The Flatiron Building, 175 Fifth Avenue

The Flatiron Building: Among The Best Known Office Buildings in NYC

One of Manhattan’s first skyscrapers, the Flatiron Building overlooks Madison Square Park and features a prominent, wedge shape due it its position near the angular intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway. Its facade is detailed in the Beaux-Arts style, with a highly articulated base, middle and cornice. Behind the facade, the structure is comprised of a steel frame, which represented extremely modern technology in its time.

In terms of name recognition, the building is almost as well known as The Empire State Building and The Chrysler Building. Renting an office in The Flatiron Building is dream for businesses seeking to acquire space in Manhattan. At the tip of the Flatiron’s triangular form, interior space compresses to less than seven feet. This results in unique, sometimes quirky office spaces, but most tenants find it charming.

Aside from the distinction of renting office space in one of Manhattan’s most famous buildings and a National Historic Landmark, another advantage for tenants is the views of Madison Square Park and proximity to the N, R and 6 trains. However, as an older building it has flaws; the Flatiron Building’s elevator system is slow and bathrooms lack modern comforts. The sole office tenant, MacMillan, left the Flatiron Building in the spring of 2019 for 120 Broadway in FiDi. Following the publisher’s departure, the building’s office component has closed for an extensive renovation to bring it to modern standards.