Original Hotel Savoy, Fifth Avenue, Manhattan

This was the original Hotel Savoy when it opened in 1892 on Fifth Avenue, corner of 59th Street. Enlargement to the right was under way by 1893. It was twelve stories high, and the façades were in Italian Renaissance architecture. The structure was considered to be absolutely fire-proof, being of the steel-framed construction, with every beam and column of steel. The walls were of Indiana limestone. The partitions and the arches between the floorbeams were of hard burnt terra-cotta.

Terra cotta, meaning "baked earth," is a term that has been used loosely since ancient Roman times to refer to glazed or unglazed ceramic ware intended primarily for architectural elements. Since about mid-19th century, terra cotta were being produced in New York City. In the last quarter of the century manufacturers in NY made it more available and less expensive, and as concerns increased about fireproofing buildings.

Demolition of the the original Hotel Savoy began in late 1925 to make way for the Savoy-Plaza Hotel (Photograph from the New York Public Library).