The Iconic Flatiron Building

When the Flatiron Building was erected in 1902, critics savaged it. But this oddly-shaped building at the intersection of 23rd Street, Broadway and Fifth Avenue immediately won New Yorkers’ hearts. In later years, as the surrounding neighborhood turned shabby, the Flatiron remained a beloved symbol of New York.

Journalist Alice Sparberg Alexiou, author of The Flatiron: The New York Landmark and the Extraordinary City That Arose With It, will talk about what this iconic structure means to the city, the world, and to her. The book formed the basis for a documentary that was part of the ongoing WNET series Treasures of New York.

Alexiou is also the author of Jane Jacobs, Urban Visionary and Devil’s Mile: The Rich, Gritty History of the Bowery.