was structured as a tenancy-in-common, requiring unanimous approval from all co-owners for major decisions. This arrangement often hampered efforts to secure necessary repairs and updates, leading to a gradual decline in the building’s condition.
Throughout the mid-20th century, the neighborhood experienced economic downturns, prompting many longstanding tenants to leave.
The once-prominent “cowcatcher” retail space became home to a nondescript importing firm with little foot traffic or demand. In 1972, a fire caused minor damage to the 21st floor and surrounding stories, further compounding maintenance issues.
By the late 1980s, the Flatiron was visibly suffering. Brokers lamented its poor condition, noting “bad elevators” and a “dirty facade” marred by graffiti at the base and soot across the terracotta above.
Helmsley’s other properties faced similar neglect, reflecting a broader period of decline for the company’s real estate holdings.
Restoration and Renewed Vitality
A turning point came in 1991, when the firm Hurley & Farinella undertook a major facade restoration, repairing the building’s iconic terracotta details and renovating the lobby. This renewal helped revitalize the Flatiron’s presence amid the neighborhood’s improving reputation.
That same year, C.P. Company leased the ground-floor retail space, transforming it into a fashionable clothing store.
The storefront redesign was led by Bentley LaRosa Salasky, with interior renovations by Cordero Progetti, which showcased the building’s distinctive prow columns. The store opened in February 1991, adding a fresh commercial appeal to the landmark.
Publishing remained a major force in the building’s tenant mix throughout the late 20th century. By the early 1990s, St. Martin’s Press renewed a lease covering ten floors, with expansion options as smaller tenants vacated. Meanwhile, Springer–Verlag secured six floors and options for an additional four.
Although the C.P. Company store operated only until 1996, the Flatiron Building was firmly back on the path to stability, its spaces fully leased and its historic charm once again appreciated.
Newmark Management and Split Ownership
By 1995, tensions arose among the partners of Flatiron Associates regarding the management of the building. Several co-owners expressed dissatisfaction with the incumbent property manager, Helmsley-Spear, accusing the firm of overpaying for services such as elevator maintenance and cleaning.
However, the Helmsley family retained a significant ownership stake, and due to the tenancy-in-common ownership structure—which required unanimous consent for major decisions—they were able to block efforts to replace Helmsley-Spear.
In 1997, a turning point occurred when some investors sold their 52 percent stake in the Flatiron Building to the real estate firm Newmark & Company. With majority ownership, Newmark swiftly took over as the building’s managing agent, ending Helmsley-Spear’s decades-long management role.
Following the death of Harry Helmsley in January 1997, his widow, Leona Helmsley, also sold her ownership stake, further consolidating Newmark’s control.
Under Newmark’s stewardship, the building underwent significant modernization efforts, most notably the installation of new electric elevators.
These replaced the Flatiron’s aging hydraulic elevator cabs—the last of their kind in New York City—bringing the building’s infrastructure into the contemporary era.
Macmillan Expansion and Conversion Proposals
In the early 2000s, the Flatiron Building became highly sought after by service companies, contributing to rising rental rates in the surrounding area amid ongoing neighborhood gentrification.
By this time, St. Martin’s Press and Springer–Verlag together occupied approximately 90 percent of the building’s space. Smaller tenants gradually moved out, as rents at the Flatiron became increasingly expensive.
In 2004, Macmillan’s parent company, the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, expanded its footprint by leasing additional floors—growing from 12 floors to 18—and also secured an option to lease the remaining two office floors.
Initially, the building’s owners had considered converting the Flatiron into residential apartments, but after Holtzbrinck’s expanded lease, they opted instead to focus on restoring the building’s historic architectural details.
During renovations in 2005, a large 15-story advertising banner was placed on the facade, but it was removed following public protests from New Yorkers.
In June 2008, Italian real estate investment firm The Sorgente Group acquired a majority stake in the Flatiron Building, having previously held less than 20 percent ownership.
By January 2009, Sorgente announced plans to convert the building into a luxury hotel, with the property’s zoning permitting such a conversion. The building’s estimated value at the time was around $190 million.
