In New York City between 1890 and 1920, developers were building Beaux-Arts and Romanesque-Revival style townhouses all over the city. An interesting mix of both styles can be found on the beautiful stretch of Fifth Avenue between 126th and 128th Streets. Some very wide properties were built here–most measuring 25 feet in width–along with a couple beautiful churches such as St. Andrew’s Episcopal and Mount Moriah Baptist Church at 2050 Fifth Avenue which sold last year for $2,775,000.
2064 Fifth Avenue is a really impressive house with incredible detail. Like the other houses in this row, I would say it was designed primarily as a Romanesque Revival home, however there are pieces of this that follow in line with Beaux-Arts style such as the heavy use of cartouches decorating the facade and the large ornate dormer on top of the building with a steep mansard roof. We can’t call it a true Beaux-Arts house, however, because it is missing a few key characteristics such as the bay windows and the low entry way. Instead, the rest of the house is a clear example of a Romanesque Revival Style home with its large stoop, intricate stained-glass transoms, a deeply recessed round arched doorway, and some amazing face carvings in the stone.
The rest of the block to the north follows along more closely to the romanesque revival style as well, but as you can see, 2064 has a little more extra special touch.
When you have a chance, go check out this beautiful section of Fifth Avenue. Takes the 2/3/4/5/6 trains or the M100, M101, M60, or Bx15 buses to 125th street and Fifth Avenue, and head up just two to three blocks north.
In the Google street view window to the right, you can see that there was some work going on at 2066 Fifth Avenue. When you walk by today you will see that it is a new condominium building that is in the process of getting completed.
2064 Fifth Avenue
The L-shaped stoop entrace at 2064 Fifth Avenue
