998 Fifth Avenue |
McKim Mead and White designed and built 998 Fifth Avenue in 1912 at the height of the City Beautiful Movement, an urban planning movement favoring monumental architecture. 998 Fifth Avenue pioneered the use of Italian Renaissance-style design for apartment buildings and was described by the Landmarks Preservation Commission as "the city's finest Italian Renaissance-style apartment house." The building was designated a landmark in 1974. The 12-story limestone building was designed with a large cornice topped by a pitched copper roof. In addition to facade repairs, the impressive roof and cornice were replaced as part of the restoration project.
Levien worked directly with the Board of Trustees and enforced the Board’s priorities for safety/security and quality. The greatest challenge for Levien was to return the building to its original splendor at a reasonable cost. Care was taken by the exceptional project team to seek the appropriate solutions at each turn of events. Peer reviews and competitive pricing were sought as a check on costs.