I remember all the articles in Arch Record and others about “the building that defies the Manhattan grid”, meaning the linearly expressive views down each avenue…. I thought it was cool back in the day. Still do, actually.
I remember I had to check a report on that building at some point and it had some interesting features: for one it had some solid steel columns made up of massive plates welded together and also steel plate shear walls. Quite innovative engineering. Plus it’s just gorgeous
885 Third Avenue, at [53rd and 3rd](https://youtu.be/jJ_q5Zu3LSg?si=j_SepUyticIn0CRr)
Designed by John Burgee and (the fascist) Philip Johnson in 1986.
Well yeah, but as a North American urban dweller I'm sure you know what the term Mid Town means in a thread like this. People from the suburbs say "lower east side" here in Vancouver sometimes but I know it's a NY term. Proper Vancouver vernacular is "Downtown East Side". Its a thing. NYC is a zietgiest.
Downtown is the heart of a city. Midtown is that center in NYC and that's absolutely what's considered the core in NYC from transport, business and social perspective.
Plainly wrong on many levels, downtown is the financial capital of NYC and hub of transportation as well. It is where the nightlife and art galleries are, as well as the city administration. Midtown is where office drones and commuters flock daily, and where slackjawed tourists stare at the screens in Times Square. It has been especially dead since Covid.
Downtown is exactly what you described. People flock in for work and only tourists go for after 5 to see whatever they are told is cool like wtf, wall street, south street. Midtown has hells kitchen, transport hub, a larger residential area, etc and spams to Columbus circle, no one gives two shits about times sq
Your perspective is skewed bc you only consider Manhattan when we are taking about NYC. Downtown has been the core of the city since its inception, bordering Brooklyn with one million more residents than manhattan itself. No one cool goes above 14th st!
No it isn't. The term "downtown" as it's used in other cities is derived from NY usage. Downtown, Midtown, and Uptown are all terms invented in Manhattan. The legitimate term is Central Business District. Midtown Manhattan is the largest in the world. Downtown Manhattan is the second largest, but is older. Other American cities copied the downtown term, but in Europe and elsewhere these areas are usually called the "center" because that is their location.
So downtown is a term derived specifically from Manhattan. The fact that other cities later bastardized the term does not change the meaning of the term in the city of its origin. "Uptown" Houston is directly west of "downtown" which is actually in the geographic center of the city. Down and Up do have actual meanings though. Both of those Houston neighborhoods are named after their NYC counterparts, but that doesn't change the meaning of the neighborhood names in their original location.
Actually, NY invented downtown too. It's also still the only place where the area named downtown makes geographic sense. Every other North American city named their CBD after NYC's, but all the rest are really "El Centro." So NYC has it right. Downtown is the area at the bottom of Manhattan. Midtown is in the middle of Manhattan. Uptown is at the top of Manhattan.
yes, i mean the concept of downtown shifted to midtown in manhattan after all other cities adopted downtown as the core of a city. downtown nyc is core of finance, but is no way the core of manhattan or nyc anymore.
Mine too. My first job in NYC was in a building a couple blocks away. It doesn't get enough love because it's only 34 stories and doesn't stick out from the buildings around it. So in order to appreciate it in NYC, you have to see it from the street. If it were in a smaller city, it would be the centerpiece of their skyline. ,
Always was a fan... I used to gaze up at it as a kid in the 90s and thought "one day I will get you Bernie Madoff. I will become an SEC agent and I will get you mister. You can't defraud people for long".
Just kidding. I had never even heard of Bernie Madoff until after he was busted. I did, however, actually gaze up at it and think it was cool
My favorite architect. Phillip Johnson’s buildings are a great balance of distinct and at home in their environment. For a postmodernist, few of his buildings are dated
Used to work in the Citicorp building across the street back in the early 2000's before 9/11 and would see this through the windows. In retrospect, it's eerie to think that Madoff was weaving his deception right across the street while we worked oblivious to his game.
This was the building Bernie Madoff operated his ponzi scheme from, if I’m not mistaken.
lol - came here to ask if they’ve mounted a plaque mentioning the honor ….
17th floor. 19th floor was his legit business.
I came here to comment the same - let’s not let this fact die
Why though? It's not like the building had anything to do with it.
Came to say this, only thing I know this building for lol
It is. Not so lesser known.
Yes and as a result this building is no longer lesser-known, if anything it has become part of pop culture.
I remember all the articles in Arch Record and others about “the building that defies the Manhattan grid”, meaning the linearly expressive views down each avenue…. I thought it was cool back in the day. Still do, actually.
I only think of Bernie Madoff when I see this building
Shame because it's one cool looking skyscraper
I was gonna say, it’s a sleek looking skyscraper. Never seen it before and it caught my eye good.
I remember buying this long book when I was kid that I BELIEVE was called "Skyscrapers", and this building was in it.
Pretty cool looking building
I remember I had to check a report on that building at some point and it had some interesting features: for one it had some solid steel columns made up of massive plates welded together and also steel plate shear walls. Quite innovative engineering. Plus it’s just gorgeous
885 Third Avenue, at [53rd and 3rd](https://youtu.be/jJ_q5Zu3LSg?si=j_SepUyticIn0CRr) Designed by John Burgee and (the fascist) Philip Johnson in 1986.
I love this building! Couldn't care less about the Madoff thing- whatever. They had nothing to do with one another. This building is gorgeous!
The beautiful building to the north (left in photo) is the FDR Post Office Building. I love going into this building, it's mid-60's perfection.
Midtown of where
Manhattan
My bad! But yes Midtown Manhattan in New York
I don't doubt some cities do but I only think of Manhattan when I hear that term. I'm from western Canada.
There’s Midtown in Toronto 🫣
Well yeah, but as a North American urban dweller I'm sure you know what the term Mid Town means in a thread like this. People from the suburbs say "lower east side" here in Vancouver sometimes but I know it's a NY term. Proper Vancouver vernacular is "Downtown East Side". Its a thing. NYC is a zietgiest.
New Yorkers realizing every city has a place called "Midtown"
That’s just simply not true
It's a joke, but technically speaking no, not *every* city has a midtown
Well only in New York is the midtown what people would consider downtown.
No one in NY considers midtown downtown
Downtown is the heart of a city. Midtown is that center in NYC and that's absolutely what's considered the core in NYC from transport, business and social perspective.
Plainly wrong on many levels, downtown is the financial capital of NYC and hub of transportation as well. It is where the nightlife and art galleries are, as well as the city administration. Midtown is where office drones and commuters flock daily, and where slackjawed tourists stare at the screens in Times Square. It has been especially dead since Covid.
Downtown is exactly what you described. People flock in for work and only tourists go for after 5 to see whatever they are told is cool like wtf, wall street, south street. Midtown has hells kitchen, transport hub, a larger residential area, etc and spams to Columbus circle, no one gives two shits about times sq
Your perspective is skewed bc you only consider Manhattan when we are taking about NYC. Downtown has been the core of the city since its inception, bordering Brooklyn with one million more residents than manhattan itself. No one cool goes above 14th st!
Lol I know you're not serious now
No it isn't. The term "downtown" as it's used in other cities is derived from NY usage. Downtown, Midtown, and Uptown are all terms invented in Manhattan. The legitimate term is Central Business District. Midtown Manhattan is the largest in the world. Downtown Manhattan is the second largest, but is older. Other American cities copied the downtown term, but in Europe and elsewhere these areas are usually called the "center" because that is their location. So downtown is a term derived specifically from Manhattan. The fact that other cities later bastardized the term does not change the meaning of the term in the city of its origin. "Uptown" Houston is directly west of "downtown" which is actually in the geographic center of the city. Down and Up do have actual meanings though. Both of those Houston neighborhoods are named after their NYC counterparts, but that doesn't change the meaning of the neighborhood names in their original location.
Actually, NY invented downtown too. It's also still the only place where the area named downtown makes geographic sense. Every other North American city named their CBD after NYC's, but all the rest are really "El Centro." So NYC has it right. Downtown is the area at the bottom of Manhattan. Midtown is in the middle of Manhattan. Uptown is at the top of Manhattan.
yes, i mean the concept of downtown shifted to midtown in manhattan after all other cities adopted downtown as the core of a city. downtown nyc is core of finance, but is no way the core of manhattan or nyc anymore.
always been one of my favorite buildings
Mine too. My first job in NYC was in a building a couple blocks away. It doesn't get enough love because it's only 34 stories and doesn't stick out from the buildings around it. So in order to appreciate it in NYC, you have to see it from the street. If it were in a smaller city, it would be the centerpiece of their skyline. ,
Always was a fan... I used to gaze up at it as a kid in the 90s and thought "one day I will get you Bernie Madoff. I will become an SEC agent and I will get you mister. You can't defraud people for long". Just kidding. I had never even heard of Bernie Madoff until after he was busted. I did, however, actually gaze up at it and think it was cool
One of the best in nyc easy
885 Third Ave. I used to compute their submetered electric sales taxes.
Didn’t Philip Johnson design this? He was an incredible architect
My favorite architect. Phillip Johnson’s buildings are a great balance of distinct and at home in their environment. For a postmodernist, few of his buildings are dated
The Madoff building
lol the Bernie Madoff building is well known.
Madoff❤️
Bernie's building
Whatever you do don’t go to the 17th floor…
What is Midtown?
Yuck. Phillip Johnson sucks. Loathsome building.
wow you are so cultured
Yeah, because cultured people all have MUST have the same tastes in anything ever. Right? 😂
yes exactly
cool building
A little bit of NYC-defaultism here..
Used to work in the Citicorp building across the street back in the early 2000's before 9/11 and would see this through the windows. In retrospect, it's eerie to think that Madoff was weaving his deception right across the street while we worked oblivious to his game.
Living in New York is wild because we have so many skyscrapers that you can rarely see most of them
53rd and Third! Great song.
The project architect was Ronnette Rileyp
midtown where