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.
Amazing post!!! I’m obsessed with your blog now. Keep up the amazing work!
How would one contact the owners? I am interested in shooting there!
hi there,
my friend just sent me this and i would love to have my engagement shoot here. i have been living in this neighborhood for four years and had no idea that this building, which i pass every day, was the secret palace! it’s amazing how can i make an appointment to take photos there?
-ahna
Damn, Scout: 107 comments? That’s gotta be some kind of record!
Whjat a BEAUTIFUL building! I would love to live there. I wonder if they would make apts for sale there?
Breathtaking. I literally gasped when I got to the wrought-iron dragons. Thank you so much for all those detailed photographs.
you do good work, man and thank you for sharing it.
Increible. I hope the restoration is really good. My husband and I restored an old mill which is on the National Register now. It is so rewarding. I can’t wait to see this beauty complete.
It’s hard to believe such a beautiful building would be left abandoned for so long! I’m glad it’s being revived!
Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful building with us! What a fantastic place, and you fabulous photographs bring right there, can wait to see it for real. Thanks again, and again. Demetrius
WOW. ‘Discovering’ history and architecture that has been hidden away is just so fun anyways, and to see something like this. Thank you for posting these amazing photos!
Beautiful – thank you for sharing! We are so lucky to live in a place with such rich history and exquisite buildings. The craftsmen that were involved in this build were fantastic – I would volunteer to help restore it. You did a wonderful job documenting the finer points! Bravo!
So unaccustomed to seeing this in color. A great example of the excesses of the Gilded Age. Thanks for the tour.
Thank you for sharing these, it’s a gorgeous building. However, I want to point out that all of that iron work is cast iron, not wrought iron. Wrought refers to something forged by hand, like a piece made by a blacksmith with a hammer and anvil. Pieces like those in this building, which are repetitive and regular are actually cast in molds so that they will all be exactly the same.
??? Where did the article refer to wrought iron?
Just changed them all, actually – I obviously don’t know my irons!
Thanks for not taking offense–it’s a pet peeve of mine, but I know that most people have just never learned exactly what the difference is. I’m glad I could help educate.
A unique and beautiful building! Thank goodness someone appreciates it and wants to restore it. If it becomes a hotel, like you I would definitely want to walk through it. Thanks for sharing this incredible find!
As a historic preservation consultant, I thoroughly enjoyed this post and your wonderful photos. You obviously have a great eye for great craftsmanship and architecturally significant details. I’m thrilled to hear that the new owners will be restoring this beauty after such a long abandonment. I hope they are careful to keep all original fabric wherever feasible and that they will involve sensitive architects, engineers, and contractors to insert modern systems and code requirements in a way that does not negatively impact the amazing craftsmanship that remains intact.
Wonder who the architect(s) was?
The architects were Silliman & Farnsworth according to this link:
http://www.nyc-architecture.com/SCC/SCC017.htm
Absolutely breathtaking, this is my favorite of all your finds. I actually got goosebumps. You must have been just going crazy with joy.
Words can barely describe what I am feeling right now. I could cry (tears of happiness) at seeing this. With so many beautiful old building in NYC being destroyed by greedy, ignorant developers, I pray that this building’s new owners have all the world’s luck behind them, for they are doing what is truly right.
This very much reminds me of the Brewster Building in Chicago in that from the outside you would indeed walk past it and not think much not knowing what is being hidden from you on the inside.
What I saw was amazing unforunately a lot of the pictures didn’t open!! Mom was an architect and I am very interested in this!! Also she lived in NY. Wonder what she thought of it!
This building, on the exterior, is a designated (by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission) individual landmark. Consequently, it is protected and regulated. However, it seems that the interior is not designatged, but certainly qualifies, and should be.
Wasn’t this the building from the opening shot of VANILLA SKY? If I remember right, the helicopter shot implied that Cruise’s character lived in this building.
I live in a building on bleecker street (160) that has two of these type of atriums. One in each wing. Although the rest of the building comes nowhere near in terms of design or cool factor. I think it was facaded on the interior during the (gulp) 70’s. Here’s a pic of one of the tenth story atriums:
http://www.spnewyork.com/New-York-City-Furnished-Suites-Photo-Gallery/160-Bleecker-Street/2.jpg
This looks like a building in the Blade Runner movie. I forget which character lived there, but it looks very similar
I believe you’re thinking of J.F. Sebastian’s place. That’s exactly what I thought of myself.
