History and architecture
No. 998 Fifth Avenue is a remarkably handsome building - the finest Italian Renaissance style apartment house in New York City. The architects were the prestigious firm of McKim, Mead & White, which at that time was designing the north wing of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, across the avenue.
Although a few luxury apartment houses, such as The Dakota and The Apthrop, had been built earlier, it was not until about 1910 that many prominent families who had previously resided in private town houses, decided that for convenience and often for economic reasons, it was advantageous to live in apartment houses. Thus, the realtors did not question the ready availability of clientele to occupy such apartments, first on a rental basis and later as cooperatives. Included among the first tenants at 99S Fifth Avenue were Mr. and Mrs. Murray Guggenheim, Senator and Mrs. Elihu Root, and the Hon. and Mrs. Levi P. Morton.
998 Fifth Avenue is visually divided into three superimposed four-story sections which are separated by bandcourses with balustrades, creating a strong horizontal emphasis which is repeated in the striking roof cornice. The first section consists of an unusually high base of boldly rusticated limestone, a feature which is typical of the Italian Renaissance palazzo tradition. In contrast, the upper sections are smooth-faced and accented by quoins.
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.