4. Hampton Shops Building, 18-20 East 50th St.
Henry Mannes founded Hampton Shops (originally known as the Grand Rapids Furniture Company) in 1913 at 18-20 East 50th Street. At the time, it sold a variety of home furnishings, including antiques, rugs, draperies, molded ceilings and more. In 1938, however, the business declared bankruptcy and was consequently sold at auction.
In the years since, the building has been subdivided and leased to several art and design related businesses. It is built in the neo-Gothic or Perpendicular Gothic style, and rises 11-stories into the sky. Interestingly, its design was chosen to complement the buildings in the St. Patrick’s Cathedral complex, and to exemplify the style of traditional furniture that the store sold.