9 w 57, circa 1974, is a two sided mirror with a sloping facade. on one side, a 9, on the other, a miro. it is a skidmore, owings & merrill building -- the same company that today is the home of david childs, time warner center architect.

The building is set back a few feet from its building line... Gordon Bunshaft, who also designed Lever House on Park Avenue, was not content that the gutter alone would alleviate pedestrian anxiety and he and Solow had the brainstorm to place a very large, bright red metal sculpture of the number "9" in front of the building. The sculpture is not quite effective as Isamu Noguchi's brilliant red cube in front of the Marine Midland Plaza tower at 120 Broadway, but it is nice, amusing and diverting. - thecityreview.com