The Abandoned Palace At 5 Beekman Street
Update 9/11/2013 – Been meaning to update for a while. 5 Beekman is NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR FILMING, EVENTS, OR ANY OTHER RENTAL PURPOSE due to ongoing construction.
5 Beekman Street has a secret.
You’ve probably passed it a million times in your travels through downtown Manhattan.
Certainly anyone who has ever visited J&R Row or hit the Starbucks on the opposite corner for a post-Brooklyn-Bridge-walk bathroom break has noticed its twin towers, and perhaps wondered how much its wealthy tenants pay to live behind its beautiful brick and terra-cotta facade.
Except, 5 Beekman Street doesn’t have any tenants. In fact, it’s completely empty, essentially abandoned, and has been for a decade, with a portion of its interior shuttered since 1940…
Until now.
When you first go through the front doors, the lobby might strike you at first as nothing more than the gutted remains of an old building.
And then you look up…
…and up…
…and up…
…to the most beautiful atrium in New York City, over nine stories overhead…
…enclosed by a beautiful, fully-restored iron and glass skylight.
Looking back on these pictures, I still can’t believe this property has sat vacant just a block from City Hall for so long. The entire atrium is in incredible condition, due to the fact that it has been shuttered for more than 65 years, preserving it like a mosquito in amber.
Each floor is lined with beautifully detailed cast iron railings:
The ceilings are also cast iron, and covered in detail:
And that upward view…I’ve never seen anything like it in New York.
Once known as Temple Court, 5 Beekman Street was built in 1882 and today is the earliest surviving “fireproof” office building of the pre-skyscraper period. It is also the third building in the city to have had an elevator installed.
For the first twenty years, 5 Beekman Street was home to several major law offices. After, its space was rented out to a variety of tenants. During initial renovations, for example, this sign was uncovered beneath a layer of paint revealing one former tenant: “Hospital Credit Exchange, Inc. One Flight Up.”
In 1940, the atrium was boarded up due to firecode violations, as seen in the below picture published in the NY Times. Completely hidden, later tenants would never know of its existence, seeing only a walled corridor (though a secret door offered an amazing discovery to those who stumbled upon it).
The atrium is now fully up to code and is ready to be restored:
The nearby Woolworth Building, visible through the skylight, opened 31 years later in 1913.
In recent months, 5 Beekman has been a popular New York shooting location, appearing as the backdrop for numerous television productions and print ads.
Still, my strong hope is that 5 Beekman will one day find new life as a hotel, a perfect use for the space and a great reason to restore it to its former grandeur. Not only would the public be able to enjoy its beautiful interior, there would be an undeniable reason to maintain what has survived, making it quite possibly the most unique hotel in all of New York City.
One of my favorite details are the wood-paneled arches lining the balcony offices, which once featured windows.
So neat to imagine having an office on the other side of one of these windows.
Another, with glass in tact:
The fully-restored skylight roof, revealing the eastern tower and the new Frank Gehry building:
Around the turn of the century, an annex was built onto the southern portion of 5 Beekman, enlarging it significantly.
This resulted in a roof portion, offering views of the skylight from outside:
Another of my favorite details…
…Each of the balconies is held up by these fantastic cast-iron dragons:
Seriously, how great is this?
The walls of the main staircase are covered in beautiful cast-iron patterns similar to the balconies (once a window, the views are now obstructed by the annex).
Much of the original tile work remains, which would be beautiful if brought back to its original luster:
Another tile design:
Even the door frames have character:
If the building were to become a hotel, I’m told the two towers would potentially become three-story penthouse suites:
The two conical roofs originally had windows, which have since been covered up. They would hopefully be restored during restoration:
This is the lower level…
…featuring great views of City Hall Park…
…and the Woolworth Building.
A set of stairs brings you into the next level of the tower…
The second floor of the tower:
A small fireplace which might one day function again:
The connecting chimney rises up beside the tower:
Finally, another flight of stairs takes you into the third level of the tower. You can see the outline of former windows:
There’s one last level to get to the very top, which would be opened up for the three-story penthouse to create a 30-foot high, cathedral-style ceiling.
