ORIGINALLY called Idlewild Airport, John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) was built to relieve congestion at LaGuardia in 1948. It opened with six runways and five distinct architecturally stunning terminals. By the next decade, the airport was handling the largest amount of international air traffic in the world and was the first place to serve passenger jets. But JFK’s world renowned status soon took a nosedive. With increased demand and a terminal layout designed from a pre-jet age, it simply couldn't keep up.

Once the flagship location for Lord & Taylor, this building has been restored and repurposed to serve as the workplace for more than 2,000 Amazon employees. Starrett and Van Vleck designed the 11-story department store in the Italian Renaissance Revival style; construction was completed in 1914. Lord & Taylor remained until 2019.

Amazon purchased the building in March 2020. The company maintained its commitment to New York, with a restoration that cleaned and repaired the handsome brick, granite, terra cotta, and limestone facade; installed new wood windows that match the originals; rebuilt lost balconies; repaired the copper cornice, and restored terra cotta eagles at the 11th floor colonnade capitals. On the ground floor, the bronze entrance doors, display windows, decorative spandrels, and grills were restored. That level will house retail and community spaces.

The project also included the rehabilitation of the historic Dreicer Building, adjacent and interconnected to #424. The results respect the historic character of this much-loved building, and ensure that this section of Fifth Avenue remains an active streetscape.

In 2020 Khrystyne & Nic Jaspers were in the market for a larger apartment, expecting that their family of three would soon grow to four. They were open to a variety of layouts and originally hoped for a two bedroom, but once they saw the spacious kitchen, ample daylight, and generous living room this one-bedroom (700 square foot) apartment felt like the right home. It was priced at $380k, so they purchased and put down roots in the uptown neighborhood. Both Khrystyne and Nic are educators; additionally, Khrystyne is an entrepreneur, working as a business consultant and personal consultant coaching families "through their space jams." She knows a thing or two about what makes a small home also a happy, healthy and beautiful home where kids and adults can learn, play and truly thrive. Being in their home, you immediately recognize that creative experiences are valued. Materials and cherished items have a place, but they primarily point to meaningful stories and lived experiences.