21 West Street Building

History and architecture

The thirty-one story, brick Art Deco office building at 21 West Street was constructed in 1929-31 to the designs of the prolific architectural firm of Starrett & Van Vleck.

With its bold, set-back profile, and finely detailed brickwork suggestive of woven fabric, this building epitomizes the skyscrapers built in New York during the "Jazz Age," when architects and their clients were searching for ways to represent this period which was seen as more fast-paced, mechanized, and altogether different from what had come before. The architects used brick for its varied color and textural interest, derived the massing from the recent zoning laws, and used space in new ways, incorporating a recessed street-level shopping arcade and corner windows.

The architectural firm of Starrett & Van Vleck which had designed numerous buildings, including offices, schools, and stores were experienced practitioners of this type of design. The office tower at 21 West Street was conceived and constructed during this fertile design and building phase of New York architecture.9 Since it was built as a speculative investment, the owners wanted an appealing building to attract tenants, while giving them as large a return on their investment as possible.

This type of speculative building coincided with the dominant forces of business and commercial enterprise in the 1920s, and the stylish Art Deco architecture was seen as giving expression to this power.

According to a contemporary report, the building "contains every conceivable device yet invented to contribute to the comfort and convenience of its tenants."10 These features included numerous high-speed elevators as well as a uniquely decorated lobby which featured a mosaic map of old New York.

The design of this building, as conceived by Starrett & Van Vleck, made use of many of the current popular architectural theories and ideas.