As for the rest of the building, countless rooms branch off from the atrium, all of which would become the primary hotel space:
Another room:
Another room:
Finally, one last interesting space to mention. From the lobby…
…head down a set of stairs…
…and you find yourself in 5 Beekman’s fascinating basement, where you can see the iron support beams going into the foundation.
If the hotel plan goes through, this might one day become a bar/night club, which would be a really, really awesome use for the space, especially with the beams/brickwork left somewhat exposed:
The basement is huge, taking up the full footprint of the building. In fact, according to recently unearthed information, it once housed the largest vault in the world.
An interesting arched doorway:
More of the basement:
As I was heading out, I noticed this small oven in one wall – I’d love to know what purpose it once served:
Some time ago, I mourned the loss of Theatre Alley, which is gone for good following the destruction of a building at the southern end. If 5 Beekman does become a hotel, this might get a complete overhaul, with an outdoor cafe and antique street lamps.
There are big plans in the works for 5 Beekman Street, and I’m optimistic that it will one day be restored to its former prestige. Sure, I probably won’t be able to afford to stay here, but one of the reasons I much prefer a hotel conversion, as opposed to offices or condos, is that at very least, everyone in New York can walk in the lobby and admire its beauty.
-SCOUT
PS – Again, be sure to join the Facebook fanpage here to keep up to date on 5 Beekman Street news and shoots! And for any serious production inquiries regarding the space, send me an email at nycscout@gmail.com.
Wow! Very impressive. Thank you.
And to think I used to walk by this building nearly everyday when I lived down the block just last year. Friends and I always thought this building was so beautiful but we had no idea it was abandoned. It will surely make a gorgeous hotel.
I’m with Alma! I fell in love with this building the first time I saw it–those towers! those windows!–but had no idea it was empty. Or for so long. Or while containing such riches!
The atrium reminds me of Marshall Field’s in Chicago. Do we know who the architect was?
I am glad they are not turning it into a shopping mall.
This building is really amazing; there is nothing like it in NY, as far as I know.
I immediately shared it with my friends.
Unbelievable.
I can believe that those red tiles could be original to the building. It would fit with the “exotic” decoration of the dragons.
Wow.
I was fortunate to be on a private tour of the Woolworth recently and one of our guides pointed out this building from above. Apparently there are a couple of cases like this in that neighborhood. There was one building with a similar atrium that he pointed out that is apparently in some sort of use while the atrium itself has been sealed off for years and has been forgotten about even by the tenants in the building. Apparently it was easier to just seal off the space than it was to retrofit it and bring it up to code. I was amazed such a thing could exist in lower Manhattan where space is at such a premium.
Amazing. It’s rare I get chills while reading a post, but I did upon seeing these pictures and reading your descriptions. I am so glad this incredible landmark will be restored and the beautiful details left intact.
Love your site, love the things you find and share with those who Love this City. Please keep it up.
Best,
Wow … one of your best “finds”!
I think I’ll start saving now, so I can live in the renovated hotel when I retire. I can’t imagine a better place from which to reign as dowager empress of the universe!
i just recently stumbled on to this site and i’m loving it! thank you so much!
You have the coolest job in New York. Great write-up, and excellent pix.
Yes, wow!
i enjoyed this one the most, thus far.
thank you.
Wow, I can’t believe a building like this stays abandoned for so long in New york. The atrium is unbelievable gorgeous!
What a find! So glad to hear it’s going to be restored instead of “renovated.” If possible, send along sone pictures after the restoration is done. I live in Michigan, but New York is my favorite city in all the world, and I love reading things like this! Keep up the good work, Scout!
I LOVE your blog! I featured it on my blog today and I’ve been sending the link around to my co-workers (way to waste company time!) haha
Love your style, your photos- everything! Keep it up!
Wow…I’m glad (and a little surprised) that this AMAZING building managed to dodge the wrecling for so long. They really don’t make ’em like they used to!
I somehow mistyped “wrecking ball” in my original post!!
Magnificent, exquisite! Makes me wish to go back in time to see the building as it looked when first constructed. How fortunate you are to have been given a tour & rights to photograph. Thank you for sharing this NYC treasure!
The thing that I don’t understand is how somebody could afford to pay the property taxes on a non-revenue building. It must have been thousands of dollars per months. For an unoccupied building.
What a magnificent piece of architecture! I’ve never seen this building, but I’m going to make a special trip to take a look at it while I’m in Manhattan next month. I hope the developers honor their promise not to destroy such a beautiful space. Keep up the amazing work, Scout. I love your site!
Wow. The whole place is just breathtaking. Thank you so much for sharing. And you’re right. The wrought iron dragon supports for the balconies are just . . . fantastic. 5 Beekman is a treasure. I’m so happy it won’t be a lost one.
You have one of the best jobs in the world!! Thank you so much for your stories and pics. I have lived here all my life and still am surprised by this city. It’s funny I have noticed this building in the past, but just last Friday I took a day off to walk across the BB and before I did I shot this building. Beautiful. I hope your site reminds people that we need to preserve our city, so many things have been torn down.
Thank you for your beautiful work.
Excellent post Scout! What a building – I could not help but think that it looked a lot like J.F. Sebastian’s place – wrong coast though.
I hope you are scouting this for Ridley Scott!….fantastic NYC best kept secret…we have so few left so intact. reminds me of my old days circumnavigating the roof of the Plaza, and secret tours of Surrogate Court.
WOW!
Who is the owner?
Once it’s restored in all of its spender I want to have my honeymoon at this palace. Now, if I can just find my King!
Wow…just wow. How absolutely wondrous that this is being restored to its full beauty.
Thanks for posting this—you made my inner history geek smile today.
-Krista
mouth agape..
incredible.
WOW! This is absolutely incredible! I think this may be my favorite post of your so far. And, you’re right – I’ve passed this place a million times, even photographed it many times, and had absolutely no idea it was empty. I assumed it was a luxury condo building. What a surprise! I’m also glad (and relieved) to finally hear that the owner of such a priceless gem wants to restore it.
If you haven’t already, you might like to check out Danny Lyon’s book, The Destruction of Lower Manhattan, where he chronicles all the buildings along Beekman that were razed, river to river, in the 1960s:
http://www.amazon.com/Destruction-Lower-Manhattan-Danny-Lyon/dp/1576872327
I’m so glad this wasn’t one of them.
How on EARTH does a building like this stay vacant in Manhattan for all these years? If I saw this in a movie, I wouldn’t believe it whatsoever. Good lord, this is gorgeous.
Stunning photos of a stunning building. It reminds me of the insurance company building from “Double Indemnity,” which of course, took place in Los Angeles–so what do I know?
I think it’s great that it’s going to be turned into a hotel over condos, or worse, a mall. However, in my perfect world it would be an apartment building for middle-income people. I hate that so much beauty is kept from us common-folk. Then again, I should go buy a tent and move to a forrest if I want to leave cheap among beauty, right? 🙂
Thanks for these amazing pictures!
How would one go about getting inside to roast a bone with a nice view?
so interesting, isn’t it? I went to grad school at Pace Univ., and my department was/is right next door at 41 Park Row (which, as you may know, was originally built as a building for the NYT).
I was always curious about our big red neighbor next door (and have been in the Starbucks countless times), and it was so interesting to read your post and see shots of the interior!
Palace is absolutely the right word for this place. 🙂
Amazing … looks like the publishing company from the movie Wolf with Michelle Pfeiffer & Jack Nickelson from a few years back.
Wow! The interior really looks similar to an interior from Blade Runner – the place that JF Sebastian lived in had the same sort of design, and a very old-looking elevator.
Thanks for sharing these lovely photos and kudos on the blog!
Incredible – so gorgeous. Thank you so much for sharing this with us! I am also glad it’s going to be a hotel so I can visit it. Great job with the Atahualpa theme, too – best use of it I’ve ever seen!
What a beauty. Reminds me of long ago New York. If those walls could talk. Thanks so much for sharing. I love this stuff. What a great job you have.
A very beautiful structure! In your descriptions, you mention frequently wrought iron railings etc. From what I can see in the pictures, they are more likely cast iron railings, not wrought iron. I’d have to see them up close but they appear to be cast, not wrought. That will make a major difference in the restoration.
dj
Thank you SO much for sharing these photos – they gave me chills. I think it would be cook if the hoteliers made the top floor old office spaces into an arcade of shops, a la Paris or Milan.
