100 W 33rd St
1910, Daniel Burnham - 1926, Shreve & Lamb

Gimbel Brothers Department Store was established in Indiana in 1842 by Adam Gimbel and operated for over a century, with 35 stores in five cities. This 10-story building served as their flagship store in New York and was designed by one of the most influential architects and urban planners of his time, Daniel Burnham. Burnham was the chief architect for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and helped steer American architecture towards classicism, ushering in the City Beautiful Movement. He also designed another NYC icon, the Flatiron Building (NYC Landmark, 1966). In 1926, Gimbels erected an ornate, three-story Art Deco skybridge connecting the main store with their administrative offices across 32nd Street. It was designed by Shreve & Lamb, soon to be Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, architects of the Empire State Building. It was one of the most prominent aerial bridges ever built, at a time when New York's skyline inspired futuristic images, films, and many other art forms.