Design and architecture

This was the largest marble edifice in the country when it opened in 1911, which goes some way to explaining why it took 16 years to build. The Stephen A Schwarzman Building, often referred to as the “main branch” of the New York Public Library, is a beaux arts landmark located a few steps from Grand Central. It majestically sits on a large terrace, its entrance flanked by two large lions by the names of Patience and Fortitude.

This beautiful historic city block could easily go unnoticed if you weren’t seeking it out. The private lane between 94th and 95th streets was inspired by a 1910 play that was set on a fictitious London street of the same name. Throughout the years the urban hideaway has seen many notable residents pass through, including Humphrey Bogart, Rosalind Russell and Lillian Gish. Although the Tudor-style homes are behind a closed gate, passers-by can peek through it at the picturesque street and admire its particularly well-kept green spaces. 

Taking cues from its beaux arts transport brethren uptown (Grand Central Terminal et al), the Battery Maritime Building stands in stark contrast to the newly built Staten Island Ferry terminal next door. Seen from the water, high arches of stucco, steel, cast iron and ceramic tiles accentuate the building’s three mooring stations. A green hue provides a welcome bit of colour against the backdrop of the ever-changing glass-and-steel skyline of Lower Manhattan.

From the street, intricate wrought-iron designs crawl up the front of the building. Step inside and muse at the 800-square-metre Great Hall where ferry passengers used to await their seaborne transport; during summer months the terminal is still used as a departure point for people headed to nearby Governors Island.