Story
Rowhouse Tour
In spite of massive waves of commercial construction, tenement building, and later hotel and apartment building construction which swept through this neighborhood, the area retains dozens of rowhouses from its early stages of development, dating from the early 1830s to the early 1850s. They range from modest to grand, most in the Greek Revival or Italianate style. Reflecting the vast forces of change which swept through the area, none remained single family houses, taking on new lives housing commerce, unions, theaters, art galleries, and multiple tenants.
68 Fifth Avenue
Our research indicates that this 5-story building was constructed in 1838-40 as a 4-story rowhouse with a raised basement by John H. Cornell. Records show a John H. Cornell at this time who was a high-ranking officer at the Mechanic’s Banking Association on Wall Street. Before 68 Fifth Avenue was completed it was sold to N.H. Wolfe, indicating he was probably the first owner of the house. When constructed it was one of the many grand houses of Lower Fifth Avenue from the days of the street’s reign as the most prestigious residential address in New York. It originally had a grand raised entrance with stairway leading to an impressive Greek Revival portico. Over the course of several alterations the original stoop has been removed, the entrance has been moved to the ground floor, and the façade has been stuccoed.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
1
59 Fifth Avenue
59 Fifth Avenue was built jointly with 57 Fifth Avenue in 1852 as a private house in the Italianate style. Unlike 57 Fifth Avenue to the south, 59 Fifth Avenue’s facade remains largely intact to its original construction above the second floor with lintels, sills, and cornice intact. Like no. 57, this residence was eventually altered for and converted to commercial uses.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
2
57 Fifth Avenue
57 Fifth Avenue was built in 1852 as a private residence, and presumably originally looked similar to 59 Fifth Avenue just to the north. The building was highly altered in the early 20th century with the secessionist style facade we see today, when the building also came to be used for commercial purposes.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
3
18 East 13th Street
18 and 20 East 13th Street are ca. 1846 houses.
4
20 East 13th Street
They were both altered with new Mediterranean style facades in 1929-33.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
5
22 East 13th Street
22 East 13th Street is an altered ca. 1846 Greek Revival house.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
6
30 East 13th Street
30 East 13th Street is a 3-story rowhouse dating to ca. 1853-54. Built as a private house, it eventually became a hotel and then a photo studio.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
7
11 East 12th Street
11 East 12th Street is a Greek Revival rowhouse built in 1839-41. While altered in the late 19th century for commercial uses on the lower floors and conversion to multi-family use, many of the original early 19th century details remain. This includes a bold temple-like Greek Revival entry and doorway, lintels, sills, cornice, and low attic floor.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
8
13 East 12th Street
13 East 12th Street is a ca. 1852 4-story house, which was highly altered for later commercial use.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
9
2 East 12th Street
2 East 12th Street is a largely intact grand Italianate style brownstone-fronted rowhouse constructed in 1857-1858. While the original stoop and doorway have been removed, the grand bay window remains. When this house was built, adjacent lower Fifth Avenue was the most prestigious address in New York.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
10
4 East 12th Street
4 and 6 East 12th Street are grand, largely intact Greek Revival rowhouses built in 1845-1846. While stoops have been removed, much of the facade detail on these houses, which have since been converted to apartments, remains intact, including the cornice, original low attic floor, lintels, sills, and base.
11
6 East 12th Street
The very tall parlor floors and generous proportions show these houses were built for wealthy owners — unsurprising given that they were just around the corner from the Irad Hawley mansion (now the Salmagundi Club) at 47 Fifth Avenue and the Lenox Mansion (demolished) at 55 Fifth Avenue.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
12
86 University Place
86 University Place, aka “Mittelstaedt House,” was built as a grand private house in 1840-41 with a fourth story and new cornice added ca. 1880, and a 2-story commercial addition added in front ca. 1919.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
13
70 University Place
70, 72, and 74 University Place are a row of a five-story Greek Revival rowhouses constructed in 1843-44 for John Morse currently with commercial uses in the ground floor. Each has had a full fifth story added and stoops removed, turning the raised basement into the ground floor. At No. 70, the full fifth story and the two story front addition were added in 1904, with the remainder of the original brick façade remaining intact.
