| Crown Building | |
|---|---|
&sq=Facebook&lang=en&file=File:Crown_Building_New_York.jpg) View of the Crown Building, 2007 | |
 | |
| Former names | Heckscher Building, Genesco Building |
| Alternative names | 730 Fifth Avenue |
| Hotel chain | Aman |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | French Renaissance |
| Address | 730 Fifth Avenue |
| Town or city | New York City |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 40°45′46″N 73°58′28″W / 40.762868°N 73.974554°W |
| Construction started | 1920 |
| Completed | 1921 |
| Renovated | 2019–2022 |
| Renovation cost | $1.45 billion |
| Landlord | Vladislav Doronin (hotel), General Growth Properties and Brookfield Properties (retail) |
| Height | 416 ft (127 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 25 |
| Grounds | 26,360 sq ft (2,449 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Charles D. Wetmore |
| Architecture firm | Warren and Wetmore |
| Developer | August Heckscher |
| Other information | |
| Number of units | 83 hotel suites, 22 apartments |
| Designated | May 14, 2024[1] |
| Reference no. | 2678[1] |
The Crown Building (formerly the Heckscher Building and Genesco Building) is a 25-story, 416-foot-tall (127 m) building at 730 Fifth Avenue, on the southwest corner with 57th Street, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Constructed between 1920 and 1922 for the philanthropist August Heckscher, the structure was designed by Warren and Wetmore as an office building. The lower levels contain retail space, while the upper levels were converted to the luxury Aman New York hotel and residences in 2022. The structure is a New York City designated landmark.
The building's stepped, setback design was regulated by the 1916 Zoning Resolution. Its exterior includes French Renaissance details and is divided into a nine-story base, a twelve-story shaft, and four-story octagonal pyramidal roof. The facade is largely made of limestone, with brick and terracotta detailing, along with 1,363 ounces (38,600 g) of gold leaf. The lower stories include retail stores, while the upper stories originally contained offices before they were redesigned by Jean-Michel Gathy in the 2020s. The upper stories are split up into 22 condominium residences, 83 hotel rooms, and amenity spaces such as a spa and three restaurants. Over the years, the building has received commentary for its general shape and for the design of its roof.
August Heckscher acquired land for the building from 1913 to 1918. After the Heckscher Building was completed, it housed several businesses and art galleries, and it was also the Museum of Modern Art's first home. Heckscher lost the building to foreclosure in 1938. Charles F. Noyes and Joseph Durst bought the building in 1946 before reselling it four years later. It was renamed the Genesco Building in 1964 and sold yet again in 1966. The structure was purchased in 1981 by Philippine dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, and the name was changed to the Crown Building in 1983, after its crown-like look when illuminated at night. The Crown Building was the focus of various lawsuits after the fall of the Marcos regime, and in 1991, Bernard Spitzer and partners Marvin Winter and Jerome L. Greene acquired the building. In 2015, Michael Shvo and Russian billionaire Vladislav Doronin purchased the office portion of the building. OKO Group took over the upper stories, which were converted to hotel and residential use from 2019 to 2022.
- ^ a b Landmarks Preservation Commission 2024, p. 1.