History and architecture
This distinguished Lower Manhattan office building, built in 1893-94 by developer James G. Wallace and designed by his company’s architect Oswald Wirz, is a rare survivor. The building represents a period of great urban and business growth, as well as technological advancements in the building industry. As a twelve-story commercial structure, it illustrates a phase in New York's progression from four- and five-story commercial buildings to the mammoth office towers which now fill the commercial sections of the city.
Faced with brick, stone, and terra cotta, the building is distinguished by its Romanesque Revival characteristics, seen in the round-arched openings, the deeply set windows, and truncated columns, and embellished by intricate foliate panels and fantastic heads. The building’s height and ornate design scheme, while typical of the time it was built, give it an unusual and distinctive presence in downtown Manhattan.
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.