History and architecture
The Joseph Loth & Company Silk Ribbon Mill, which stands out among American textile mill buildings due to its exceptional architectural character and unusual design, was commissioned in 1885 by the Loth family of silk manufacturers - probably Bernard Loth, the technical expert - and designed by the Austro-Hungarian emigre architect Hugo Kafka, noted for his commercial and residential work in New York City. The building was occupied by Joseph Loth & Company, a prominent firm that was in operation in New York City from about 1875 to 1902 and produced silk ribbon marketed under the trademark "Fair and Square." The plan of the mill — a reversed K with the upright along Amsterdam Avenue — is original in concept and is an ingenious and practical solution that allowed for large, well-lighted spaces unobstructed by columns.
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.