Flatiron Building: Everything You Need to Know

Alexander Spatari

New York is a city of iconic buildings and, despite the hundreds of notable structures that have been built throughout its history, the Flatiron Building has proven especially memorable. Decades before the Empire State Building arrived and over a century before One World Trade was built, the Flatiron was erected in Manhattan. For those outside of the US, the building is a symbol of New York, making it a tourist destination for thousands, even without an observatory deck like other big-name Big Apple structures. Below, we detail the history, uses, and architectural features of the structure—read on to get better acquainted with the century-old building.

History of the Flatiron Building

Before there was the Flatiron Building, the irregular plot of land on which the structure was built was known as the Flatiron itself (likely because its triangular shape resembled a cast-iron clothing iron). “Owing to the peculiar shape of the ‘Flatiron,’ the erection of a very tall building has always been regarded as something of an architectural problem, and it is said that the structure now projected will probably not be over twelve stories in height,” reads a news item published in the November 27, 1900, issue of The New York Times regarding plans to build an office building on the land, signaling that readers knew the land itself by that title.

Those plans were led by Samuel and Mott Newhouse, who owned the land and eventually sold the lot “for $2 million to an investment partnership formed by Harry S. Black, chief executive of the Fuller Company, a construction firm he had inherited from his father-in-law, George W. Fuller,” according to A History of New York in 27 Buildings. Originally, the building was to be used as an office space for the Fuller Company.

Architect Daniel Burnham and his associate Frederick P. Dinkelberg designed the building using steel-frame construction, a method that the Fuller Company had recently embraced on other projects. Per A History of New York in 27 Buildings, after the site was cleared, the building “rose by about one floor a week” and was completed in 1902. With 22 floors, it exceeded the Times’s estimate of 12 stories, but never held the title of New York’s tallest building. The structure was initially named the Fuller Building, after its developer, but the Flatiron term that preceded the structure itself is what stuck.

What is the Flatiron building used for?

For nearly 120 years, from its completion until 2019, the Flatiron Building was used for offices. Its most prominent tenant was the publishing house Macmillan, a division of which first moved in in 1969, with several other divisions following until eventually the company occupied every floor of the building. “The Flatiron Building does have a special feel,” Thomas McCormack, the president of Macmillan division St Martin’s Press, told The New York Times in 1983. “It’s the only office I know of where you can stand in one place and see the East River, the Hudson and Central Park without moving. I find that our authors are fascinated by this extraordinary building.”

Macmillan moved out in 2019, and the building’s office floors have been empty since then, according to ArchPaper. In October 2023, the building’s owners, a group led by Jeff Gural of GFP Real Estate, announced that they would convert the building into luxury housing, a process that is expected to be complete by the end of 2026. Currently, 60 condos are planned across the building’s 22 stories.

The ground floor will be used for retail tenants, as it is currently. T-Mobile has a store on the base.

Architectural Details of the Flatiron Building

Exterior Design

The most distinctive feature of the Flatiron Building is the very thing it’s named for—its unusual triangular shape, resembling a clothes iron. This shape was necessitated by the specific plot of land it was on, where 5th Avenue and Broadway taper toward each other. Among its most notable details is the reinterpretation of classical Greek columns. Like predecessors, the façade is divided into a base, shaft, and capital. The building is clad in glazed terra-cotta and limestone, with plenty of Beaux Arts decorative elements such as oriel windows, cornices, and moldings that reward a closer look.

Interior Design

Now that the Flatiron is being converted into luxury residential units, the interiors are in a state of flux. As detailed by CoStar News in 2023, many of the floors have been stripped down to make way for the conversion and the existing historic staircase is being taken out and replaced with two staircases. Regardless of the interior finishes, the developers will certainly have to get creative to make the more angular sections of the building suitable for residential use.

How to Visit the Flatiron Building

Unlike other iconic New York City buildings, such as the Empire State Building and One World Trade, the Flatiron Building is not open to the public, save for its retail space. The best way to experience the building as a tourist is from the outside, and an afternoon in Madison Square Park can offer you a pleasant close-up view, free of charge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does anyone live in the Flatiron Building?

At present, no one has ever lived in the Flatiron, but that will soon change. In October 2023, it was reported by The Real Deal that the building would be converted to residential units for its next act. The announcement followed a kerfuffle earlier in the year, when the building was being sold at auction, and an unknown bidder, Jacob Garlick, won with a bid of $190 million. Garlick didn’t have the money for the deposit, so the building was put up for auction again and Jeff Gural’s GFP Real Estate—which already partially owned the building—secured it with a bid of $161 million.

It was confirmed that the residential units in the Flatiron would specifically be luxury condos when Commercial Observer broke the news in August 2024. According to the publication, there will be 60 units and the ground floor will remain retail space. No additions will be made to the building, so its profile will stay exactly the same for onlookers at street level. Move-ins are expected to begin in late 2026.

Why is the Flatiron Building famous?

The building’s distinct triangular shape is a major contributor to its fame. At the time of its completion, the Flatiron was among the tallest buildings in NYC, a factor that added to its original appeal. Though it wouldn’t be considered a skyscraper by modern standards, which today usually designates buildings over 40 stories, it was among a wave of skyscrapers built in the early 20th century and it was the first north of Union Square, according to The New York Times.

In 1966, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the structure a landmark, and in 1989 it was named a National Historic Landmark, cementing its importance to America at large, not just the city. Its many appearances in popular culture—including in the early aughts Spider-Man trilogy and Godzilla (1998), among many others—have helped to increase its notoriety abroad too.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

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