R. H. Robertson designed the building, with engineering by Nathaniel Roberts's firm, for the Park Row Construction Company, run by August Belmont Jr. Work began on October 20, 1896 and finished on July 20, 1899, at a cost of about 2.4 to 2.75 million dollars. The infobox lists Classical Revival, though an 1898 critic said it had no established style. It has a steel frame with brick and terra cotta, and copper-clad domes cap two towers.
The roof stands 391 feet (119 m), or 447 feet (136 m) with flagpoles. Floor counts vary by source, from 26 to 31. The first two floors were refaced in bronze and glass in 1930.
It became residential in the early 2000s, with about 339 apartments. It is a New York City landmark, designated in 1999.
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