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31-33 Lispenard Street and cornice details
Architects have long pondered how best to signify that a building has completed its ascent into the heavens, and the most popular means has been the cornice, a protruding element that overhangs the building’s façade. This element is usually not too tall, so as not to seem ungainly, and not too deep, so as not to appear too dangerous or cast too large a shadow. Cornices, like most architectural elements, come in a variety of shapes and designs, but most are quite detailed and complex, and often serve as the most decorative feature of a building’s exterior.
Many are elegant and impressive, like the one found atop the Metropolitan Club on the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue at 60th Street, or the Verona apartment building, designed in 1908 by William Mowbray at 32 East 64th Street. Other cornices are quite minimal.
Carnegie Hall Tower
While cornices were popular in prewar residential architecture, they are much rarer in new buildings, though they are experiencing a bit of a comeback as designers increasingly draw inspiration from prewar precedents. Perhaps the most interesting modern cornice is atop Carnegie Hall Tower at 152 West 57th Street, erected in 1990 and designed by Cesar Pelli & Associates. Instead of a projecting decorative cap, Pelli introduced protruding spokes on three of the tower’s upper façades that appear to grasp at the proverbial passing clouds and passionate dreams wafting up from the concert hall in an aggressive yet minimalist fashion.
The Scholastic Building
Another bold modern interpretation, consisting of three large overlapping red metal bands, can be found at the Scholastic Building at 557 Broadway, completed in 2001 and designed by Aldo Rossi with Gensler Associates /Morris Adjmi.
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Another new building that meets the sky with a measure of elegance was approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission yesterday. The Commission approved an application for a new ground-up rental building with a refined cornice line at 31-33 Lispenard Street and 35 Lispenard Street in the Tribeca East Historic District.
The project would demolish two low-rise commercial buildings and construct an eight-story residential and retail building on the site. Landmarks had previously approved a light-colored building with arched windows, designed by GF55 Architects, in November 2019; however, that plan did not include 35 Lispenard Street. Silver Lining Development purchased the full development site for $7.5 million in December 2025 and returned to Landmarks with a revised proposal.
Marin Architects’ goal was to create a contextually sensitive yet contemporary interpretation of historic Tribeca buildings. Renderings from their presentation depict a building with a dark gray metal façade inspired by nearby cast-iron architecture, oversized double-pane windows, brick articulation and window openings on the south side, and a setback at the seventh floor. There is a clear separation between the retail and residential components, marked by a sculptural canopy above the retail entrance, and the building is crowned with a cornice inspired by neighboring buildings. The building is among the taller structures on its block, but is designed to avoid casting significant shadows on its neighbors, and the bulkhead is concealed as much as possible.
31-35 Lispenard Street | Marin Architects
Manhattan Community Board 1 recommended approval, and the Victorian Society supported many aspects of the proposal, finding that the loss of the existing buildings would not diminish the character of the historic district and that the new structure relates well to adjacent buildings in terms of color, palette, and overall texture of the street façade. Commissioners also approved of the building’s massing, façade, and retail canopy, but asked that the applicant study the overhang of the penthouse and revise the materials of the north façade to a more durable brick. The proposal was approved with modifications.
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Or call us at (212) 755-5544
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