108 Fifth Avenue

Overview of 108 Fifth Avenue

108 Fifth Avenue is a 21-story, full-service condominium with just 51 residences, offering an intimate yet well-appointed living experience. The pet-friendly building features a full-time doorman, a live-in superintendent, and a sundeck for residents. While it lacks a garage or health club, its prime Flatiron location ensures unparalleled convenience, with Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and nearly every subway line within blocks. The building also provides easy access to Greenwich Village, the West and East Villages, Chelsea, and the Madison Square Park area.

Lower Fifth Avenue is one of the city's most architecturally significant stretches, particularly between 14th and 23rd Streets, where early 20th-century commercial structures define the streetscape. In response to this historic setting, developers Douglas B. Gardner, Martin M. Berger, and Fred Levinson opted for a Postmodern design, enlisting the firm Rothzeid, Kaiserman, Thompson & Bee. Their vision included a distinctive four-story mansard roof, inspired by the Parisian character of this boulevard-like section of Fifth Avenue.

While the building’s elegant base and corner balconies add visual interest, its setback from both the avenue and sidestreet creates an unintended break in the historic street wall. This design choice, along with the recessed mansard roof, diminishes the building’s presence within the architectural rhythm of Fifth Avenue.

Completed in late 1986, just as the Flatiron District was emerging as a hub for advertising, photography, and fine dining, 108 Fifth Avenue remains a sought-after residence, offering classic condominium living in one of Manhattan’s most vibrant neighborhoods.