JF’s apartment was in the Bradbury Building in LA.
Dates to about the same time period, the Bradbury was started in 1889.
Here’s a link for the Bradbury:
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Bradbury_Building.html
that is really awesome
Awesome photos thanks for sharing.
Isn’t this the building from the opening scene of VANILLA SKY? If I remember right, the helicopter shot implied that Cruise’s character lived here.
Any chance to work with city agencies and/or the Municipal Arts Society on this one?
This clearly needs to be preserved. It’s beyond gorgeous.
Amazing photos of an amazing building!
Amazing! Don’t know how I missed this building… It’s only a few blocks from my office. Great photos.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
This is so exciting that all I can do is express my appreciation that you shared these remarkable photos and stories with us!
This is incredable! Thank you for posting these pictures of this fine building’s “bones” and lovely bones they are. What a shame it has been neglected and so excited to see the work in progress and final result. I may not be able to afford a room but a martini in the bar will be in order!
I am entranced by this building! what a find. It is detail like that which has been lost in more recent architecture. If only i could afford a room for one night 🙂
Wow. Thats crazy its been abandoned for that long. This reminds me of something I read awhile ago how some guy put dummy like figures that looked like people on roof tops just so people would take a second to stop and look. He said he did it because everyone is always in a rush and never stop to view there surroundings. Anyway nice pics lol
What an amazing building!
Thought some might like to see this site of abandoned places.
http://invisiblethreads.com/potd/collections/galleries.php?cc=1
I check it out every few months. Very interesting to check out.
Reminds me of Blade Runner.
Beautiful building!! I’m glad the new owners will not convert it into those modern boxy skyscrapers which have been coming up in the Lower East side. You should be commended by the City for your admirable mission, showing New Yorkers the aesthetic and historical beauty of this city through its old buildings.
It must be wonderful to be a film location scout! I am envious of what you get to do. Search for the gems throughout cities…..lucky!
PHOTOSHOPPED! jk . pretty cool pics
Breathtaking. Please, God, let somebody restore this to its former grandeur. How amazing that this still exists!
as a native new yorker who thought they had seen “everything” in this city, you have managed to shatter that thought. what an incredible building and slice of nyc history. can’t wait to visit once it’s restored. great site, great post and now bookmarked!
thank you for sharing this…it took my breath away.
Intact is one word — great pictures though, fantastic really.
This place is a dump. Tear it down and build something better. Just what New York needs is another high price hotel. When all of Obama’s new taxes kick in next year, nobody will be able to afford staying there. It was boarded up for a reason.
Id love to see this place in person…Thank You for sharring! xoixo
offices? fuck no! make those buildings into homes, or turn them into family hotels, or museums, or art studios or a school, but hell no to offices!
born the same year as fdr
and what since 1950
can hold a candle to it?
The main part of the building reminds me of J.F. Sebastian’s abandoned apartment house in Blade Runner.
LOVELY! thanks for sharing… as an architect, I wish people were still willing to build new buildings with this level of detail and beauty. budgets end up taking over, too bad its not passion…
Seriously, I look and I drool over the shoots to be had in this location. It’s a photog’s wet dream…
Eddie – shut up you fucking bell-end. What do you want, a lovely K-Mart or an STI clinic maybe? Go and push your agenda elsewhere.
This is beautiful, the dragons and mosaic work are stunning. Just goes to show that NY still has some surprises up it’s sleeve!
Incredible find! What a relief to know that it’s been bought by owners/developers who intend to fully restore the building. Truly a treasure. Thank you for sharing your photos. Must have been fun to vist!
That is beautiful, we have thousands of beautiful, old buildings here in London but this is different class, really. Out of interest, what would the building be worth in NY as it is, and after restoration?
Just curious.
One of the glories of New York is that it is still possible to discover such a place as this splendid old building. The atrium’s glass ceiling looks remarkably clean. I’m guessing that it’s received a very recent washing.