In November 2009, Newmark chairman Jeffrey Gural sold a stake to Sorgente for $51.8 million, although Gural and other partners retained partial ownership. Post-sale, Sorgente controlled about 52 percent of the building, with the remaining shares held by various real estate families.
By 2010, Macmillan occupied the entire building except for the ground floor, limiting immediate conversion plans.
The hotel proposal faced a significant hurdle because Macmillan’s lease extended through 2018. In a 2010 interview, Veronica Mainetti, head of Sorgente’s U.S. division, did not confirm whether the hotel conversion was still planned.
However, in 2015, she indicated that a hotel conversion remained a possibility once Macmillan’s lease expired.
Between 2009 and 2013, the building’s value surged by about 30 percent, reaching an estimated range of $250 million to $300 million, largely due to high demand for office space.
In July 2017, Macmillan announced plans to consolidate its New York offices at the Equitable Building at 120 Broadway. Following this, in January 2019, Knotel, a coworking space operator, expressed interest in leasing the Flatiron Building’s entire office space. However, the deal was never finalized.
2010s and 2020s Renovation
By June 2019, Macmillan had fully vacated the Flatiron Building, leaving all 21 office floors empty. In response, GFP Real Estate announced plans to undertake a major interior renovation, as the building was nearly completely unoccupied aside from a T-Mobile store on the ground floor.
GFP’s renovation proposal included installing modern central air conditioning and heating systems, removing all interior partitions to create open floor plans, adding a new sprinkler system and a second staircase, upgrading the elevators, and refurbishing the lobby.
The estimated project cost was between $60 million and $80 million, with an expected timeline of about one year.
The owners aimed to lease the entire building to a single tenant and enlisted a prominent real estate agency to identify a suitable occupant. The executive director of the ownership company emphasized, “The building was born as a commercial property, and we want to keep it as such.”
By November 2020, the building remained empty as the full renovation continued, with the process expected to take at least two more years. However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the renovation schedule until 2022.
By 2021, tensions arose among the five co-owners regarding the renovation plans. Four of them sought to sell their combined stakes, leading to legal disputes with the fifth co-owner, Nathan Royce Silverstein, who held a 25 percent share and opposed the planned renovation.
In June 2022, a New York state judge ruled that the four co-owners could buy out Silverstein’s stake. According to real estate figure Jeffrey Gural, Silverstein initially preferred seeking a new tenant without renovating.
He later proposed splitting the Flatiron Building into five physically separate properties—a plan Gural described as unfeasible due to landmark protections and other constraints. Silverstein countered that the renovation costs were being exaggerated.
Sale and Conversion: First Auction
In March 2023, a New York Supreme Court judge ordered the Flatiron Building to be sold at a public auction after the co-owners failed to resolve disputes regarding renovation plans. The auction was open to all bidders, with an opening bid set at $40,000.
Despite the majority owners — GFP Real Estate, Newmark, and ABS Real Estate, collectively owning 75% of the building — wanting to retain control, the property was ultimately sold for $190 million to Jacob Garlick, a 31-year-old venture capitalist who owns Abraham Trust, a firm without publicly available contact information.
Garlick expressed that owning the Flatiron Building had been “a lifelong dream” since age 14 and that he had worked hard to reach this position.
To finalize the sale, Garlick was required to make a 10 percent down payment ($19 million) by March 24, but he failed to do so, causing uncertainty about the building’s fate.
Jeffrey Gural, the runner-up bidder who offered $500,000 less, was approached by Garlick shortly after the auction with a proposal to partner by providing the down payment in exchange for a 10% stake.
Gural declined, and three current owners also passed on their option to buy the building at that price.
A bankruptcy expert noted that allowing bidders to participate without a deposit was “highly unorthodox” for such an auction. Since Gural declined to exercise the option, a new auction was mandated, though Garlick remained liable for the missed $19 million down payment.
By mid-April, real estate reports revealed that Garlick is a “distant relative” of co-owner Nathan Silverstein, leading to speculation that Garlick’s bid might have been intended to inflate the sale price for Silverstein’s benefit. However, investigations found no evidence of collusion.
Both the auctioneer and court-appointed referee stated they were unaware of any such intent. The referee confirmed that Garlick had defaulted and was no longer eligible to purchase the building.
