Walk down 5th Avenue past the high-end boutiques and the glass towers of Midtown, and eventually, the air changes. You hit the Gold Coast of Greenwich Village. This isn’t the land of skyscrapers anymore; it’s the land of pre-war dignity. Right there, on the corner of 12th Street, sits 60 5th Avenue New York NY. Most people walk right past it without a second glance because, honestly, it looks like it’s always been there, just a permanent fixture of the Manhattan skyline. But for those of us who obsess over the intersection of publishing history, architectural ego, and the ever-shifting landscape of New York real estate, this building is a legend.
It's old.
It was built in 1924, designed by Carrère and Hastings. If that name rings a bell, it should. They are the same masterminds behind the New York Public Library’s main branch. You know, the one with the lions. When you realize that, the limestone facade of 60 5th Avenue starts to make a lot more sense. It has that same "I am very important" energy. It was originally the headquarters for Macmillan Publishers, back when the physical act of printing and distributing books was the most powerful medium on the planet.
The Macmillan Legacy at 60 5th Avenue New York NY
For decades, this was the epicenter of American letters. Think about the sheer volume of manuscripts that must have passed through these doors. We’re talking about a time when editors wore suits every day and smoked in their offices while marking up the next Great American Novel. The building was literally constructed to house the massive operations of a publishing giant.
It wasn’t just offices. The ground floor used to house a legendary bookstore. Imagine walking in there in the 1930s. The smell of fresh ink and expensive paper probably hit you the second you cleared the vestibule. Macmillan didn't just want a building; they wanted a monument to literacy. That’s why the architecture is so grand. Look at the arched windows and the intricate stonework. It’s a far cry from the soul-crushing cubicle farms of the 21st century.
Eventually, times changed. The publishing world shifted. The huge printing presses and sprawling editorial rooms that defined 60 5th Avenue New York NY started to feel like relics of a bygone era.
The Forbes Era and the Famous "Galleries"
In the 1960s, a new kind of power moved in. Malcolm Forbes bought the building. If Macmillan represented the old-world intellectualism of New York, Forbes represented the booming, brassy, and unashamedly wealthy future. This became the headquarters for Forbes magazine.
Malcolm Forbes didn't just work here; he curated a life here. Most locals from that era remember the Forbes Galleries. For years, the ground floor was a free museum. It was one of the quirkiest spots in the city. You could walk in and see his massive collection of toy soldiers—thousands of them, set up in elaborate battle scenes. Or his collection of Monopoly boards. Or the Fabergé eggs. Yes, actual imperial eggs were just sitting there on 5th Avenue for the public to see. It gave the building a weird, whimsical personality that you just don't see in corporate headquarters anymore.
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What Happened When Forbes Left?
By the late 2000s, the media landscape was in a tailspin. Forbes, like many other legacy publications, didn't need a massive, prestigious 5th Avenue footprint in the same way they used to. In 2010, the building was sold.
The buyer? NYU.
New York University has a reputation for being the "university that ate the Village," and 60 5th Avenue New York NY was a major acquisition. They paid roughly $65 million for it. For a building with that much history and that specific location, it was actually a bit of a steal, even by 2010 standards.
NYU didn't just turn it into dorms, though. They respected the bones of the place. Today, it’s home to the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences and the NYU Center for Data Science. It’s kinda poetic, right? A building that started with the distribution of words (Macmillan) and moved to the distribution of wealth (Forbes) is now dedicated to the distribution of algorithms and high-level math.
The Architecture: Why It Still Stands Out
Let’s talk about the limestone.
In a city that is increasingly made of glass and steel, 60 5th Avenue New York NY feels heavy. It feels permanent. The Neo-Renaissance style is meant to evoke stability. You have these massive, multi-story windows that flood the lower floors with light, which was essential back in the 20s before modern electric lighting was perfected.
If you stand across the street and look up, you’ll notice the details that most people miss:
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- The ornate cornices that look like they belong on a palace in Florence.
- The way the stone is textured—it’s not just flat; it has depth.
- The entranceway, which still feels like a portal to a time when "going to work" was a formal event.
Honestly, the building is a masterclass in scale. It’s eight stories tall, which is small for 5th Avenue if you’re looking at Midtown, but in the Village, it’s a giant. It anchors the corner. It gives the street a sense of gravity.