You are my new favorite blog.
In the restoration period, you should check out Second Chance, Inc in Baltimore, MD. It is an architectural salvage firm with many unique elements. You might be able to find items while restoring this beauty. And if you’re replacing, they will take what you can’t use any longer as a tax deductible donation! They have an amazing program going on, check them out!
410.468.0888
http://www.secondchanceinc.org
http://Www.facebook.com/secondchanceinc
Brian Donnell
I am a historic preservation consultant and look at old buildings all the time. It has to be good to take my breath away any more — this one knocked me out. Thank you!
That sounds like a fascinating career. How did you get into it?
Absolutely amazing! Nothing like it in the city. Hope the owners are able to restore this gem!
I ventured into this building after my high school prom for some late night shenanigans. (I went to PS 123 in Chinatown.) I entered that building a boy and left a man.
American Dreamer:
That was the best post ive ever seen in my life. Bravo.
This place is amazing! As a former resident of Staten Island,I love learning about the history of New York. Thanks for sharing!
If there are artifacts available during renovations call Olde Good Things in NYC. 212-989-8814, 212-989-8401. thanks
Thank you so much for these amazing photos and your passionate commentary. You clearly love what you do (and NYC) and have shared a wonderful treasure with us all. It’s rare that there is such an untouched space in the city – I only wish I was in the film industry so I would be able to peek inside that amazing atrium. BTW, I was linked to your site from an article on Gawker but will now read your blog regularly.
Thank you SO much for posting. I love old buildings and their beautiful architectural detail and decoration. This took my breath away. And those dragons!!! *sigh*.
Thanks for the great photos and essay…your enthusiasm is well deserved and shared by this admirer of great old buildings.
Beautiful photos. I’d love to explore the building. Does anyone ever give private tours?
Great photos! Just a little gripe about the ‘oldest fireproof office building’ line. Not sure if you meant the oldest one in NYC or the oldest tall fireproof building, but Robert Mills’ Fireproof Building in Charleston, SC, was finished in 1827.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireproof_Building
Just sayin. 🙂
What an amazing building – I really do hope the developers of this hotel choose the correct architects to honor the existing building, and update it tastefully.
Thank you for posting these beautiful pictures and commentary. So glad to have found this blog (via Gawker.) As a lover of old NYC buildings and movies, I am thrilled to start delving into your archives!
what a very cool place 😀 i’ve never seen it
I LOVE the dragons. I want them.
I just love it. Im also a lover of older building. I love all things renovation as well. Im a former NYer now living in Ga, Jonesboro, pretty much a suburb of ATL. But there are a ton of unclaimed bu9lding down here as well, and I would love to have a hand in discovering the beauties that they could posses! I actually have my eye on this one place off of Peachtree street downtown. Its like an old archlift house, I was told that the city once used to be a suburb its self. So most of the actual houses that once were there, some still stand to this day. Right now the building seems to be a habitat for vagrants, but I would love to see that it becomes bakery. I would love to own it one day! But this building is amazing! Im pretty sure theres many more like that around. Just imagine the possibilities. I would consider a restaurant in the lower atrium. Then going up maybe a few businesses, then on top of them a hotel!
Hi Musicunheard,
I’m from ATL and I think I know exactly which building you’re talking about. Is it near the Fox Theater on Peachtree? It looks to be a beautiful Victorian house perhaps home to someone important back in the day. I would love to restore it myself!
I’ve always loved the exterior of this building, but had no idea it was empty. Thanks for a great post and all the photos!
For a little more info on the building see:
http://www.nyc-architecture.com/SCC/SCC017.htm
Gorgeous! I used to live two blocks away and had no idea! A hotel in that area would be divine.
What an amazing building.
Its a beauty.
You feel like being in a different country …. !!!
I’d like to see Robert and Cortney Novogratz of Sixx Design turned loose on this place ! What a GEM !
Thank you for sharing this. It truly is an amazing place, deserving of restoration!
Reminds me a bit of the Bradbury Building in L.A.
