← Back

Cast Iron Architecture, South of Union Square Part II

The neighborhood South of Union Square is one of New York City’s great centers of cast iron architecture. This area includes some of the city’s earliest surviving fully cast-iron buildings, as well as predominantly masonry buildings with distinctive and elaborate cast iron ground floors or ornament. Our South Of Union Square Cast Iron Tour includes 32 examples of cast iron architecture. Click here to read Part I of this series. Today we look at some other examples:

10 East 14th Street

This beautifully intact cast-iron structure dates to 1880. In 1891 it was extended through the block with the construction of a connecting structure at 5 East 13th Street. Four bays in width, the cast iron façade at the upper stories features large rectilinear windows with rounded corners and eclectic ornament. The top story, which is set back from the façade, was added in the early 2000s.

22-26 East 14th Street

This beautiful cast iron structure was built in 1880-81 for merchant James McCreery and the Baumann Brothers Furniture and Carpets Store. It was designed by the firm of D & J Jardine, one of the most prominent architectural firms of late 19th century New York. The cast iron for the structure was manufactured by the West Side Architectural Iron Works. The building features a richly ornamented façade with large expansive windows. Landmarked in 2008, this through-block building is considered one of New York’s great works of cast-iron architecture.

28 East 14th Street

This stunning cast iron loft building was constructed in 1881 for Joseph Little, former U.S. Congressman and New York City Board of Education President. It was designed by William Wheeler Smith. Smith was known as an architect who embraced the latest technologies in his designs. Smith employed many details that made this building cutting-edge at the time, such as its unusual bay windows. Over the years the building housed noted artists, piano manufacturers, and prominent left-wing and labor groups.

24-26 East 13th Street

This striking 7-story store and loft Beaux Arts Belle Époque structure was built in 1892-93 for the photographic materials company G. Gennert. It was designed by De Lemos & Cordes. Its façade is clad in a combination of stone, brick, terra cotta and cast iron, with the grandest section at the first and second floors, which housed Gennert.

Many of these buildings South of Union Square are at risk of alteration or demolition, but Village Preservation has been working to protect these properties with our campaign for historic district designation. You can help by sending a letter to city officials calling for the enactment of such protections HERE, and by supporting Village Preservation HERE. You can find out more about the campaign to protect this area HERE. And don’t forget to take the full South Of Union Square Cast Iron Tour, which is part of our South of Union Square Interactive Map + Tours, with the stories behind more than 200 buildings and more than forty tours covering subjects from Women’s History to Writers and Authors, Great Artists to the Civil War, and more.

Related Posts

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *