History and architecture
The brick building at 508 Canal Street is part of a rare surviving cluster of early nineteenth-century structures in lower Manhattan on a block partially created on landfill located close to the Hudson River waterfront. It was built in 1826 with the adjacent house at 506 Canal Street on a midblock site between Greenwich and Washington Streets by John G. Rohr. Rohr, a merchant tailor, developed several properties on both sides of Canal Street and had his business in a building at the northwest corner of Canal and Greenwich.
The building at 508 Canal Street retains distinctive characteristics of the Federal style, including the Flemish bond brickwork, brownstone window sills, and the peaked roof. It has always had commercial space at the ground story with residential accommodations above. The presence of 508 Canal Street is a striking reminder of the initial phase of the development of New York City in the years of the early republic.
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.