5. 26 Broadway, a.k.a. the Standard Oil Building

An irregular pentagonal structure, the Standard Oil building was designed by Thomas Hastings, part of the duo that designed the New York Public Library

The Standard Oil building, landmarked in 1995, is pictured above from the Broadway side. The building was not originally meant as a skyscraper however as the company grew and expanded, the directors commissioned Thomas Hastings to build a skyscraper facing both Broadway and Beaver st.

The owl of wisdom sits at the centre of the facade, which features a zodiac sky

In related aviary news, but less lofty of a character, check out our recap of an amazing “Pigeon-Related Landmark Tour” of NYC we went on! You can also check out how we tracked down the eagles of Penn Station and the original Grand Central.