83 Sullivan Street Building

History and architecture

This Federal style house, and its neighbor No. 85, have unusually fine door ways which were generally the most important architectural features of the houses of this period. Elegant and understated they typify the 'architecture of good breeding." Yhet is unusual about these two doorways is that, after 150 years, they are the earliest complete Federal doorways remaining in lanhattan, despite the fact that the panels of the door at No. 65 has been slightly altered. Together, they illustrate another important element of Federal design: a careful attention to scale. No. 83 Sullivan Street is wider than No. 85, as it includes a passage to the rear of the lot. The doorway of No. 83 is consequently wider than the doorway of No. 85 and has been treated more elaborately. (For a description of No. 85 Sullivan Street see Report on LP-0644.)

The beautiful ovals in the transom of the doorway are smaller in size than at No. 85 because they are doubled. Beneath the transom the entablature is broken back between the Tuscan columns that flank the six-paneled door. behind each column the wood is cut to resemble rusticated stone. Although the stone lintels over some of the windows and windowsills have been covered with sheet metal and the basement stuccoed, other important Federal elements have survived. The Flemish bond of the brickwork and most of the original wrought iron railinas at the low stoop and areaway are still in place. The railing, ornamented only at the platform of the stoop, and the acorns topping the spindles of the areaway railings are typical designs. The roof was raised to three full stories in 1880 when a cornice with foliate brackets was added.