On May 5, 2023, the majority owners, led by Jeffrey Gural, filed a lawsuit against Garlick and Abraham Trust, accusing them of fraudulent bidding.
Also in May 2023, amid New York City’s migrant housing crisis, city officials approached the building’s owners to request using the gutted Flatiron Building as temporary shelter. Since the building lacked bathrooms and other necessary facilities, Gural declined the proposal.
Second Auction and Residential Conversion
After Jeffrey Gural and his partners declined to exercise their option to purchase the Flatiron Building for $189.5 million, a second auction was scheduled for May 23, 2023. This time, prospective bidders were required to present a $100,000 deposit to participate.
At the auction, the majority owners group—comprising Gural, Newmark, the Sorgente Group, and ABS Partners—won full control of the building with a bid of $161 million. Jacob Garlick did not participate in this auction.
Following the acquisition, Gural and his partners announced intentions to convert part or all of the building into residential condominiums, contingent on obtaining the necessary city permits.
In October 2023, Daniel Brodsky’s Brodsky Organization acquired a stake in the building. In partnership with GFP and Sorgente, Brodsky announced plans to convert the structure into residential condominiums.
By August 2024, developers filed official plans to transform the floors above the ground level into 60 condominiums, targeting completion by 2026.
To facilitate this, Brodsky applied for a zoning variance in September 2024, as current zoning laws permit only half the building to be used for residential purposes.
In October 2024, the development team secured a $357 million renovation loan from Tyko Capital to fund the conversion project.
Architecture
The Flatiron Building was designed by Chicago architect Daniel Burnham as a vertical Renaissance palazzo featuring Beaux-Arts styling.
Unlike many early New York skyscrapers, which combined a tower rising from a bulky base (such as the Singer Building of 1908), the Flatiron was designed in the Chicago school style, appearing as a full-block slab without setbacks.
The palazzo-style design was intended to convey a sense of strength and stability to passersby. Originally, the building was about 285 to 286 feet (87 meters) tall with 20 stories and an attic.
After an expansion in 1905, it rose to 307 feet (94 meters) tall with 22 stories—or 21 stories if the attic is excluded. Contrary to some sources, the Flatiron is not among the very first steel-framed skyscrapers.
While Burnham oversaw the overall design, the detailed structural work was primarily done by his associate Frederick P. Dinkelberg, a Pennsylvania-born architect who had worked with Burnham since the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
The original working drawings are not currently known to exist, but contemporary renderings were published in The American Architect and Architectural Record during construction.
Façade
The Flatiron Building's facade is divided into three parts similar to a classical Greek column: the base, shaft, and capital.
The Fifth Avenue and Broadway sides of the facade are both eighteen bays wide, while the 22nd Street side is eight bays wide; the bays are arranged in pairs. The southwest and southeast corners are curved, with one rounded window on each story above the base.
Additionally, each story of the curved prow on 23rd Street contains three sash windows, with the central window wider than the other two. Many tenants referred to this prow as "the Point."
The three-story base of the facade is made of limestone. Each opening at the base is two bays wide. There are entrances on both ends of the 22nd Street side, as well as at the centers of the Fifth Avenue and Broadway sides.
Above the base, the facade is made of glazed terracotta, sourced from the Atlantic Terra Cotta Company in Staten Island. The building also features decorative details such as cornices, moldings, and oriel windows.
These materials were chosen to give the facade a sense of unity while providing a textured appearance. Early sketches by Daniel Burnham showed an unexecuted clock face and a much more elaborate crown than what was eventually built.
Base
At ground level, the entrances on Fifth Avenue and Broadway are each flanked by four storefront windows to the north and south. The storefront windows are separated by vertical piers with horizontal bands of smooth-faced and vermiculated limestone.
There are revolving doors at the southwestern and southeastern corners of the building. The entrances on Fifth Avenue and Broadway are flanked by a pair of engaged columns, which are vertically fluted and overlaid by smooth and vermiculated bands of limestone.
These columns support an entablature decorated with alternating roundels and triglyphs; immediately above the entablature, on the second story, are oculus windows with console brackets on either side.
The entablatures above both entrances are connected by a projecting cornice that wraps around the ground floor.
