Charles Scribner's Sons Building

Charles Scribner's Sons Building is a building in Manhattan at 597 Fifth Avenue, built 1912–13 to house the Scribner's Bookstore.

It was designed by Ernest Flagg in a Beaux Arts style. Among its many details are piers anchoring three large bays which include four medallions with busts of printers: Benjamin Franklin, William Caxton, Johann Gutenberg, and Aldus Manutius.[1]

It was nominated for listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 and was deemed to have met the architectural and historical criteria for acceptance. But its owners objected in January 1982 as they were entitled to do in the NRHP listing process, so it was not finally listed.[1]

The Benetton Group purchased the building in the 1980s. Declining business forced the Scribner's Bookstore to relocate to a lower-rent district in New York before it was acquired by Barnes & Noble, Inc. The building has subsequently housed Brentano's bookstore, a Benetton clothing store, and presently Sephora, a cosmetics retailer.

A&A Investment Co. bought the Scribner Building in 2006.[2] It was sold on to Thor Equities in 2011.[3]

The Old Scribner Building, at 153-157 Fifth Ave. (at 21st), another Beaux Arts building designed by Ernest Flagg and built in 1893, was listed on the National Register in 1980.

References

  1. 1 2 Virginia Kurshan (April 1981). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Charles Scribner's Sons Building". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Retrieved 2008-10-08. See also: "Accompanying two photos, exterior, from 1980". and "Accompanying nomination correspondence".
  2. ↑ Two-Building Sale Price Tops $1,000 per sq. ft.
  3. ↑ Thor Equities to buy the Scribner Building for $108.5 million

External links


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