130 West 30th Street
| 130 West 30th Street | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Residential |
| Address | 130 West 30th Street |
| Town or city | Manhattan, New York |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 40°44′52″N 73°59′28″W / 40.7476715°N 73.9911566°WCoordinates: 40°44′52″N 73°59′28″W / 40.7476715°N 73.9911566°W |
| Opened | 1928 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 18 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Cass Gilbert |
New York City Landmark | |
| Designated | November 13, 2001 |
130 West 30th Street, aka “The Cass Glibert,” was designed by the American architect, Cass Gilbert (November 24, 1859 – May 17, 1934). The 18-story building was originally designed for offices, showrooms and manufacturing space in New York’s fur district (Fifth to Seventh Avenues from 23rd to 42nd Streets), just south of the garment district (between Fifth and Ninth Avenues from 34th to 42nd Streets). It is located on 30th Street between the Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue) and Seventh Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City.
The building was originally known as the S.J.M Building, named for Salomon J. Manne, a fur trader with whom Gilbert shared a box at the Metropolitan Opera. It was renamed “The Cass Gilbert” in 2004.[1] The building is also included in the AIA Guide to New York City.[2]
Above the doorways are terra-cotta decorative friezes set in marble and based on Assyrian stone reliefs which feature hunters, horses and stylized lions. The animal motif, perhaps an acknowledgement to the fur district, can also be found in the brass elevator doors in the lobby. Additional terra-cotta friezes with winged beasts which encircle the building at various levels accentuate the modern skyscraper set backs that reflect the 1916 zoning rules to allow more light and sunlight. The doorway panels have been cited in Ephemeral New York as “triumphant” and “exotic.”
130 West 30th Street was designated as a Landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 2001.[3] The building was converted to a residential condominium in 2003, comprising 45 residential units as well as four commercial units which were later combined into one, housing Beit Simchat Torah, an LGBT synagogue, which was finished in 2016 and the NYTimes called “mystical.”[4][5]
Other New York City buildings designed by Cass Gilbert include the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House erected in Bowling Green in 1902 to 1907; the Woolworth Building, opened in 1913 at which time it was the tallest building in the world until 1930; Rodin Studios, also known as 200 57th Street, built from 1916 to 1917 as studios and residences for artists; the Brooklyn Army Base building at the Brooklyn Army Terminal completed in 1919; and the New York Life Insurance Building (1926) which was built around the same time as 130 West 30th Street.
Gallery[]
Terra-cotta panel depicting a hunting scene
Designated a NYC Landmark
Elevator with beaver motif
References[]
- ^ Gray, Christopher. “Streetscapes/130 West 30th Street; 1928 Building Renamed for Its Renowned Architect.” The New York Times. May 9, 2004.
- ^ White, Norval and Willensky, Elliot. AIA Guide to New York City. 1978 revised edition. New York: Macmillian Publishing Co., Inc. p.129. ISBN 0-02-626580-X
- ^ Landmarks Preservation Commission. 130 West 30th Street Building Designation Report (List 331, LP-210). New York City. Report prepared by Virginia Kurshan. November 13, 2001.
- ^ Kates, Ariel. Beyond the Village and Back: Assyrian Revival on West 30th Street. Village Preservation. September 10, 2018.
- ^ Dunlap, David W. “Gay Congregation Celebrates Its Identity With New Home in Manhattan.” The New York Times. February 3, 2016.
- Midtown Manhattan
- Buildings and structures completed in 1928
- Buildings and structures in Manhattan
- New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission