East 24th St, Murray Hill

24th starts off in Murray Hill with some great old buildings with less than great happenings. CUNY's Baruch College is right between 3rd and Lex and takes up the entire north side of the street with some housing on the south side. The Baruch grounds are beautiful. But, there's no grandness anymore: just students in crummy sweatshirts. The entirety of it used to be owned by a horse company and many of the buildings were once carriage houses and stables. There's also a hostel which is basically, in my opinion, for foreign students of the world, if you will. The George Washington Hotel is right on the corner of Lex; WD Auden once called it the finest hotel in the city. Now, it's one of the saddest. It's kind of sad because I'm sure it was once so lovely.
The block between Lex and Park is a mishmosh of cool, old buildings. The People's Improv Theatre, one of the best Improv Theatres in the city, is at 123 in an old timey theatre building. 117 is the last survivor of the old stable's row. Wallace Steven's lived at 124 and Herman Melville lived at 132. The beautiful building at 125 is a Franciscan shelter for the homeless so just be aware when you're a little tipsy after an improv show.
From Park to Madison Square Park, you get only big, bland buildings. But, all of Madison Square Park is surrounded by them. You get real eye zingers like the Met Life building on the way there, but Madison Square Park is one of my favorite parks in the city, and you can always reward yourself with a Shake Shack treat.