A 32-story Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan designed by Albert Buchman and Ely Jacques Kahn, 745 Fifth Avenue opened in 1930 as the Squibb Building and remains a mixed-use landmark combining retail, office and institutional space.
At a glance
Also known as the Squibb Building for its original primary tenant, this 435-foot limestone and brick tower sits on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. It combines 50,000 square feet of retail space on lower floors with 410,000 square feet of rentable offices above.
History
Developer Abe Adelson filed plans for the building in May 1929, replacing several townhouses and apartment buildings on the site. Construction proceeded swiftly, and the building opened on May 1, 1930.
E.R. Squibb & Sons, the pharmaceutical company, occupied 12 floors as the original anchor tenant. The toy retailer FAO Schwarz became a major tenant from 1931, operating from the building for 55 years until 1986. After FAO Schwarz relocated, the building underwent renovation in the late 1980s. Bergdorf Goodman’s men’s store opened there in 1990, positioned across Fifth Avenue from the flagship women’s store.
What you see
The facade employs two distinct materials reflecting its mixed function. Granite and marble clad the lower commercial stories, while white brick covers the upper office floors.
The lobby is a two-story space crowned by a ceiling mural painted by Arthur Covey, a significant decorative element typical of Art Deco commercial design of the period.
Cultural significance
The building exemplifies the vertical organization of commerce and retail that defined Midtown Manhattan in the twentieth century. Its sequence of major tenants—pharmaceutical manufacturer, toy retailer, luxury department store—traces shifts in Fifth Avenue’s commercial identity across eight decades.
Key facts
- Designed by Albert Buchman and Ely Jacques Kahn
- Height: 435 feet (133 m); 32 stories
- Opened: May 1, 1930
- Lower facade: granite and marble
- Upper facade: white brick
- Retail space: 50,000 sq ft
- Office space: 410,000 sq ft
- Lobby mural by Arthur Covey
- Coordinates: 40.763° N, 73.973° W
Practical information & getting there
745 Fifth Avenue is located at Fifth Avenue and East 57th Street in Midtown Manhattan. The site is accessible by the subway lines serving Midtown. The building remains in active commercial use and is visible from the street.
Sources & resources
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