Why is this building significant?
This 10-story building was, at the time of its completion, the largest structure ever built in Greenwich Village. A brilliant example of Romanesque Revival architecture, it is a massive, simplified ensemble of round arches, shallow pilasters, and red-brick walls as thick as three feet. The building’s signature rounded corner makes it a distinctive neighborhood presence. The U.S. Federal Archives moved into the building soon after its completion; its floors, containing over an acre of square footage, proved highly suitable for archival storage. Renovated in 1988, it was converted into 479 rental properties with a new interior atrium and street-level retail spaces.
What did the New York Landmarks Conservancy do?
We were charged by the General Services Administration to find a new use for the building after the archives moved out in the mid-1970s. We worked with federal, state and city officials to find and transfer it to a private developer. Our Historic Properties Fund’s revolving loan program was established with a portion of the residential and commercial revenue from the adaptively reused building.
Contemporary
Historic
