Demarest Building
{{Short description|Former building in Manhattan, New York}}
{{for|the building at 57th Street and Broadway that is also called the "Demarest Building"|224 West 57th Street}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Demarest Building
| image = File:Demarest_building 1891.jpg|alt=Demarest Building
| caption = gelatinous print, 1891
| architectural_style =
| cost =
| address = 339 Fifth Ave
| location_town = New York City
| location_country = United States
| coordinates = {{coord|40.7478|-73.9847|format=dms|region:US-NY_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| client =
| owner = Pi Capital Partners
| current_tenants =
| start_date = 1889
| demolition_date = 2021
| height = four stories
| architect = James Renwick Jr.
}}
The Demarest Building was a four-story structure at 339 Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, designed by Renwick, Aspinwall & Russell and constructed for coachbuilder Aaron T. Demarest. An 1893 fire destroyed property in the building, which was later used for other purposes.
Description
The Demarest Building is located on the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and 33rd Street in Midtown Manhattan, just east of the Empire State Building and across the street from the Hotel Waldorf.{{sfn|Kane|1997|p=97}}{{cite news|url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/1995/03/21/the-rise-but-rarely-the-fall-of-the-elevator/e4adcb4e-0e16-4dc4-9c78-a2739b4dd03b/|title= The Rise-but rarely the fall-of the Elevator|author= Ross, Wendy|date=March 21, 1995|newspaper=The Washington Post|url-access= limited|access-date= July 14, 2021|quote= The Otis brothers had installed the first two successful electric elevators in the Demarest Building in New York in 1889|archive-date= July 17, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210717184708/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/1995/03/21/the-rise-but-rarely-the-fall-of-the-elevator/e4adcb4e-0e16-4dc4-9c78-a2739b4dd03b/|url-status= live}}{{sfn|Martinez|2009|page=71}}{{sfn|Madsen|2002|pages=269–272}} The building has been compared stylistically to Carnegie Hall.{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |title=Echoes of Carnegie Hall on Fifth Avenue |first1=Christopher |last1=Gray |date=August 3, 2008 |page=8 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/realestate/03scap.html}} The building was designed in a modified Beaux Arts style.
History
A July 26, 1893 fire destroyed property at the building.{{Cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81418947/|title= Destructive Fire in Demarest's Carriage Warehouse in New York|newspaper=Middletown Times-Press|location= Middletown, New York|page= 3|date= July 26, 1893|via= Newspapers.com {{open access}}|access-date= July 14, 2021|archive-date= July 17, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210717184659/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81418947/middletown-times-press/|url-status= live}}{{cite web |url= http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/d/demarest/demarest.htm|title= A.T. Demarest|author= |date=2012 |website=Coachbuilt|publisher= Coachbuilt.com, Inc |access-date=December 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008185436/http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/d/demarest/demarest.htm|archive-date=October 8, 2016}} It was originally used as a showroom for luxury horse carriages. The world's first electric elevator was installed there. It was thereafter fragmented into retail units. The building was later converted to other uses.{{Cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81442297/|title= Friedmann opens office in New York Monday, promising he'll treat the Rich and poor alike|newspaper=The Evening Republican|location= Meadville, Pennsylvania|page= 1|date= March 1, 1913|via= Newspapers.com {{open access}}|access-date= July 14, 2021|archive-date= July 17, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210717184657/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81442297/the-evening-republican/|url-status= live}}
