New York Life Building
Office skyscraper in Manhattan, New York
About
The New York Life Building, also known as 51 Madison, is the headquarters of the New York Life Insurance Company at 51 Madison Avenue in the Rose Hill and NoMad neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City. The building, designed by Cass Gilbert, abuts Madison Square Park and occupies an entire city block bounded by Madison Avenue, Park Avenue South, and 26th and 27th Streets.
The New York Life Building was designed with Gothic Revival details similar to Gilbert's previous commissions, including 90 West Street and the Woolworth Building. The tower is 615 feet (187 m) tall (the equivalent of forty stories), consisting of 34 office stories topped by a pyramidal, gilded six-story roof. At the time of the building's construction, many structures were being built in the Art Deco style, and so Gilbert's design incorporated Art Deco influences in its massing while retaining the older-style Gothic Revival detailing. The New York Life Building is distinguished from the skyline by its gilded roof.
Nearby
More to see within walking distance
69th Regiment Armory
Armory in Manhattan, New York
0.1 mi away
Appellate Division Courthouse of New York State
Courthouse in Manhattan, New York
330 ft away
69th New York Infantry Regiment
Union Army unit in the American Civil War
0.1 mi away
Madison Square and Madison Square Park
Public square and park in Manhattan, New York
0.1 mi away
Armory Show
1913 American art exhibition
0.1 mi away
Metropolitan Life North Building
Office skyscraper in Manhattan, New York
0.1 mi awayPlaces to eat nearby
Finding places to eat…
Traveler reviews
Tickets & tours
Tickets and tours for New York Life Building
We may earn a commission from some of these links, at no extra cost to you. Learn more
Photos from Unsplash, Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA); facts from Wikipedia; maps © OpenStreetMap contributors, weather from Open-Meteo. Huginn’s tips are AI-written — check prices, hours and entry rules before you go.