32 AVENUE OF 
THE AMERICAS


New York, NY
6,000sf | 560m²
Completed 2024

Work—Fogarty Finger Architects
Photos—Alex Severin
32 Avenue of the Americas, a landmarked Art Deco building in Tribeca, was designed by Ralph Walker and completed in 1932 for AT&T as the Long Distance Building. With its iconic dark woven brick façade and beautifully detailed lobby featuring terrazzo floors, glazed terra cotta tiles, and a mosaic ceiling mural by Hildreth Meière, the building stands as a testament to early 20th-century design.

After its transformation into a multi-tenant office building, the entrances, lobby, and street front remained relatively dark and uninviting. To improve both accessibility and ambiance, our firm was tasked with reimagining these spaces. The interior work involved re-lamping existing sconces and adding small aperture uplights to highlight the chamfered wall tiles and illuminate the iconic ceiling mural, “Weavers of Speech,” creating a warmer, more welcoming environment.

Externally, we updated both the main Sixth Avenue entrance and secondary Church Street entrance with new brass framed revolving doors and handicap-accessible pivot doors. The entrances were further enhanced with new lighting to ensure they stand out after dark. These thoughtful updates, approved by the Landmarks Commission, respect and preserve the building’s historic essence while providing the modern upgrades needed for a more inviting tenant and guest experience.



Main Entrance, Sixth Avenue
Building Overall
Sixth Avenue Entrance
Church Street Entrance Detail
Lobby
Lobby at Sixth Avenue