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Flatiron Building, Fifth avenue between 22nd and 23rd streets, New York


Flatiron Building, Fifth avenue between 22nd and 23rd streets, New York
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Flatiron Building

Also Known As: Fuller Building
Designed by: Daniel H. Burnham
Construction Completed: 1902
Type: Skyscraper
Maximum Height: 285 feet
 (including spires, antennae, etc...)
Location: Fifth avenue between 22nd and 23rd streets
Area: Flatiron District
City: New York, New York

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     Not well known among those not from the area, or not into historic architecture, the Flatiron Building is a favorite of New Yorkers and admirers around the world. Perhaps because it symbolizes so much of how New Yorkers see themselves -- Defiant, bold, sophisticated, and interesting. With just enough embedded grime and soot to highlight its details. The Flatiron's most interesting feature is its shape -- a slender hull plowing up the streets of commerce as the bow off a great ocean liner plows through the waves of its domain. The apex of the building is just six feet wide, and expands into a limestone wedge adorned with Gothic and Renaissance details of Greek faces and terra cotta flowers. The building has two claims to fame -- one architectural, the other cultural. Some consider the Flatiron Building to be New York City's first skyscraper. It certainly was one of the first buildings in the city to employ a steel frame to hold up its 285-foot tall facade, but not the first. Some felt its shape (like a flatiron) was less artistic and more dangerous. They thought it would fall over, and during construction the Flatiron Building was nicknamed "Burnham's Folly." The building's cultural legacy is a little more interesting and has passed into the local social consciousness as a fable. It is said that the building created unusual eddies in the wind which would cause women's skirts to fly around as they walked on 23rd street. This attracted throngs of young men who gathered to view the barelegged spectacle. Police would try to disperse these knots of heavy-breathers by calling to them, "23 Skidoo." This phrase has passed out of common usage, but its descendant, the word "scram" remains in a back corner of the American lexicon.

Quotations:
"...Quite the most notorious thing in New York and attracts more attention than all the other buildings now going up together...We have to congratulate the architect on the success of his detail. . . of giving appropriate texture to his walls...The manufacturer has managed exactly to match the warm yellow-gray of the limestone base in the tint of the terra cotta above."
-Architectural Record, 1902

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Discuss the architecture of Flatiron Building and other buildings in New York.
Last 27 Comments dan - Saturday, May 10th, 2008 @ 10:34pm • Rating: Three stars.

there is one just like it as you approach boston's kenmore square heading toward's fenway.

Rob Baddeley - Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 @ 11:52am • Rating: Five stars.

Came to NYC, very friendly city, made a special trip to see flat iron, love it (and NYC!!)

Chris Mckellar - Tuesday, February 12th, 2008 @ 12:29pm • Rating: Five stars.

Used This Building In My Historic & Iconic Building Drawings & Essay At College For Architectural Technology, Amazing Building, Truly Inspiring For Budding Architectre Enthusiasts. Love How The Building Looks Very Different Depending On The Light Hitting It & What Anle You Look At It. Sometimes Even Looks Flat. Love It

Chris - Friday, February 1st, 2008 @ 8:48pm • Rating: Five stars.

I love this building - and have done from the first time I saw it in a movie. I was lucky enough to visit NY at Christmas and saw it first hand.

Jake - Thursday, January 17th, 2008 @ 5:40am • Rating: One star.

urgh! what an old looking building for the likes of new york! and what is so so so special about this building? there are lots in mayjor cities including london and sydney

Shayla Betts - Tuesday, December 4th, 2007 @ 12:25pm • Rating: Five stars.

I live in a 1896 Victorian Home in Kansas and found a 1921 Dry Goods Merchants Trade Journal which says in it that this building had a branch office in it. There were several branch offices found in Des Moines, IA as well as in Chicago-Kimball Building and also in Indianapolis. The Munsey Building in Washington D.C. is also mentioned in the article published by: W. J. Pilkington.

Geir Bugge Soeyland - Saturday, December 1st, 2007 @ 6:33pm • Rating: Five stars.

I saw it in february when i visited NY with my son . I simply love the looks of it... Very nice.... As is the whole city, come to speak of it

Rodney Smith - Monday, November 26th, 2007 @ 9:41am • Rating: Five stars.

