Part Six: The Neighborhood Cheered
The Fleche
 The 70-foot fleche on the top ridge of the building can best be seen from across 85th Street. The fleche was originally designed by the architects to be built of timber and covered with lead in the manner of the Sainte Chappelle, Paris. The building authorities of New York, however, condemned the proposed wooden structure, and a steel framework was substituted, with some modifications of design.
The work was built in four sections by Messrs. Henry Hope & Sons, Ltd. of Birmingham, England. The largest section was 24 ft. long and weighed 2 tons 15 cwt. The total weight of lead used on the whole work was about 10 tons.
The entire construction was shipped to New York in crates, and hoisted into position by means of a special scaffold 120 ft high with boom-lifting tackle.
The Neighbors
A century ago, the neighborhood cheered as our Gothic structure replaced malodorous stables. At first, the church dwarfed the brownstones in the area, but within five years a thirteen story apartment building began to soar immediately to our south. Emory Roth, the building’s famous architect, saluted our building in his plans. As you walk past our neighbor, look up toward the second floor. Among the corbels are repeated examples of a small relief of our front facade along with another of St. Ignatius Loyola Church.
We hope you enjoyed “A Walk in The Park.” Please visit us in person to tour this magnificent building and experience The Park firsthand.
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