B. Altman and Company: History, Architecture, and Legacy

B. Altman and Company has a rich history that spans over a century. Founded in 1865 by Benjamin Altman, the company quickly grew into a prominent department store in New York City.

Its iconic flagship store on Fifth Avenue was designed by renowned architect Trowbridge & Livingston and took five years to complete, opening in 1906. The building's Beaux-Arts style was a major departure from the traditional commercial architecture of the time.

The store's grand opening was a major event, with thousands of people attending the ceremony. Benjamin Altman spared no expense in creating an opulent shopping experience, complete with a grand staircase, marble floors, and ornate plasterwork.

Altman's legacy extends beyond his successful business, as he was also a generous philanthropist who donated extensively to museums and cultural institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

For another approach, see: Roger Altman Evercore

B. Altman and Company has a rich history that dates back to 1865, when it was founded on Manhattan's Lower East Side as a family-owned store.

The store was initially owned by Benjamin Altman, one of the brothers in the family, and was located at Third Avenue and 10th Street.

In 1877, the store relocated to 621 Sixth Avenue between 18th and 19th Streets, where it stayed until 1906.

The original building was designed by David and John Jardine, William Hume, and Buchman & Fox, and was constructed in four stages.

Altman's was the first big department store to move from the "Ladies' Mile" shopping district to Fifth Avenue, where it occupied a block-long building running from 34th to 35th Streets.

This new building was designed by Trowbridge & Livingston in Italian Renaissance style and was expanded in stages through 1913 to 188–89 Madison Avenue.

The building's design was planned to fit in with the surrounding palatial mansions, and it became a model for other big stores to follow.

Some notable works of art by B. Altman & Co. include pieces from 1850, 1881, 1883, and 1894, which are now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.

Here are some notable works of art by B. Altman & Co.:

In the 1930s, Altman's expanded to the suburbs, opening branches in East Orange, White Plains, and Manhasset, which would later become part of larger shopping malls.

The B. Altman and Company building is a stunning example of early 20th-century architecture. It was designed by Trowbridge & Livingston in the Italian Renaissance Revival style and opened in three phases between 1906 and 1914.

The building's main section on Fifth Avenue, which opened in 1906 and expanded in 1911, has a facade designed as an arcade. This unique design element was a deliberate choice to harmonize with the surrounding mansions on Fifth Avenue.

The building's facade was intended to blend in with the residential designs of the time, and it was the first commercial structure in New York City to use imported French limestone, which had previously been used only on residential buildings.

For another approach, see: Trade Disputes Act 1906

Construction on the new Altman store began in earnest in April 1905, with a $4.5 million mortgage loan from the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York.

The building's construction was marred by several incidents, including a December 1905 dynamite explosion that killed three workers and injured several others.

In May 1905, The New York Times reported that art dealer Knoedler was still leasing the row house at Fifth Avenue and 34th Street, with negotiations between Knoedler and Altman at an impasse.

The first section of the Fifth Avenue building opened on October 15, 1906, with entrances on 34th Street, 35th Street, and Fifth Avenue.

In January 1906, a worker was killed and six others were injured when a girder fell from the eighth floor, highlighting the risks and challenges of building construction.

Altman sold the old Sixth Avenue store in April 1906, in anticipation of the new store's opening.

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The B. Altman and Company Building was designed by Trowbridge & Livingston in the Italian Renaissance Revival style.

The building was opened in three phases: 1906, 1911, and 1914. The main section on Fifth Avenue, opened in 1906 and expanded in 1911, has its facade designed as an arcade.

The building's facade was generally intended to harmonize with the designs of mansions on Fifth Avenue. The design, across the street from the grand residence of department-store rival A. T. Stewart, was planned to complement the surrounding palatial mansions.

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The facade is mostly unchanged from the building's completion, although some spalling in the facade was patched with cast stone, and some design elements were removed or simplified. The structure's facade was made with imported French limestone, which was a new material used in commercial buildings at the time.

The building's layout is identical on Fifth Avenue, 34th Street, and 35th Street, with the third story having one square-headed opening in each bay and keystones above the windows.

The fourth through sixth stories have square-headed openings, with no keystones, and a frieze runs above the sixth floor. The seventh and eighth stories are designed as a double-height arcade, similar to the base.

The Madison Avenue annex, completed in 1914, has more design motifs than the original Fifth Avenue structure and its addition. Marc Eidlitz & Son was the general contractor for the building, and Hecla Iron Works manufactured the metalwork.

The majority of the building is eight stories tall, but the Madison Avenue side rises to 13 stories.

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Altman's had a significant impact on the Fifth Avenue area, with a Times critic noting that the store added to the beauty of the street at its opening. This was especially notable since Altman's was the first big department store to make the move from Ladies' Mile to Fifth Avenue.

