116 Sullivan Street House

History and architecture

The front of this Federal style house is of red brick, laid up in Flemish bond. The original pitched roof was doubtless of slate but the house was raised two stories in 1872. The present window lintels, with their heavy cap moldings, and the sills with corbels were probably covered with sheetmetal at the same time.

The glory, of 116 Sullivan Street is the elaborate enframement of the front door within its simple round-arched masonry opening. The opening itself is flanked by plain brownstone pilasters, and by a flush-faced semi-circular band of brownstone defining the arch. The treatment of the sidelights was rare in its own tine and is unique today. It is of great Significance to New York domestic architecture.

They are flanked by slender wood Ionic columns, backed by wood carved to resemble stone rustication. The columns in the corners are cut in half where they meet the masonry. The handsome entablature Is broken back beyond the columns to form a recess over the door. The wood soffit of the arch, outside the fanlight, is paneled and trimmed by a carved molding. .But it is the sidelights that are particularly worthy of note.

Instead of the leaded glass treatment, typical of the time, each sidelight is divided into three superimposed oval sections. The ovals are formed by a richly carved wood enframement that simulates a cloth sash curtain drawn through a series of rings.

The Historic American Buildings Survey has recorded a similar doorway at No. 329 Cherry Street. Since this building is now demolished, the door enframement at 116 Sullivan Street remains New York City's sole surviving example of this particular treatment of a Federal style doorway, even though the six-panel door is not original.