project: 200 Fifth Avenue
client: L&L Holding
location: New York
designer: STUDIOS Architecture

It takes just the right amount of finesse to create the necessary blend of modern flair and traditional expression, which was what L&L Holding was looking for when it commissioned STUDIOS Architecture to restore and renovate the neo-renaissance façade of an historic New York office building bordering Madison Square Park at 200 Fifth Avenue.

“The goal was to make a modern statement within a beautifully restored historic shell,” says David Burns, principal of STUDIOS Architecture. “From the exterior, passersby would notice only the careful restoration of the building’s façade. What is most exciting is the surprise to find this vibrant environment on the inside.”The 14-story space, originally called the Fifth Avenue Building, was designed by architecture firm Maynicke & Franke. Completed in 1909, it was one of the city’s largest commercial structures, with 60,000-sq.-ft. floor plates. During the 1950s, 200 Fifth Avenue served as the International Toy Center and the owners constructed small showrooms, painted over the windows, and removed the courtyard to better serve their needs. By 2007, the building had become noticeably underappreciated.

L&L Holding sought to bring back 200 Fifth Avenue to its former glory as a premier Class A office building. STUDIOS Architecture aimed to achieve a “balance of harmony and contrast with the existing building palette” and create a dynamic and exciting experience for users through the recreated courtyard, according to Burns.

“The terracotta-lined courtyard boasts a 40-ft. by 60-ft. exterior terrace, with stepped areas leading toward the west (floors two, three, and four),” Burns says. “This allowed for large, column-free areas that do not otherwise exist in the building.”

Completed in 2009, the restoration also includes a modern, natural light-filled lobby, and roof terraces. New glass-enclosed areas on each floor add increased flexibility in tenant occupancy and circulation, while four new mechanical rooms per floor minimize duct sizes. Numerous sustainable strategies—such as use of materials with high recycled content, rainwater irrigation, conversion to steam energy production systems, and the replacement of approximately 1,200 windows—have earned 200 Fifth Avenue its LEED Gold Certification for Core and Shell.

“This project not only demonstrates L&L Holding’s commitment to the restoration of historic structures,” says Burns, “but also its vision to create modern, sustainable, and exciting properties that help transform the neighborhoods in which they exist.”

who
Project: 200 Fifth Avenue. Owner: L&L Holding, LLC. Architect: STUDIOS Architecture; Todd DeGarmo, principal-in-charge; David Burns, design principal; David Must, project manager; Graham Clegg, project architect. Construction manager: Structure Tone Inc. Project manager: Gardner & Theobald LLP. Structural engineer: Thornton Tomasetti. Mechanical engineer: FMC ENGINEERING, P.C. Lighting: Johnson Light Studio LLC / Kugler Ning Lighting Design, Inc. Landscape: Landworks Studio, LLC. Landmarks: Higgins Quasebarth & Partners, LLC. Curtain wall consultant, façade restoration: Thornton Tomasetti. Security: TM Technology Partners, Inc. Acoustician: Cerami & Associates, Inc. Expeditor/Code Consultant: Charles Rizzo & Associates. LEED consultant: CodeGreen. Geotech consultant: Langan Engineering and Environmental Services, Inc. Elevator consultant: MJR Elevator Consulting Group, Inc. Photographer: Christopher Boals Artists (Nikolas Koenig).

what
Terrazzo: D Magnan & Co, Inc. Stone elevator cladding: Stone Source. Specialty pendant lighting: Phoster Industries. Specialty elevator indicator. Lighting: 3G Lighting. Ornamental metal fabricator: A-Val Architectural Metal. Curtain wall fabricator: Alumicor Limited. Terracotta cladding: NBK Terra Cotta. Exterior window replacements: TRACO. Exterior insulated glass: PPG. Ornamental metal fabricator: A-Val Architectural Metal. Concrete benches, pavers, planters, accessories: Concreteworks East.

where
Location: New York, NY. Total floor area: 850,000 sq. ft. No. of floors: 14. Average floor size: 60,000 RSF. Total staff size: Anticipated total fit out 3,000 people. Cost/sq. ft.: $140.