Gilsey House

The Gilsey House stands at the corner of Broadway and West 29th Street as a primary example of Second Empire architecture. Completed in 1871, its facade is constructed from white cast iron, a material that allowed builders to incorporate intricate, ornate designs that would have been prohibitively expensive to carve from stone. The architect, Stephen Decatur Hatch, included elaborate details across the exterior, such as garlands of roses and figures of mermaids supporting a massive clock, though many of these are positioned so high above the sidewalk that they remain largely invisible to those walking past.