An original 1909 marketing brochure, found during the renovation of 200 Fifth Avenue, touts the white terra-cotta cladding on a wall surrounding the courtyard as a reflective surface that would bring daylight into the heart of the workspaces within. Along with STUDIOS Architecture's bold design, that 100-year-old brochure helped convince New York's Landmarks Preservation Commission that replacing the terra-cotta wall with a glass curtain wall would respect the original architects' intentions. The change was allowed, and STUDIOS transformed the aging 14-floor edifice into a LEED Gold Certified, Class-A office building. 'They used the latest technology from their day, and we're using ours,' says David Levinson, chairman and CEO of L&L Holding Company, the project's developer. Serving as the International Toy Center for over half a century, what once was a warren of showrooms for thousands of small toy companies is now a sleek, 650,000-square-foot mixed-use property'complete with a restored Neo-Renaissance facade'that maintains the character of the building and boosts its value. Tenants such as Grey Global advertising and marketing, the Tiffany & Co. headquarters, and Mario Batali's Eataly Italian market and restaurants pay upwards of three times more per square foot than previous occupants.
Grey Global, the building's major tenant, now occupies a new four-story addition at the rear of the courtyard. Once underused, the gracious courtyard boasts a vertical garden that brings the outdoors into the building. A pristine, minimalist lobby beckons visitors, while a new 18-foot-wide landing west of the elevator core offers efficient circulation.
You have 0 complimentary articles remaining.
Unlimited access + premium benefits for as low as $1.99/month.