Modern Use and the "Data Science" Pivot
Walking inside today is a bit of a trip. The lobby still has that old-world charm, but once you get into the upper floors, it’s all whiteboards, high-speed fiber optics, and students arguing about neural networks. NYU has done a decent job of retrofitting the space. They had to. Moving a bunch of server racks and high-tech labs into a building designed for manual typewriters and physical books isn't easy.
The HVAC requirements alone probably gave the engineers nightmares.
But it works. 12th Street and 5th Avenue is now a hub for some of the most advanced research in the world. If you're a data scientist, 60 5th Avenue is basically hallowed ground. It’s where some of the biggest breakthroughs in AI and machine learning are being discussed. Yann LeCun, one of the "godfathers of AI," has his roots in this department. Think about that next time you see a student grabbing a coffee outside the front door.
Why You Should Care About This Address
New York is a city that deletes its history every twenty years. We tear things down. We "rebrand." 60 5th Avenue New York NY is one of the few places that has managed to evolve without losing its soul.
It’s a survivor.
It survived the decline of big-box publishing. It survived the financial transitions of the Forbes family. It survived the radical transformation of Greenwich Village from a bohemian enclave to one of the most expensive zip codes on earth.
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When you visit, don't just look at the building. Look at the context. You’re steps away from Washington Square Park. You’re in the heart of the "Gold Coast." The brownstones nearby go for $20 million plus. 60 5th Avenue is the institutional anchor for all that residential wealth. It provides a buffer between the commercial chaos of 14th Street and the quiet, leafy streets of the lower Village.
Practical Insights for the Modern Visitor
If you’re heading to 60 5th Avenue New York NY for a lecture, a meeting, or just because you’re a fan of Carrère and Hastings, here is the real-world lowdown.
First off, don't expect a museum. The Forbes Galleries are gone. They closed years ago. It’s a functional academic building now. You usually need an NYU ID to get past the security desk, though they do host public events and lectures occasionally. If you can get into the lobby, do it. The marble work is incredible.
Secondly, the neighborhood is the real draw.
- Coffee: Walk a block over to University Place. There are better options there than on 5th.
- Vibe: Go at sunset. The way the light hits the limestone of 60 5th Avenue makes the whole building glow orange. It’s one of those "only in New York" moments that actually lives up to the hype.
- History: Read up on the Macmillan company before you go. It makes the architecture feel much more intentional. They weren't just building an office; they were building a cathedral for books.
The Reality of 60 5th Avenue Today
Is it the most famous building in New York? No. Is it the most Instagrammed? Definitely not. But it represents the transition of the city. We moved from physical assets (books) to media assets (magazines) to digital assets (data). 60 5th Avenue New York NY has housed all three.
It's a testament to the fact that good design is adaptable. You can take a building meant for 1920s publishers and turn it into a 2020s tech hub, and it still feels right. It doesn't feel forced. It just feels like New York.
If you want to see the "real" 5th Avenue—the one that isn't just a tourist trap or a row of glassy penthouses—this is where you go. It’s a place where work still happens, where ideas are still generated, and where the architecture reminds you that you’re standing in a city with actual roots.
Next Steps for the History Buff or Student
- Check the NYU Center for Data Science public calendar. They often host speakers that are open to the public if you register in advance. It’s the best way to see the interior without being an NYU student.
- Walk the perimeter. Look at the 12th Street side of the building. The detail work there is often better preserved than the main 5th Avenue entrance because it gets less direct foot traffic and pollution.
- Compare it to the NYPL. Take a 15-minute walk up to 42nd Street and look at the Public Library. You’ll see the "DNA" of 60 5th Avenue in the stonework and the grand arches. It’s like seeing the older, more famous sibling.
- Explore the Gold Coast. Use 60 5th Avenue as your starting point to walk west toward 6th Avenue along 11th and 12th Streets. This is arguably the most beautiful stretch of real estate in Manhattan.
The building isn't just a point on a map. It’s a 100-year-old witness to how we think, how we communicate, and how we value information. Whether you're there for the math or the history, 60 5th Avenue New York NY remains a cornerstone of the Village for a reason.