Emmet Building

The Emmet Building was commissioned in 1911 by Dr. Thomas Addis Emmet, a pioneering gynecological surgeon who lived on this site for decades before deciding to redevelop his property. He demolished four of his own townhouses to make way for this sixteen-story skyscraper, which was designed by the firm Barney and Colt to cater to the neighborhood's rapidly expanding wholesale industry. What makes this structure truly unusual for its time is the luxurious private residence Dr. Emmet built for himself on the top floor. While it was common for a building superintendent to live in an upper-story apartment, it was unprecedented in New York City to incorporate such an elaborate penthouse into a commercial office building. This space included a private elevator, a solarium, and a rooftop garden featuring pergolas and fountains.