19 March 2009

The Classiest Gap in Town


Shopping at the Gap gets as close to a Fifth Avenue experience as possible at the location at 85th Street and Third Avenue.

The store occupies a former kingdom of Manufacturer's Hanover Trust. The bank built the grand edifice in 1915 and adorned it with sculpted metal doors worthy of a baptistery in Florence. There is Latin engraved on either portal, as well of allegorical figure representing what I'm sure are great commercial virtues. It makes one momentarily think this particular Gap has the most lofty principles.

The letters held up by the dual griffins above the door stand for "Yorkville Branch."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

One item to note, that building is owned by Related who built the Brompton next door. They could have easily chosen to tear this building down to build a bigger condo tower, but choose to keep it.