The Hills Building - Syracuse
The Hills Building, designed by Melvin King. Erected in 1928, the 12-story office building is of steel-frame construction and clad with stone and brick. This structure is an example of efforts by architects in the 1920s to adopt Gothic designs to tall buildings. It is primarily a "Metropolitan" style with its roofline setbacks, but is ornamented with many Gothic design elements to the point of having an elaborate but stylistically misplaced gargoyle (the gargoyle looks as if he's about to swoop down). In the 1920s, following a building boom of skyscrapers in NYC, builders were required to outfit their high rises with roofline setbacks to allow sunlight to reach sidewalks of the urban canyons. The technique most famously manifested itself in the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. Another interesting feature is a decorative band of small shields above the second story, depicting the signs of the zodiac. It was named after the original owner, Clarence Hills, who in 1910 formed one of the largest real estate firms in Syracuse. Located at 217 Montgomery Street in Syracuse, NY. (02)
The Hills Building - Syracuse
The Hills Building, designed by Melvin King. Erected in 1928, the 12-story office building is of steel-frame construction and clad with stone and brick. This structure is an example of efforts by architects in the 1920s to adopt Gothic designs to tall buildings. It is primarily a "Metropolitan" style with its roofline setbacks, but is ornamented with many Gothic design elements to the point of having an elaborate but stylistically misplaced gargoyle (the gargoyle looks as if he's about to swoop down). In the 1920s, following a building boom of skyscrapers in NYC, builders were required to outfit their high rises with roofline setbacks to allow sunlight to reach sidewalks of the urban canyons. The technique most famously manifested itself in the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. Another interesting feature is a decorative band of small shields above the second story, depicting the signs of the zodiac. It was named after the original owner, Clarence Hills, who in 1910 formed one of the largest real estate firms in Syracuse. Located at 217 Montgomery Street in Syracuse, NY. (02)