Image via Complex Original
West 57th Street, between 5th and 7th Avenues, was once home to numerous piano showrooms. The Steinways built their elegant hall, in the shadows of Carnegie, in 1925. Preceding them was the lesser known American Piano Company, perhaps best known for their Player Pianos. The company was originally founded in Baltimore and merged with Boston manufacturer Chickering & Sons and a slew of Rochester piano companies. By 1923, it was clear that this new Rochester based consortium would need a New York City presence in proximity to the leading musical venue, Carnegie Hall.
Where Super Hedge Funds Live
To the east, Solow’s 9W57 is considered THE office destination for super hedge-funds and other high-worth businesses. The original building was a significantly smaller 7-storey structure. With the gentle swooped back curve of the Solow building, the medallion on top of the Chickering Building is more prominently visible, catching the eye of the passers-by.
All Gold Everything
The rest of the building is sporadically decorated with gilded caryatids and decorated spandrels between the windows. The small figures in the spandrels and the rooftop caryatids all have a musical aspect. Other than the gaudy gilding, the building has a modest stone façade that rises from a two-storey arched base. The ground floor was originally the Chickering concert hall, but sadly, now is Bolton’s.
A Medal of Honor
Designed by Cross & Cross, better known for the RCA Victor Building, the tower features a large medal prominently located on all four sides. The award is a replica of the Imperial Cross of the Legion of Honour, bestowed by Emperor Napoleon III to Frank Chickering in 1867. The medal eventually became part of the company logo and thus ended up on the tower.