American Radiator Building

Infobox nrhp
name =American Radiator Building
nrhp_type = nrhp

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caption =
location = 40 West 40th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York
area =
built = 1924
architect =Raymond Hood and André Fouilhoux ["AIA Guide to New York City", 4th Edition, pg 229]
architecture = Gothic Art Deco
added = May 7, 1980
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
refnum = 80002663
mpsub =
governing_body =

The American Radiator Building (since renamed to the American Standard Building) is a 338 ft. tall building in New York City in the borough of Manhattan, located at 40 West 40th Street looking out onto Bryant Park.

With 23 floors, it was conceived by the architects Raymond Hood and John Howells in 1924 and built for the American Radiator and Standard Sanitary Company. The structural form is based on that of the Chicago Tribune building.

The black brick on the frontage of the building (symbolizing coal) was selected to give an idea of solidity and to give the building a solid mass. Other parts of the facade were covered in gold bricks (symbolizing fire), and the entry was decorated with marble and black mirrors. Once again, the talents of Rene Paul Chambellan were employed by Hood and Howells for the ornamentation and sculptures.

In 1998, the building was sold in Philip Pilevsky for $15 million. Three years afterwards, the American Radiator Building was converted into The Bryant Park Hotel with 130 rooms and a theatre in basement.

The landmark status of the exterior required the conversion pay special attention to the renovation of the facade decor, and prohibited proposed changes such as bigger guestroom windows. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It was also painted by Georgia O'Keeffe in 1927 in her famous painting "The Radiator Building at Night."

References

External links

* [http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/MID068.htm New York Architecture Images- American Standard Building]