An amazing piece of architectural beauty. I am glad that the current owners are so passionate about the restoration of this glorious building. Unfortunately I live in a city where if its built before WWII its more likely to be destroyed than restored or even at the least have its detailed ornaments salvaged. Nope here they look at the preservationists like their from another planet and send in the bulldozers. I can’t wait to get back to NYC and see this wonderful building restored.
Maybe the owners will run a lottery, 1/2 to charity 1/2 to restoration costs with tickets at a reasonable price, $100/each, and where 1/1500 win a night’s stay in the restored hotel. Even if there’s just 15,000 tickets that’s $750k for charity and $750k for restoration certainly not enough to cover the costs but surely enough to make a start.
WOW, what a find! Thank you for sharing the photos. Although from a completely different tradition, it reminded me of the building housing the Liberty of London department store – perhaps they would be interested! I can’t afford (or justify buying) anything in that store, but often stop by to admire the atrium.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3099/3121281005_b362893473.jpg?v=0
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OJrPXK_F-GQ/S5-O7z6sv0I/AAAAAAAAAuc/3eLHYdeMMRQ/s400/LIberty+London+store+interior.jpg
http://fashionaction.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/liberty.jpg
http://grrl.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/libinterior0001.jpg
Awsome…!
It is beautyful…They do not make them like this anymore.
breathtaking…a memory of times past when America was strong in spirit.. I long for the old days.
i agree people too often pass by the most beautiful things in this city and they cannot realize it. why? they prefer to shut out the world. listening to their ipods, talking to no one, looking at no one, everything at no one. they are zombies!
this is an amazing find.
keep observing brother,
jay
get a new webhost jesus
Comon….I want to see those pics
Yeah, would be a good idea to switch your web-host if you can’t handle picture bandwidth.
Any ETA on when you planning on posting those pictures back up?
You should park the pictures on Flickr and embed them here. That would save a ton of bandwidth, and it wouldn’t take long at all.
he doesn’t want to put them on flickr, he wants to troll hits to his blog for whatever reason… probably ad views.
well cheers for the mirror
man, stop killing us and put a mirror to imgur or something
Those beautiful pictures made my day. I wish they hadnt been taken down. I knew I should have saved them to my pictures folder when I had the chance.
PLEASE convince the building management to let you post them again!!!
OMG, yes, please, please repost/convince them to let you repost them. They are incredible, awesome photographs and only support their efforts to restore the building, for god’s sake! And we native NYers are so desperate for windows into our beloved old NY, and your post more than took the cake. (It was also beautifully and captivatingly written.) So, thank you, you made my day….and the building managers ruined it! Please reconsider, fellas!
Way to cave in unnecessarily to pressure. I didn’t know buildings could talk. This one must have convinced you good.
Real estate people and their lawyers rank slightly above God here, so I’m not surprised they’d withdraw permission to display the pix, even after letting you take them. They don’t need a reason except – it’s theirs.
The abandoned Smallpox Hospital on Roosevelt Island (NY 10044) is better example.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/05/nyregion/05asylum.html
Oh please good Sir, is there any way I can get a copy of the close up of the Balcony Dragons? That’s the only pic I really would love to have. They were exquisite and unique.
thanks for sharing these amazing images. i’ve walked by that building hundreds of times and even photographed the exterior, always wondering what the inside was like. now i know…..and i hope it’s a hotel too. would love to go there for cocktails and people watching!
It is amazing at how they ask you to pull it down only after it stirred into a buzz. The publicity’s great for them, especially when they hope to reopen as some sort of boutique hotel. They consented to photographs being taken, and unless you represented yourself in an otherwise untruthful manner, did they think you were just an abandoned building enthusiast with no intention on ever sharing the images you were capturing?
Ah well, we’ve all connections to maintain and as your line of work is in scouting locations, it wouldn’t do well to go burning this bridge with these folks. It’s just a funny request after all this interest, you know?
I’m glad I got to see them before they were pulled. So impressive. Let’s hope the building does indeed get restored and opened to the public again.
Im no expert, but I think you just developed a really nice place stage. You naturally know what youre talking about, and I can very get behind that. Thanks for getting so upfront and so honest.