2. A Terrazzo Sculpture

The sidewalk outside of 1014-1018 Madison Avenue between 78th and 79th streets is unlike any other in the city. Instead of the standard grey, dotted with petrified gum that you will find around most of the city, these sidewalks showcase a design by sculptor Alexander Calder. Calder is best known for his large-scale statue and mobile sculptures but was commissioned to design this project by the owners of the three buildings on the block, all of whom were gallerists.

The funky sidewalk features three distinct patterns made up of curves, straight lined squares and a sun-ray design made up of terrazzo. The tiles, which are made with marble chips and concrete, were created by the Foscato Bros. of Huntington, L. I., a company that employed elderly Italian Americans familiar with creating and working with terrazzo. Calder donated the design, but the construction costs came to $15,000 when it was complete in 1970.

The block was restored in 2002 with the support of the Calder Foundation and the New York City Landmarks Commission.