On the second and third stories, each opening generally contains two sash windows. A frieze with dentils runs above the third story. The prow of the building, facing 23rd Street, includes a pair of two-story-high Classical columns.
These were echoed at the top of the building by two columns that supported the cornice. The single-story "cowcatcher" retail space in front of the prow, added in 1902, was not part of Burnham or Dinkelberg’s design.
The "cowcatcher" measured 25 feet (7.6 m) long and 13 feet (4.0 m) tall, with a metal roof. Burnham initially did not want to add this space, as he believed it would ruin the symmetry of the prow’s design, but he was forced to accept the addition on Black’s insistence.
Upper stories
The 4th story is designed as a transitional story, with eight sash windows on 22nd Street, as well as 18 sash windows each on Broadway and Fifth Avenue.
The windows are flanked by alternating wide and narrow piers, each containing terracotta panels decorated with foliate motifs, masks, lozenges, and wreaths. Above the 4th story is a frieze with roundels, as well as a cornice.
The 12-story midsection spans the 5th through 16th stories. The 5th and 6th stories each contain sash windows similar to those on the 4th story, but the terracotta piers between each bay are decorated in a simpler design.
A frieze with a meander pattern wraps around the building above the 6th story. The Broadway and Fifth Avenue facades both contain three projecting trapezoidal oriels on the 7th through 14th stories; each oriel contains three windows per story.
At the time of the Flatiron Building’s construction, relatively few skyscrapers in New York City used oriels, but they were commonly used in Chicago to break up winds.
The 15th story contains sash windows separated by rusticated brick piers. The 16th story contains arched windows; the voussoirs above these windows support a cornice that runs above that story.
The 17th story is also a transitional story, with alternating wide and narrow piers decorated with roundels and lions’ heads. Another projecting cornice runs above the 17th story.
The capital consists of the top four stories. The 18th and 19th stories contain an arcade of double-height, double-width arches. Each archway contains a metal frame with multiple glass panes.
There are metal spandrel panels between the windows on the 18th and 19th stories.
The arches themselves are separated vertically by ornate terracotta piers, topped by capitals with masks and wreaths.
The 20th story contains small square windows, above which is a deep cornice with dentils and brackets; the cornice projects about 5.5 feet (1.7 m) beyond the building’s perimeter. There are decorative triglyphs between the 20th-story windows.
The 20th story was originally topped by an attic for mechanical equipment; the 21st-story penthouse was added in a subsequent renovation. The attic still exists and is placed between the 20th and 21st stories.
Initially, the penthouse was not surrounded by a railing; a balustrade was subsequently added above the 20th story.
At the building’s apex were originally two terracotta sculptures of cherubs. The cherubs symbolized the building’s "guardian spirits" and held scrolls that surrounded a tablet with George A. Fuller’s name.
The statues were removed to an unknown location in the late 1980s, and a set of replacement cherubs were installed in 2001 after preservationists filed a complaint with the LPC.
Structural features
Purdy and Henderson were the structural engineers, and Hamilton J. Chapman was the chief consulting engineer for the project.
The construction of the Flatiron was made feasible by a change to New York City’s building codes in 1892, which eliminated the requirement that masonry be used for fireproofing considerations.
This opened the way for steel-skeleton construction. The steel-frame technique was familiar to the Fuller Company, a contracting firm with considerable expertise in building such tall structures.
The Flatiron Building’s construction was relatively easy because it used a steel frame; its 22-story height would have been difficult using other construction methods of that time.
The steel bracing, designed by engineer Corydon Purdy of Purdy and Henderson, allowed the Flatiron Building to withstand four times the amount of wind force it could ever be expected to endure. In theory, the frame would remain standing even if the rest of the building were to tip over.
The building’s frame contains 3,680 short tons (3,290 long tons; 3,340 t) of steel.
According to architectural writers Sarah Bradford Landau and Carl W. Condit, as well as the New-York Tribune and author Joseph J. Korom, each of the stories above ground level measures 190 feet (58 m) on Broadway, 173 feet (53 m) on Fifth Avenue, and 87 feet (27 m) on 22nd Street.