By 2015, developer Pi Capital Partners planned to replace the building and neighboring structures with a new residential tower.{{cite web | url=http://newyorkyimby.com/2015/02/first-look-339-fifth-avenue.html | title=First Look: 339 Fifth Avenue | website=New York Yimby | last=Fedak | first=Nikolai | date=February 17, 2015 | access-date=October 8, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008185814/http://newyorkyimby.com/2015/02/first-look-339-fifth-avenue.html |archive-date=October 8, 2016}} In 2019, Pi Capital filed plans for a 26-story mixed-use development on the site of the Demarest Building,{{Cite web|last=Colangelo|first=Lisa L.|date=September 17, 2019|title=Fifth Avenue's 1890s Demarest Building faces demolition as preservationists fight back|url=https://www.amny.com/real-estate/demarest-building-nyc-1-36414155/|access-date=September 14, 2020|website=AMNY Newsletter|language=en-US|archive-date=September 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930063821/https://www.amny.com/real-estate/demarest-building-nyc-1-36414155/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Manrodt|first=Alexis|date=July 29, 2019|title=Pi Capital Partners planning Koreatown project|url=https://therealdeal.com/2019/07/29/pi-capital-bringing-82-unit-mixed-use-building-to-koreatown/|access-date=January 30, 2023|work=The Real Deal New York|language=en-US}} with 82 apartments. This prompted preservationists and groups, including the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, to petition the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to designate the building as an official city landmark, thereby protecting it from demolition. The LPC expressed concern that the building's exterior had been altered too frequently throughout its history and the old building was not saved.{{Cite web|last=Franklin|first=Sydney|date=December 18, 2019|title=Preservationists fight to save Midtown Manhattan's 19th-century Demarest Building|url=https://www.archpaper.com/2019/12/preservationists-fight-to-save-midtown-manhattans-19th-century-demarest-building/|access-date=September 14, 2020|work=The Architect’s Newspaper|quote=The then-upcoming Carnegie Hall was thought to be the design inspiration for the light-orange Beaux Arts building...|language=en-US|archive-date=September 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918100225/https://www.archpaper.com/2019/12/preservationists-fight-to-save-midtown-manhattans-19th-century-demarest-building/|url-status=live}} {{As of|2021}}, it is being replaced by a 21-story, 82-unit mixed-use building with commercial space at the base and up to five residential units on each floor.{{Cite web|last=Pham|first=Diane|date=September 17, 2019|title=New Look for 335 Fifth Avenue, the 21-story tower replacing the Demarest Building|url=https://urbanize.city/nyc/post/new-look-335-339-fifth-avenue-21-story-tower-replacing-demarest-building|access-date=July 14, 2021|website=Urbanize New York|publisher=Urbanize Media, LLC|archive-date=July 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717184653/https://urbanize.city/nyc/post/new-look-335-339-fifth-avenue-21-story-tower-replacing-demarest-building|url-status=live}}
"Unfortunately, despite all its history, the Landmarks Preservation Commission determined that the structure had undergone too many alterations throughout its life to qualify for any sort of designation." Demolition commenced in 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.bldup.com/posts/demolition-underway-ahead-of-21-story-nomad-tower |title=335 Fifth Avenue Update 03/15/22: Demolition Underway Ahead of 21-Story NoMad Tower |accessdate=November 19, 2024 |work=BLDUP |date=March 15, 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
Sources
{{Commons category|Demarest Building}}
- {{cite book |last=Kane |first=Joseph Nathan |date=1997 |title=Famous First Facts |edition=Fifth|url=https://archive.org/details/famousfirstfacts00kane_0 |publisher=The H. W. Wilson Company|isbn=0-8242-0930-3 |quote=The first electric elevator successfully operated was installed in 1889 by Otis Brothers and Company in the Demarest Building, Fifth Avenue and 33rd Street, New York City. |url-access=registration }}
- {{cite book |last=Madsen|first=Axel |date=2002 |title=John Jacob Astor |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=7ZJvFoNntzIC&dq=carriages+wealthy+John+Jacob+Astor%22&pg=PA269|publisher=Wiley Press |isbn= 9780471009351 }}
- {{cite book |last=Martinez|first=Mark Anthony |date=2009 |title=The Myth of the Free Market |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=M97-cI2V080C&dq=luxury+carriages+wealthy+Astor&pg=PA71 |publisher=Kumarian Press|isbn= 9781565492677 |quote= }}
{{East Side of Manhattan (14th-34th Streets)}}
{{Midtown South, Manhattan}}
{{Fifth Avenue}}
Category:1890 establishments in New York (state)
Category:Beaux-Arts architecture in New York City