The Crown story

The Crown Story

Embodying the splendor of America’s Gilded Age and the timeless elegance, sophistication, and dynamism of 5th Avenue, the Crown Building – now home to Aman New York – occupies an iconic position in both the cityscape and history of Manhattan. With its storied past and long-held associations with the uppermost echelons of New York society, the Crown Building was the natural home for America’s first urban Aman.
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Built in 1921, the Crown Building was designed by Warren & Wetmore, iconic architects of Grand Central Station and the Helmsley Building.
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Titans of design

Topped by a chateau-esque tower, the building’s Neo-Classical facade and French Renaissance detailing make it one of the finest examples of Beaux-Arts architecture in the US today.

 

First home of MoMA

Then known as the Heckscher Building after philanthropist, August Heckscher, the Crown Building became the first home of the Museum of Modern Art from 1929 to 1932.

Curated by Director Alfred H. Barr Jr. with the support of the Rockefeller family, MoMA opened with an exhibition of 101 works by Cezanne, Gauguin, Seurat and van Gogh.

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A Beacon of Progress

Above the building’s crown-like finial – its eponymous feature in later years – was perched a 12-foot gold-plated weathervane in the form of a rooster. “Le Coq d’Or” stood as a beacon of progress until its removal in 1942 to serve a higher calling: It was melted down to support the war effort.

 

The Midas Touch

As decades passed, the building gained in prestige and worth, just as its address came to represent the finest real estate in Manhattan. In 1983, it was renamed the Crown Building, and lighting designer Douglas Leigh was commissioned to gild and illuminate the ornamental façade. He used 30 gallons of liquid gold.