Engineering Record magazine gives a slightly different measurement of 171 feet (52 m) on Fifth Avenue and 86 feet (26 m) on 22nd Street.
At the vertex, the triangular tower is only 6 feet (1.8 m) or 6.5 feet (2 m) wide. The Broadway and Fifth Avenue elevations meet at an angle of about 25 degrees.
Foundation
The foundation of the building extends 35 feet (11 m) deep and was excavated to the underlying layer of bedrock. It is surrounded by trapezoidal, waterproof retaining walls, which measure between 2 and 6 feet (0.61 and 1.83 m) thick.
The underlying bedrock ranges from 30 to 37 feet (9.1 to 11.3 m) below ground, very close to the bottom of the building’s foundation. The foundation itself consists of concrete footings with granite caps, above which rise the building's steel columns.
The cast-iron bases measure 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 m) square and are placed on slightly wider granite capstones, which measure 2 feet (0.61 m) thick. The concrete footings, placed directly on the bedrock, also have a square cross-section, measuring 8 to 9.5 feet (2.4 to 2.9 m) on each side.
The basement extends beyond the building’s lot line, occupying vaults underneath the sidewalk and roadways.
The vaults have a total area of 8,595 square feet (798.5 m²). Measured from the centers of the columns at the site’s perimeter, the vaults extend about 26 feet (7.9 m) to the west, 22 feet (6.7 m) to the east, and 50 feet (15 m) to the north.
These spaces are surrounded by the retaining walls. The ceiling of the vaults is supported by 18 steel columns outside the building’s lot line.
The steel columns are recessed behind the retaining wall and are connected to the retaining wall by horizontal girders, which support the sidewalks above.
Superstructure
The superstructure is primarily supported by 36 built-up steel columns. Each column is an I-beam measuring 14 by 14 inches (360 by 360 mm) across and 1 inch (25 mm) thick; they have a maximum working stress of 12,500 pounds per square inch (86,000 kPa).
Twenty-five of these columns are placed on the building’s perimeter: five on 22nd Street and ten each on Fifth Avenue and Broadway.
The perimeter columns are spaced 17 ft (5.2 m) apart on Fifth Avenue, 18.5 ft (5.6 m) apart on Broadway, and 16 ft (4.9 m) apart on 22nd Street. Five of the interior columns are recessed 14 ft (4.3 m) from the Fifth Avenue facade, and there are several interior columns at the south end of the building.
At each story, the columns are connected horizontally by a grid of steel girders and floor beams, which mostly run parallel to the Manhattan street grid. The spaces between the horizontal girders are spanned by flat arches made of terracotta.
All of the floor beams could carry a live load of 75 pounds per square foot (3.6 kPa). Each column is connected to the horizontal beams by triangular gusset plates, placed both above and below the beams.
From the 1st to the 12th stories, the outer walls are carried on plate girders; the remaining stories contain wall girders, with channels engraved into their surfaces. There is also a masonry pier adjacent to each of the columns on the building’s perimeter.
The framework at the first story is similar to that at the basement, except at the corners and above each entrance. At ground level, the building’s northern prow is cantilevered from a pair of elliptical girders, while the southwest and southeast corners contain diagonal floor beams.
On the upper stories, the corners contain curved wall girders and diagonal floor beams of varying dimensions. In addition, the oriel windows and some of the façade’ decorative details are cantilevered from the outer walls. On the 18th through 20th stories, the columns are recessed from the outer wall.
Purdy and Henderson designed two systems of wind bracing for the building. One system consists of diagonal steel bars shaped like a rotated "K", which extend downward from the centers of the horizontal girders.
The other system of bracing is similar, but the diagonal steel bars extend both upward and downward from the horizontal girders.
A supplemental system of transverse bracing is also used between the foundation and the second floor. The flat roof was built similarly to the floor slabs and could carry a live load of 50 pounds per square foot (2.4 kPa).
Interior
The building had 241,000 square feet (22,400 m²) of usable space. Contemporary critics considered the structure "quirky," with drafty wood-framed and copper-clad windows, no central air conditioning, a heating system with cast-iron radiators, an antiquated sprinkler system, and a single staircase for evacuation.
