Midtown: Fred F. French Building

The Fred F. French Building (551 Fifth Avenue) is one of the less-well-known Art Deco skyscrapers in New York City. And that’s a shame, because it’s one of the better designs of that era.

I’ll have more photos and more to say about this building, but for now, I want to introduce you to its exuberant 5th Avenue entrance.

In designing the impressive bronze portal, the architects clearly had the Ishtar Gate of ancient Babylon in mind. Ishtar Gate was built during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC.) The Gate, a marvel of its time, announced to anyone approaching it that he had come to the greatest city of its day.

Perhaps Mr. French’s architects were saying the same thing about Babylon-on-the-Hudson?