Bloomingdale’s flagship store at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue in New York City stands as a testament to the evolution of retail and architectural design in the heart of Manhattan. From its late 19th-century beginnings to its modern-day presence, this iconic department store complex reflects changing tastes, retail strategies, and the enduring appeal of Bloomingdale’s.
The story of Bloomingdale’s at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue begins with ambitious expansion. In 1893, the architectural firm Buchman & Deisler were commissioned to design a grand annex to the original corner store. This Renaissance-style addition, situated on the north side of 59th Street and extending westward, was completed the following year. The new wing immediately established itself as a benchmark for retail elegance and modernity, surpassing the existing shopping district located further downtown between 14th and 23rd Streets in terms of scale and sophistication. This expansion demonstrated Bloomingdale’s early commitment to becoming a premier shopping destination in New York City.
The Bloomingdale brothers, Joseph and Lyman, both passed away before 1906. However, their family maintained control of the thriving business until 1929. In a significant shift, the Bloomingdale family sold the business operations to Federated Department Stores, a large retail consortium that also included Abraham & Straus. Despite this sale, the family retained ownership of the valuable land under the B. Bros. Realty Company. Concurrent with this corporate restructuring, Bloomingdale’s embarked on another major architectural project. They expanded to occupy the entire block, commissioning Starrett & Van Vleck to design a new Art Deco facade facing Lexington Avenue. Completed in 1930, this Lexington Avenue front provided a striking and modern counterpoint to the earlier Renaissance style, reflecting the changing aesthetic of the era and further solidifying Bloomingdale’s presence at this prime New York City location.
As the 20th century progressed, advancements in electric lighting technology dramatically altered department store design. The reliance on natural light, which had previously dictated store layouts, diminished significantly by the 1930s. By the 1940s and 1950s, large department stores like Bloomingdale’s began to prioritize interior space for customers. Stock rooms and support areas were relocated to the building perimeters, creating fully enclosed, artificial environments within the store. At Bloomingdale’s 59th Street and Lexington Avenue, this shift manifested in the gradual covering and even blocking up of windows. The nearby Alexander’s store, constructed in 1958 at the northeast corner of 58th and Lexington, exemplified this trend with its complete absence of windows, representing a departure from earlier retail architectural norms.
Over time, a unifying aesthetic was imposed on the various Bloomingdale’s facades, with the exception of the Lexington Avenue frontage. A buff-gray paint was applied to cover the diverse architectural styles, presenting the image of a singular, monolithic building to the public. This attempt at visual cohesion coincided with the modernization of the original storefronts of the older buildings, further obscuring their identities as distinct structures and creating a more uniform street-level experience for shoppers.
In the mid-1980s, architect William J. Conklin was hired by Federated Department Stores to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the entire Bloomingdale’s complex. Conklin characterized the collection of buildings as an “architectural mess,” recognizing the stylistic inconsistencies and the obscured historical layers. He developed drawings for a potential exterior restoration project aimed at highlighting the original architectural features and restoring some of the historical integrity of the building complex. However, this ambitious restoration project was never implemented. Today, a walk around the Bloomingdale’s block at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue reveals a fascinating juxtaposition of architectural styles and eras, a testament to its long and evolving history as a New York City retail institution. The contrasting facades and architectural details serve as a visible timeline of Bloomingdale’s growth and adaptation to changing times, making it a unique landmark in the urban landscape.
