On Fifth Avenue, Then and Now. - book reviews

Real Estate Weekly, Dec 16, 1992

The dividing line between the east and west side of Manhattan, on of the most expensive strips of real estate in the world, sports a rich history. On Fifth Avenue, Then and Now brings back memories - the stores, the people, and the buildings that created a glittering thoroughfare from what was once merely a dirt road.

The book describes the avenue's changes during a period of more than 150 years. With architectural descriptions, personal reminiscences by those who worked and shopped on the avenue, and vintage photographs of landmarked buildings, department store display windows, and streetscapes, the book will appeal to all who have a special place in their hearts for New York's most famous avenue.

With more than 100 photographs, including some never-before-published, and a map showing sites of both current and former famous structures, On Fifth Avenue: Then and Now is a book that evokes a long-gone, but not forgotten era in the history of New York's most fabled roadway. It is a nostalgic tour of glorious buildings, many of which have been designated historical landmarks and have graced Fifth Avenue for generations, including: Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, St. Regis Hotel, Rockefeller Center, Scribner Building, St. Thomas Church, New York Public Library, Cartier, Tiffany, Bergdorf Goodman, and Mark Cross. The book also pays tribute to many fine Fifth Avenue stores which have closed - B. Altman, Best & Co., Bonwit Teller, DePinna and W.&J. Sloane, just to name a few.

On Fifth Avenue is written by Ronda Wist, Director of Land Use Review at the New York City Department of City Planning. She has a degree in architectural history from Barnard College and an M.S. in historic preservation from Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture and Planning. Wist has written for numerous publications, including the Washington Post, Metropolis and the New York Observer.

The author will be signing copies of the book on Thursday, Dec. 17th from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on the main floor of Lord & Taylor's Fifth Avenue store.