14
72 University Place
Nos. 72 and 74 only have small one story front commercial additions, but have had a layer of stucco added to the façade. No. 72’s façade dates to sometime between 1897 and 1927, but the mosaic tiled detailing would indicate it was likely from the latter part of that period.
15
74 University Place
No. 74’s façade dates to 1927, and has even more elaborate ‘Mediterranean’ style geometric mosaic tiled detailing characteristic of 1920s renovations of rowhouses in Greenwich Village and surrounding areas.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
16
45 University Place
45 University Place appears to be an altered rowhouse built in the late 1840s. The ground floor has been altered for commercial uses with an artist studio atelier added at the fifth floor in later years.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
17
49 East 10th Street
49 East 10th Street is a 4-story plus raised basement Italianate style rowhouse built in 1851-52 for Stephen Bursh. Though the facade has been stuccoed, nearly all original mid-19th century details of the facade remain, including the very intricately detailed door and entryway, stoop and railing, and cornice.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
18
51 East 10th Street
51 East 10th Street, a 4-story plus raised basement Italianate style rowhouse built in 1847-48 for William Bailey. Like 49 East 10th Street, the house’s façade has been stuccoed, but it retains intact its Italianate doorway, cornice, and elaborate stoop and areaway ironwork.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
19
816 Broadway
816 Broadway is a four-story residence with raised basement. As early as 1832 a smaller house was built on this site for Ann Hamilton; that structure appears to have been expanded in 1851 for Thomas Sturges, when the current Greek Revival configuration with a fourth attic floor appeared.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
20
100 Fourth Avenue
100 and 102 Fourth Avenue are two four-story rowhouses (originally three story with raised basement, now with stoops removed) built in 1847 for Elias Brevoort.
21
102 Fourth Avenue
These largely intact Greek Revival structures are the sole survivors of a row of at least eight such houses which once lined this section of Fourth Avenue, the remainder of which were demolished to make way for the eastward expansion of Grace Church.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
22
138 East 13th Street
138 and 140 East 13th Street are two Greek Revival rowhouses built in 1837-39. No. 138 maintains most of its original facade details intact, including sills, lintels, cornice, base, and the prominent Greek Revival door and entryway. A modern penthouse addition was added later.
23
140 East 13th Street
No. 140 is slightly more altered with the original door and entryway removed, and balconies added, but unlike its neighbor, has no visible rooftop addition.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
24
109 East 12th Street
109, 111, and 113 East 12th Street are three houses built in the early 1850s as single-family residences.
25
111 East 12th Street
Each has been highly altered on the ground and first floor to accommodate commercial uses over the years.
26
113 East 12th Street
Still, these buildings also retain much of their original Italianate detail on the upper floors, including cornices and window fenestrations.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
27
88 East 10th Street
88 East 10th Street was built in 1844-45 as a single family home, and retains many of its original details. The ground floor and basement were altered for commercial use at a later date.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
28
88-90 Third Avenue
88-98 Third Avenue were built in 1835-39 as single family houses.
29
92-96 Third Avenue
These simple structures are the oldest in the study area and represent the earliest wave of urban development in the area.
30
98 Third Avenue
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
31
122-124 East 11th Street
64 Third Avenue/122-124 East 11th Street is a four-story rowhouse constructed in 1838-39.
32
122-124 East 11th Street
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
33
62 Third Avenue
62 Third Avenue is a four-story rowhouse originally constructed in 1838-39.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
34
58 Third Avenue
58 Third Avenue was built in 1837-39 and is among the oldest surviving structures in the study area built as houses. A full fourth floor was added to the building after it was built.
Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of this and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
.
.
.
35