The creation of a homelike appearance for a 15-story office and showroom building was one of the architectural problems confronting Warren & Wetmore in designing the Steinway Building at 109–113 West 57th Street. The building provides for the entertainment and convenience of the music-loving public as well as being the new home of the historic firm of Steinway & Sons and it was desired to have its appearance suggest this dual purpose.

By placing the concert hall across the entire front of the building an unusual wall space was obtained, as there are no windows in the hall opening upon the street. As a result the lower portion of the structure presents a distinctive appearance more suggestive of a residence interior than of a concert room.

The central space at the street level is occupied by a display window fifteen feet high and ten feet wide. Above this an allegorical panel by Leo Lentelli depicts Apollo receiving the crown of musical triumph from the Muse, while accompanying figures are symbolical of the emotional gamut of music from the light classic to the dramatic. On either side of the display window is an entrance door of well-balanced proportions.

Separating this portion of the facade from the offices and studios on the upper floors, is a band of ornament in the form of garlands in which are enclosed eight medallion portraits of the following great composers who were also pianists: Brahms, Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, and Gieg.

The entire 57th Street facade of the building, which extends through to 58th Street, is of Indiana limestone. It has a frontage of 63 feet on 57th Street and 100 feet on 58th Street.

Steinway & Sons occupy the first three floors and part of the fourth floor, the upper floors being divided into offices and musical studios of other tenants. The Steinway entrance at 109 57th Street, leads directly into a large reception room of late Georgian design, about 40-feet square, and two stories high. The ceiling is painted after the manner of Angelica Kauffman and the furnishings, rugs, and hangings have been especially designed and manufactured to harmonize with the period architectural design of the room.

From the reception room, a corridor runs the entire length of the building to 58th Street. Opening directly upon this corridor are five showrooms in which pianos are displayed. The walls of these rooms have been lined with wood to soften the tone of the instruments and walls and ceiling have also been insulated. The floors are of wooden blocks laid on end, a new feature in floors for piano show rooms. Directly above, on the mezzanine floor, are four more showrooms of various sizes.

The executive offices of Steinway & Sons and a small concert hall are on the third floor. The hall seats about 200 and its decoration and furniture resemble those one associates with the living room of a large residence. It is intended for recitals of a more or less intimate nature.

The architects were instructed to use only the finest materials available in the construction and furnishings of the building and the new Steinway Hall has thus the dignity and distinction befitting the traditions of its owners.

Ignace J. Paderewski, Josef Hofman, and many other famous musicians have been invited to attend the formal opening announced for early October.

Editor’s note: The original article described the reception hall’s ceiling as painted in the manner of “Angelica coffer”—a typo, now corrected, that should have read “Angelica Kauffman.”