New York Life Building

The high-rise at 51 Madison Avenue was constructed between 1926 and 1928 as the new headquarters for the New York Life Insurance Company. The 617-foot tall structure was designed in the Gothic Revival style by architect Cass Gilbert, who was an early proponent of skyscrapers and is known for designing the Woolworth Building in New York. Gilbert garnered inspiration from the Salisbury Cathedral in England, long considered one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture and an iconic part of England’s landscape. An recognizable feature of the New York Life Building is its gold-leafed octagonal pyramid, which is topped with a large spire and lantern, the entirety of which raises the 34-story building an additional 6-stories. The pyramid shaped dome was originally constructed using gold leaf on a copper base, which corroded over time. It was replaced in 1966 with clay roof tiles leafed in 22-karat gold produced by the Ludowici Roof Tile company. The dome was restored again in 1995 to mark the 150th anniversary of the company.

EverGreene was retained by Nicholson & Galloway to gild the pyramid shaped dome. New clay roof tiles were meticulously gilded using Manetti 23.75 karat Rosenoble 22 gram gold leaf. After allowed to thoroughly dry, the tiles were packed and transported to site for installation by others. EverGreene performed necessary touch-ups post-installation.

The building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978 and made a New York City Historic Landmark in 2000.