St. Bartholomew's Church, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, and General Electric Building; Changing New York
Park Avenue and 51st Street including the roof of St. Bartholomew's Church, the General Electric Building behind it and the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel to the right. Taken from a 12-story apartment house at 340-350 Park Avenue.
Museum of the City of New YorkGeneral Electric Building ARCHITECT: Cross & Cross DATE: 1929-31 STYLE: Art Deco
Designed by the firm of Cross & Cross in the Gothic mode of the Art Deco style which is both symbolic and expressive of the function of the building, this tower is a major example of Art Deco architecture. The massing and articulation of the building, shown through the use of ornament and color, is remarkable and laudable. Not only does this treatment illustrate the breadth of the Art Deco, but it also gives the General Electric Building exemplary status. Moreover, the building is the successful culmination of the Cross & Cross firm’s efforts to develop a coherent and cohesive articulation for tall office buildings.
Historic Districts Council