The offices were furnished with mahogany and oak, which the Fuller Company advertised as "fireproof." The triangular shape of the structure led to a "rabbit warren" of oddly-shaped rooms.
The offices on each floor were connected by a central passageway, and each floor contained about 20 office cubicles, all of which were connected by various doors.
According to The New York Times, offices in the prow had "impressive" views "because of the converging traffic street markings, which accent the telescoping boulevards, and because of the changing seasons in Madison Square Park."
The building had a power plant that generated high-pressure steam and electricity. In the 1940s, it was one of the few remaining structures in New York City with its own power plant.
Bathrooms for males and females are placed on alternating floors, with the men’s rooms on even floors and the women’s rooms on odd ones. The women’s restrooms were not part of the original design.
Until the end of the 20th century, the building also retained its original hydraulic elevators, which were powered by water. Otis Elevator manufactured six hydraulic elevators for the building, although Hecla Iron Works constructed the original elevator cabs.
The elevators had a reputation for being slow and, when the elevators’ hydraulic pipes burst, water would often leak into the elevator cabs.
To reach the top floor – the 21st, which was added in 1905, three years after the building was completed – a second elevator has to be taken from the 20th floor.
On the 21st floor, the bottoms of the windows are chest-high. The hydraulic elevators were replaced with electric cabs in the 1980s, and the original staircase was removed in the 2020s and replaced with two staircases.
Informational Notes
1. For its iconic status, see Koolhaas 1994, p. 72 and Goldberger 1981, p. 38; both are noted in this context in Zukowsky & Saliga 1984, p. 79 note 3.
2. This was one of four northward-facing plots south of 59th Street formed by the convergence of Broadway, another avenue, and a crosstown street.
- A park was built on the plot south of Herald Square, at 34th Street and Sixth Avenue.
- One Times Square was built on the triangular plot south of Times Square, at 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue.
- The curved site south of Columbus Circle, at 59th Street and Eighth Avenue, is now occupied by 2 Columbus Circle.
3. Alexiou 2010, p. 26, cites the St. Germain Hotel as built in 1855, while Landmarks Preservation Commission 1989, p. 151 gives a date between 1853 and 1854.
4. Tauranac 1985, p. 53, provides a differing date of 1855 for Eno’s purchase.
5. Architectural historian Christopher Gray states the St. Germain remained but was "renamed the Cumberland House around 1880".
6. The drawing mistakenly cited Bruce Price as the building’s architect, due to stylistic similarities with Price’s American Surety Building.
7. Mitchell later became a headliner and nightclub owner in Paris, made a fortune, lost it, and returned to the U.S. to drive a beer truck in Washington, D.C.
8. The contrast is noted by Zukowsky & Saliga 1984, p. 70ff.
9. According to the fifth edition of the AIA Guide to New York City, the belief that the Flatiron Building was among the first steel-skeleton skyscrapers in New York is untrue.
- Taller steel-framed skyscrapers existed, such as the 391-foot-tall Park Row Building, completed in 1899.
- Other contenders for NYC’s first skyscraper include the New York Tribune Building of 1874.
10. The National Park Service (NPS) describes the base as being five stories high, partly because the ground level is considered a double-height story and the transitional fourth story (characterized by NPS as the fifth story) is included in the base.
- Alexiou 2010, p. 74 cites the base as rising four stories.
11. On either facade, the central oriel replaces the center pair of bays, while the other two oriels replace the second-outermost pair of bays.
12. Since the site is a right triangle, the Broadway frontage measures approximately 191 feet (58 m).
13. Goldberger 1981, p. 38 note 3 quotes Andrew S. Dolkart:
"It is at a triangular site where Broadway and Fifth Avenue—the two most important streets of New York—meet at Madison Square, and because of the juxtaposition of the streets and the park across the street, there was a wind-tunnel effect here.
In the early twentieth century, men would hang out on the corner here on Twenty-third Street and watch the wind blowing women’s dresses up so that they could catch a little bit of ankle.
This entered into popular culture and there are hundreds of postcards and illustrations of women with their dresses blowing up in front of the Flatiron Building.
And it supposedly is where the slang expression ‘23 skidoo’ comes from because the police would come and give the voyeurs the 23 skidoo to tell them to get out of the area."
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