Washington Heights, St. Nicholas Avenue Between 185th and 184th Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 ………………….…………… ………………….. click to enlarge

See?  No more cutouts.  This building has a simple roof atop a, um, well, let's just say, atop a massively decorated facade.  The light touch was not a favored concept of these architects.

In a comment last night, Barbara wondered if crenellation was the term for what I've been calling cutouts.  It's close, but not the same thing, I think.  See this image.  It seems a crenel is an open space between two merlons which you can stick your gun through.  They don't seem to be closed at the top.  Although maybe you could broaden the term to include decorative openings.  But all of the definitions I could find had to do with battlements and weapons.