Just got back from NYC. Thought this building was in Time Square, but our tour guided bus took us there. WOW....I really love this building. Took lots of pictures of it.

Jim - Saturday, November 3rd, 2007 @ 3:53pm • Rating: Five stars.

I first saw this building as a child. It is still awe-inspiring 50 years later.

william - Wednesday, October 31st, 2007 @ 8:48pm • Rating: Five stars.

this building is magnifacent

Claudia E. - Friday, June 15th, 2007 @ 3:58pm • 
By far, my favorite in this magical city. Grew up in NY, and never got tired of looking at it. just beautiful

Donna McGourley - Tuesday, June 5th, 2007 @ 6:06pm • Rating: Five stars.

The Flat Iron build. is an icon of romantic American culture - call me old-fashion!

Steve Fedos - Saturday, May 26th, 2007 @ 6:57pm • Rating: Five stars.

I attended art school on the top floor of the Flatiron Building 1949.It was called Art Career School.

KarenJohnson - Thursday, May 3rd, 2007 @ 9:16pm • Rating: Five stars.

This is my favorite building in New York.Fantastic and unique architecture.

Regina Schickinger - Sunday, January 14th, 2007 @ 4:09pm • Rating: One star.

I am from Austria! I love the Flatiron Building. I saw it in 2005. New York is amazing!

Max Bucks - Wednesday, September 13th, 2006 @ 5:22pm • Rating: Two stars.

Iconic, and then some.

Oscar Couto - Friday, February 17th, 2006 @ 9:24pm • Rating: Five stars.

By far, the most breathtaking building in the most beautiful city in the world. I saw it last time on 4/2005 at night. Another star among stars.

Robert Boyce - Wednesday, December 28th, 2005 @ 5:40pm • Rating: Five stars.

Should also be remembered as the rooftop on which James Stewart kisses Kim Novak in Bell, Book, and Candle!

Art McColgan - Monday, November 21st, 2005 @ 11:45pm • Rating: Five stars.

I love the Flat Iron. My Favorate Bldg. in the city bar none !

Wilbert NYC - Thursday, August 4th, 2005 @ 5:13am • Rating: Five stars.

this centennial skyscraper still make people to stare at it its beautiful highly detailled curtain wall and its best feature when looking at it from the east side or west side of 23rd St. it looks like a thin card only showing the facade of the building impressive tody as it was 103 years ago! and sorry paris,to dissapiont you, New York is still # 1 as the most Famous, celebrated, greatest metropolis and capitol of the WORLD!

ooi yat fai - Wednesday, July 13th, 2005 @ 4:34am • Rating: Five stars.

only one word is needed to describe it--SLIM!!!!

Bogie Grass - Monday, March 28th, 2005 @ 10:11am • Rating: Five stars.

The Flatiron Building: It is one of the main reasons I believe NYC is the second greatest city in the world -- the first is, of course, Paris, France.

Mal Walker - Sunday, March 13th, 2005 @ 1:54am • Rating: Five stars.

Unique and beautiful. I have a poster of this building on the wall by my computer (from the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, NY) Old picture in a greenish mist, just wonderful.

dax - Thursday, January 13th, 2005 @ 3:27pm • Rating: Five stars.

One of the landmarks of NYC. Not as flashy as the Chrysler buidling or the Empire State but more remarkable in a lot of ways

Marilyn Rumley - July 11th, 2003 • 
I've been to New York twice, and have seen the Flatiron Bldg. My dad used to say "23 Skidoo" to me as a child, just to be funny, but I don't know if even he knew its origin. VERY cool!!

Dave Heywood - March 28th, 2003 • 
I have visited New York City twice, I went to the top of the world trade centre in 2001, I,ve been to the top of the Empire State Building twice...but, the Flatiron building is special...it,s how I imagine New York City at the turn of the last century...what a wonderful building!

David Ross - November 14th, 2002 • 
My daughter works in the Flatiron bldg. She loves it there. It is the hippest bldg in NYC David RossMy daughter works in the Flatiron bldg. She loves it there. It is the hippest bldg in NYC.

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