The city landmarked two buildings near Madison Square Park on Tuesday — each over one hundred years old.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission said Hotel Seville and the Emmet Building, both located at 29th Street and Madison Avenue, were historically significant due to their distinct, turn-of-the-century architecture.
“… Together they represent an era of change and development in the area north of Madison Square during the early 20th century,” LPC chair Meenakshi Srinivasan said in a statement. “Their location across the street from each other reinforces this intersection as a reminder of the architectural exuberance of their historic period.”
The designations prevent both buildings from future alterations without approval from the city.
The Hotel Seville, now known as the James NoMad Hotel, was built in 1904 and designed by Harry Allan Jacobs in a Beaux-Arts style. The building features a brick and limestone exterior, with contrasting bays of red brick and bowed metal windows.
The hotel’s windows and lower floors have been updated over the years, according to the LPC.
The Emmet Building was named after Thomas Addis Emmet, a gynecological surgeon who went on to pursue a career in real estate. He and his son commissioned the 16-story commercial building in 1911, and the elder Emmet lived in the penthouse.
The edifice combines Early French Renaissance ornamentation with Neo-Gothic vertical effects — external columns that rise between the fourth and eleventh stories. The lower stories feature medieval figures, canopies, and gargoyles.
“This neighborhood contains a number of significant buildings that are well worth preservation, and I’m glad that the Landmarks Preservation Commission has acted to protect two that are so prominent among them,” Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer said in a statement.
