MUNICIPAL BUILDING.

The heart of New York City government. Nowadays we are not so pleased when government builds gigantic towers to rule over us, but at the time - 1907-1914 - it held promise as the dawn of wise clean governance. That promise lasted as long as the building's alabaster finish. It was white when completed, but grew incredibly sooty over the years.

It still stands, and it has a looming and not entirely beneficent presence - but the wedding-cake decoration on top saves it from being just another big box for bureaucrats. Shave off the top, and it's actually rather unimaginative.