Buildings Sliced by Seventh Avenue South

In September of 1911, the Board of Estimate approved the extension of Seventh Avenue from Eleventh Street (its previous southern terminus), to Varick Street, connecting the two thoroughfares and creating a continuous connection between the new Penn Station at 32nd Street and Lower Manhattan. The plan had followed several years of discussion, and was also devised to help facilitate the construction of the West Side IRT (Subway) underneath, which would also connect these areas.

The plan extended the Seventh Avenue subway line (served presently by the 1, 2 and 3 trains) south of 42 Street. This expansion had also become more necessary as Pennsylvania Station, located between 7th and 8th Avenues between 31st and 33rd Streets, had recently opened. The newly expanded Seventh Avenue line would allow riders to have seamless trip to and from this hub.

The project was massive, and by the time it was completed in 1917, it had resulted in the demolition of many buildings and the creation of small irregular triangular lots along the new thoroughfare. Many of the buildings that remained were sliced in two, or had pieces of them completely cut off.

25-27 Charles Street and 152-154 Seventh Avenue South

One example of this phenomenon can be seen at the intersection of Seventh Avenue South and Charles Street. Two buildings on the northwest corner were spliced by the construction of the roadway. These two buildings, 25-27 Charles Street and 152-154 Seventh Avenue South, would have both originally had facades that fully faced Charles Street.

At 25-27 Charles Street, the construction of Seventh Avenue South sliced off a corner of the building, giving it a second, small facade that faces the avenue. This also gave the building an additional address of 150 Seventh Avenue South. The building next door, 152-154 Seventh Avenue, was originally constructed in 1886. The present facade was added around 1919, after half of the building was spliced off.

70 Grove Street

A few blocks south, 70 Grove Street met a similar fate. When it was originally completed in 1899, its entire facade faced Grove Street. When Seventh Avenue South was built, and the building was sliced, a new facade facing the Avenue was added. A fraction of the original Grove Street facade with the original entryway remains and still faces the street.

51-55 Seventh Avenue South

51-55 Seventh Avenue South is the rear facade of 9-11 Morton Street, a tenement building that was originally constructed in 1886. In 1914, the back portion of 9-11 Morton Street was cut off by the extension of Seventh Avenue, after which the owners added an additional Seventh Avenue facing facade. This facade was done in Arts and Crafts style by architect Robert La Valle.

Additionally, along Seventh Avenue South, many of the small, triangular lots that were created are now occupied by one and two-story commercial spaces, sometimes called “taxpayer lots”. These buildings are much shorter than those on the surrounding streets, a sharp contrast which creates a unique streetscape.