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Bradbury_Building.html
Im the one who who opened up this Atrium and got it approved by the building dept. This is by far the nicest atrium in NYC. I haven’t kept up since we sold it 2 years ago. Does anyone know what the status is with the building .I would love to get involved again
Absolutely amazing, I love history, old buildings, historic sites, and to know this is going to be preserved and kept for our posterity, wonderful. Many thanks to the owners for their desire to undertake this. Thanks to you for posting.
The detail of the dragons just knock me out ! And the balconie designs are something else. I can’t find a word to aptly describe its beauty .
Thanks for bringing this story to those of us who love places that allow us to step back in to the history of this great country. I think it would be wonderufl to find and interview people who worked or lived in the building before it was abandoned. The first hand stories and old photographs of it’s original glory and heyday moments would make a fascinating book for the lobby of the hotel. Do you know why the building was abandoned or left empty for so long? Who owned it?
Oh wow!! Thank you so much for sharing.
I have walked by the building for years. Thank you for showing this glorious interior. Whoever the owner is, do a wonderful restoration, no matter how long it takes. Thanks for saving this gem for all New Yorkers to admire.
Judith Berdy
The Roosevelt Island Historical Society
I worked on th building
Simply magnificent. What a great find.
OMG – how could people let such an incredible building lay vacant! I’m soooo glad someone has decided to restore it. It’s gorgeous even its current state. But, my god what a beauty it will be when it’s restored. Thank you so much for sharing. I can just feel the history in your photos.
Monica Burns
I had the pleasure of appraising this building two years ago when the owners first purchased it. It truly is a magnificent building and if hte owners are ever able to turn it into a boutique hotwl, it will surely become an instant hit. The previous owners attempted a condo conversion, which would also have been pretty cool, but they ran out of money. As a hotel, it would be open for all to appreciate its beauty. Immagine the lobby below the atrium!!!
I am glad that others are getting to see this wonderful piece of architecture.
And how do you get into this line of work of yours. I love walking around the city look at and for interesting building and spaces. It would be great to be able to be paid for it!!
Keep up the good work.
Amazing. Thank you. The most exciting images I have seen in a long time. As earlier posters have said…I so appreciate you sharing your passion with us.
what a magnificent building! i want there to be a marvelous bar in the tower where we can sit and look out over manhattan, or just in the lobby where we can admire the ironwork and those dragons! this should be used on a location shoot for the long overdue movie of Time and Again!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for sharing these photos!! Amazing. I’d love to know who the new owners are!?!?!
Wow! Well, what I actually said when I saw that “and then you look up” photo was, “Holy sh#*!”
I hope the refurbishment goes well.
Thanks a lot for this wonderful trip.
The atrium is breathtaking.
Novinha from France
The War Resisters League had its offices here on the 10th floor all through World War II. When the war ended, it moved down to Room 825
on the 8th floor. Which is where I went in 1960 when I was hired by
WRL. We had just one room, and the staff was Bayard Rustin and Ralph DiGia with Jim Peck as a part time volunteer. As the Vietnam War came along, WRL grew and we moved back to the 10th floor, taking over most of it for a range of peace groups and publications. In 1969 some government agency vandalized the offices, stole our membership list, wrecked our equipment, and the landlord evicted us.
We never knew (or at least I didn’t) about the beautiful interiors.
WRL relocated to the A.J. Muste Memorial Institute, at 339 Lafayette St.,
Wow! This is definitive location for filming “Demon With A Glass Hand”, per the graphic novel adaptation. It would be awesome!
I read a time-travel fantasy book more than a year ago set in New York, which included a number of sketches and pictures. The book was originally written in I think the 70s. Your photos make me want to go and dig it out again because there’s a very similar building in there, and it could even be one and the same.
I hope it is restored. It’s a beautiful building. Being a Brit it’s younger than the house I live in, but age doesn’t = beauty.
I too found this entry through Gawker (thanks Gawker!) and was completely wowed by the photos. Wish I could’ve went along for the tour. So good to hear that the place will be restored.
What a great set of photos. Thanks. I often visited the building in the 1950’s and 1960’s when it housed the War Resistors League. It’s a great structure as you’ve shown us.