US Post Office-Madison Square Station
Also known as: Madison Square Station
Why it's listed
Madison Square Station is a two-story post office on East 23rd Street in Manhattan, two and a half blocks east of Madison Square. Designed in 1935 by consulting architect Lorimer Rich and completed in August 1937, it has a facade of Dakota Mahogany granite with six two-story Doric piers and pilasters framing recessed entrance bays. Five bronze relief panels by Edmond Amateis and Louis Slobodkin, each representing an aspect of communication, sit above the entrances. Inside, a green marble lobby holds eight murals by Kindred McLeary, painted in 1937-39, showing New York scenes such as Park Avenue, Harlem, Broadway and Central Park. The station was one of twelve built in Manhattan in the mid-1930s to ease Depression-era unemployment, and by 1939 it was the busiest in the city. It is valued for its austere classical design, its use of polished granite, and its Treasury-sponsored art. Some interior changes, including new counters and a dropped ceiling, have occurred.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an extremely sophisticated example of the stripped-down Classical Revival style of 1930s public buildings and one of the finest postal stations in New York State. It is the most distinguished example of Lorimer Rich's work in the state. It also holds one of the largest collections of Treasury Department-commissioned art in New York State, including exterior bronze reliefs and interior murals.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88002364, listed May 11, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 149--153 E. 23rd St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | May 11, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002364 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1935-7; 1937-9 |
| Architect / builder | Lorimer Rich |
| Architectural style | Stripped-down Classical Revival |
| Areas of significance | Art, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in good condition; exterior retains a very high degree of integrity, while the interior has had some major alterations but retains much of its integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.73974, -73.98400 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88002364.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6728105
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.