Windsor Arcade ca. 1907

Though long gone now, the Windsor Arcade once sparkled with lightbulbs, columns, and ornaments as people wandered through its shops. However, its whimsical nature covered up a much more serious history.

It was St. Patricks Day, 1899 when parade attendees suddenly began to notice cries for help and smoke coming from the 1872 Windsor Hotel. Horror soon struck the crowd as they watched people throw themselves from windows and become engulfed in flames. The fire escapes, which were simply ropes, couldn't adequately assist victims in reaching the ground; many fell to grievous injury or death. In the end, almost a hundred people perished in the fire and the hotel was entirely raised.

While Warren Leland, the hotel's manager, wished to rebuild, Eldridge T. Gerry, the owner of the land, rented the space to billboards while considering the problem. Eventually, Gerry's architect, Charles Berg came up with the flamboyant Beaux Art structure that Gerry dubbed "The Windsor Arcade." The Arcade occupied a full city block, complete with street-level stores, offices on the second story, and studios on the third. All this surrounded a courtyard with an elaborate arcaded entrance on Fifth Avenue. Lit up by electric light bulbs, many argued about its taste, but none could deny that set among around the surrounding brick buildings, it was eye-catching. The Windsor Arcade eventually meet its end as well; it was demolished in parts during the early 20th century, giving way to towers.