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186 Fifth Avenue is a four residence condominium conversion of a former Western Union Telegraph Company building, completed in 1883 at the southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street. Designed by Henry J. Hardenbergh, the seven story Queen Anne style structure faces Madison Square Park, with the Flatiron Building across Fifth Avenue and the Clocktower visible to the east.
The red brick and terracotta façade reflects Hardenbergh’s effort to bridge the commercial and residential scales of the district. Its Fifth Avenue elevation includes a metal framed oriel and pedimented gable, while the 23rd Street frontage is more expansive, with a double height arcaded treatment, extensive glazing, and multiple gables. The façade is marked “W.U. 1883,” and Hardenbergh maintained offices on the building’s upper floors.
The residences are arranged as full floor homes ranging from approximately 2,385 to 2,418 square feet. Apartments commonly have loft like open layouts, high ceilings, oversized windows, and northern and eastern exposures with views toward Madison Square Park, the Flatiron Building, and the Clocktower. Several interiors feature ceilings approaching 14 feet, while recurring practical features include individual climate control, double pane windows, in-unit laundry, intercom systems, and dedicated basement storage.
The conversion introduced modern residential systems while retaining the building’s pre war character. A superintendent is on staff, and apartments have automated shades and integrated controls for air conditioning, lighting, and air filtration. The Flatiron and Union Square setting places Madison Square Park directly across the street, with the Union Square Greenmarket, Eataly, restaurants, shopping, and multiple subway stations nearby.
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