Beloved art deco took hold in the 1930s as architects turned away from history, creating unique buildings, configured with setbacks and decorated with original ornament. Built in 1929, the brick-and-terra-cotta Chanin Building is the work of unlicensed architect Irwin S Chanin, who teamed up with the legally recognized firm Sloan & Robertson to achieve his dream. The star attractions are the exquisite bands of relief at the building's base, created by René Chambellan and Jacques Delamarre and depicting flora and fauna.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Chrysler Building

0.05 MILES

Designed by William Van Alen and completed in 1930, the 77-floor Chrysler Building is the pinup for New York's purest art deco architecture, guarded by…

2. Grand Central Terminal

0.12 MILES

Completed in 1913, Grand Central Terminal – commonly, if incorrectly, called Grand Central Station – is one of New York’s most venerated beaux-arts…

3. Morgan Library & Museum

0.31 MILES

Incorporating the mansion once owned by steel magnate JP Morgan, this sumptuous cultural center houses a phenomenal array of manuscripts, tapestries and…

4. New York Public Library

0.33 MILES

Loyally guarded by 'Patience' and 'Fortitude' (the marble lions overlooking Fifth Ave), this beaux-arts show-off is one of NYC's best free attractions…

5. Bryant Park

0.4 MILES

European coffee kiosks, alfresco chess games, summer film screenings and winter ice skating: it's hard to believe that this leafy oasis was a crime-ridden…

6. Le Carrousel

0.41 MILES

Among Bryant Park's attractions is this French-inspired, Brooklyn-made carousel, with over a dozen delightfully baroque animals you can ride to the sounds…

7. Japan Society

0.44 MILES

Elegant exhibitions of both traditional and contemporary Japanese art, textiles and design are the main draw at this calming cultural center, complete…

8. Diamond District

0.46 MILES

Like Diagon Alley in Harry Potter, the Diamond District is a world unto itself. Best experienced on weekdays, it's an industrious whirl of Hasidic Jewish…