The Marbridge
Building at
Herald Square

Perhaps in emulation of the holdout
thorn in Macy's side, a holdout situation
developed directly across Herald Square
in 1909, not long after the great store
opened on 34th Street (Figure 23). Wil-
liam R. H. Martin bought the vener-
able brownstone Broadway Tabernacle

Church on the corner of 34th Street and
Sixth Avenue along with several other
buildings, using a $3 million personal
loan obtained from the drygoods mer-
chant Benjamin Altman. He assembled
a 200-foot by 150-foot site for his new
eleven-story Marbridge Building—all
except for an 18-foot-wide five-story
brownstone at 76 West 35th Street whose
owner would not sell.

76 West
35th Street

The holdout structure had
been built in 1881 by Thomas
F. Carr. Henry McAleenan leased it from
Mr. Carr, and after the owner's death

in 1894, continued to lease it from his
estate. In 1901 he bought the building
holding it against the attempts by de-
veloper Mr. Martin to buy it from him.
Almost by way of a final act of defiance
against Mr. Martin's huge new office
building, Mr. McAleenan deeded his lit-
tle holdout in 1911 to his six children
who kept it in the family at least until
after World War II. The holdout re-
mains, and the Marbridge Building
stands today with a notch cut out of it
northwest corner, testament to the ob-
durateness of its owner seventy-five year-
ago (Figure 24).

23 The holdouts against the Macy's and Mar-
bridge buildings.

24 The Marbridge Building across Herald Square
from Macy's showing its own holdout at 76 West
35th Street. (Andrew Alpern)

PROPOSED PENN
CENTER DISTRICT

With 11 transit entrances in four blocks, the proposed Penn Center District is not only the gateway to the largest transit hub in America, but also one of the most dense retail districts in New York City. Vornado's unique assemblage of property in this area allows what is typically impossible in urban planning - a cohesive and coordinated development.

## --- Proposed Penn Center Subdistrict

Transit Entrance Locations

Macy's Department Store/Madison Square Garden

Vornado Owned Property

Proposed New Vornado Development Areas

Penn Center Subdistrict | Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects

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## Proposed Penn Center Subdistrict

### Transit Entrance Locations

### Macy's Department Store/ Madison Square Garden

### Vornado Owned Property

### Proposed New Vornado Development Areas

PROPOSED PENN
CENTER DISTRICT

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PROPOSED PENN
CENTER DISTRICT

5

34TH STREET
PARTNERSHIP'S
STREETSCAPE
IMPROVEMENTS

The proposed Penn Center Subdistrict is located within the 34th Street Partnership's streetscape improvement zone. The proposed Penn Center Subdistrict changes can complement the Partnership's street-level enhancements.

Scope of 34th Street Partnership streetscape improvements

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RETAIL/
ENTERTAINMENT

The density of foot-traffic – over 500,000 commuters per day pass through the Penn Center Area, not to mention the thousands who attend sporting events at Madison Square Garden and shop at Macy's – draws national retailers to the area.

Proposed Penn Center Subdistrict
New Retail
Existing Retail
Entertainment

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EXISTING

SEVENTH AVE.
CORNER VIEW
FROM 35TH ST. &
SEVENTH AVE.
LOOKING SOUTH

The Seventh Avenue corridor appears architecturally undistinguished despite the presence of Macy's, a major New York City institution and attraction.

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PROPOSED

Both newly developed properties and existing properties within the Penn Center Subdistrict along Seventh Avenue will have the new transit information signage integrated at the base of the corner tower signage beacons. The repeating towers provide architectural unity to the district.

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