25 Hudson Street (aka 21-31 Hudson Street & 164-166 Duane Street) in the Tribeca West Historic District. The Morse and Rogers Building.

I believe this photo shows the southernmost bay at the Hudson Street facade on the occasion of Morse & Rogers employees moving office furniture and inventory into their newly constructed building from previous locations on Duane Street, around March 1, 1911. This photo is from a family album that I own and features my great-grandfather William Paul Fitzpatrick (1883-1968) of Richmond Hill, NY, third from left in the center with his hands on his hips. I have a large company photo of Morse & Rogers at an outing near the docks, and photos of his retirement locking up the office one last time.

Morse & Rogers was a shoe seller/distributor and later manufacturer founded by Daniel P. Morse on August 1, 1884 and originally located at the first floor loft of 132 Duane Street. The firm then moved to the first floor and basement at 131-133 Duane in the Spring 1885, and with the addition of name partner Frank E. Rogers became Morse & Rogers. Other partners later joined but the name was largely retained. It soon occupied the basement, first floor and sub-cellar at 134-136 Duane Street in 1886 before having a substantial period of growth and expanding into 134-36-38-40 and two floors in 142-144 Duane Street (until 1911). On March 1, 1911, the company moved into a brand new twelve-story building developed by Central Building Improvement & Investment Company, built in 1910-1911 and designed by Rouse & Goldstone. There were a number of shoe-related business on Duane Street through the 1990s.

The firm occupied and the new tower "and the fiver-story building running though to Reade Street comprises the present quarters of the business," as reported about the attached 19 Hudson Street (aka 126-132 Reade Street) in Boot and Shoe Recorder, December 17, 1921, p. 83, on the occasion of Mr. Morse's retirement.

On January 22, 1910, the headline of the Real Estate Record & Guide trumpeted: "BUILDING FOR THE SHOE TRADE." The 12-story structure "when completed will be occupied by Morse & Rogers, lessees, for their wholesale shoe business." The shoe firm had already sat with architects W. L. Rouse and L. A. Goldstone to lay out their specific needs. "The building is entirely fireproof and has been designed for the express purpose of meeting with the requirements of the lessees."

"It will include three elevators and especially designed hoisting and lowering apparatus for conveying packages to and from the various floors." Morse & Rogers signed their 21-year lease on January 14, 1910, effective on March 1 the following year (The Record & Guide).

There's an Irving Underhill photograph from 1918 showing the Hudson Street facade of 25 Hudson with its tripartite storefront infill arrangement and unusual utilitarian entry arrangements toward the southern end of the building.

The distributing arm of shoe manufacturer W. H. McElwain Co. merged with Morse & Rogers, and was added to its name in 1913, but upon the merger of shoe manufactures McElwain and International Shoe Co., the name Morse & Rogers was restored in 1921 (Boot and Shoe Recorder). Morse & Rogers left 25 Hudson Street in 1931.