Other major stores followed Altman's lead, relocating to the "middle" portion of Fifth Avenue, including Best & Co., W. & J. Sloane, Lord & Taylor, Arnold Constable & Company, and Bergdorf Goodman. This shift helped transform the area into a premier shopping destination.

After Benjamin Altman's death in 1913, his stock in the stores was placed into the Altman Foundation.

The foundation sold the stores to an investor group that included members of the Gucci family and two principals from financial firm Deloitte & Touche in 1986.

In 1987, Australian real estate development company L.J. Hooker purchased the controlling interest in the B. Altman stores, along with other chains, with the goal of using them as anchors in new shopping centers.

Hooker's strategy failed miserably, and B. Altman filed for bankruptcy in August 1989, with the last store closing in 1990.

The suburban Buffalo location was fully completed and fixtured but never occupied by Altman's, and was later occupied by local department store AM&A's and eventually a Bon-Ton.

The Carousel Center Mall location in Syracuse was under construction at the time and redesigned to house a succession of several discount anchors, one on each of the two floors.

The store's reputation for gentility and conservatism was well-known, and it was often compared to Marshall Field & Company in Chicago.

Two lost treasures from the store were the famous Christmas windows, which rivaled those in the Lord & Taylor Building, a few blocks up Fifth Avenue, and the Charleston Gardens restaurant, which housed a full-sized facade of a Tara-like Charleston home.

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Altman's department store played a significant role in transforming Fifth Avenue into a major shopping destination.

Its move from Ladies' Mile to Fifth Avenue marked a significant shift in the city's retail landscape.

The store's opening was met with praise from critics, with one Times critic noting that it added to the beauty of Fifth Avenue.

Altman's was followed by other major stores, including Best & Co., W. & J. Sloane, and Lord & Taylor, which also made the move uptown.

This migration of major retailers had a lasting impact on the city's retail landscape.

Here's a list of some of the notable stores that made the move to Fifth Avenue:

The B. Altman and Company store was a grand affair, with a large entrance rotunda on Fifth Avenue and open-plan selling floors. The rotunda featured a glass dome with indirect lighting, which was illuminated on cloudy days by electric lamps placed behind the dome.

The store's various departments were placed in the same locations as B. Altman's previous store on Sixth Avenue, with the first through fourth floors used as selling floors and the upper floors used as workshops, offices, and stockrooms.

Some notable features of the store included a large room on the third floor with mirrors that could be slid aside to allow natural light, and a waiting room on the fourth floor with wooden desks and chairs, and telephones.

Here's a breakdown of the store's layout:

The store's design and layout were meant to evoke a sense of classic dignity, and the building's neo-Renaissance palazzo style was a nod to its grandeur.

Benjamin Altman started acquiring land for his Fifth Avenue store in 1895 or 1896, when he obtained a four-story building at the southwest corner of Fifth Avenue and 35th Street.

He initially didn't reveal the purpose of these purchases, as he didn't want neighbors to learn of his intentions and potentially thwart the project.

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The Ladies Who Lunch at B. Altman and Co. was a pioneering concept that allowed unaccompanied women to shop and eat without a chaperone or husband. They could enjoy lovely places for tea and eventually a restaurant within the store.

By the 1930s, New York department store restaurants were evolving into charming dining locales, and B. Altman's Charleston Restaurant was no exception. It had not only delicious meals but also a full-size Southern porch.

Benjamin Altman's thoughtful approach to his staff extended beyond providing a pleasant dining experience. He initiated a shorter workweek, subsidized meals, and in-house doctor and medical care for his employees.

The B. Altman and Co. store was a grand affair, with a large entrance rotunda on Fifth Avenue and open-plan selling floors. The rotunda had a glass dome with indirect lighting, which was illuminated on cloudy days by electric lamps.

The store's various departments were placed in the same locations as B. Altman's previous store on Sixth Avenue. The first through fourth floors were used as selling floors, while the upper floors were used as workshops, offices, and stockrooms.

On the third floor, which sold suits and linens, there was a large room with mirrors that could be slid aside to allow natural light. The fourth floor had a waiting room with wooden desks and chairs, and telephones.

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The store's layout was designed to be spacious and quiet, with the Main Floor being described as "stately and spacious". The store's interior design was a key part of its grandeur, with a metal frieze running above the entrance and beautiful curvy glass canopies.

The store's architecture was neo-Renaissance in style, with a palace-like design that anchored the east end of 34th Street. The building's land lot has a total area of 82,950 square feet, measuring 197.5 feet from north to south and 420 feet from west to east.

Here's a breakdown of the store's floor layout: