New-York Cab Company Stable

History and architecture

The former New-York Cab Company Stable is a striking reminder of the time when horse-drawn carriages crowded Manhattan streets. Built in 1888-90, 318-330 Amsterdam Avenue was one of the earliest commercial stables on the Upper West Side and a fine example of a utilitarian structure erected in the Romanesque Revival style. It was designed by C. Abbott French, a New York architect who specialized in speculative residential and commercial work, particularly in this neighborhood and Harlem. The New-York Cab Company grew out of the livery firm Ryerson & Brown, founded by John Ryerson in the 1830s. Proposed in 1876 and incorporated in 1884, it sought to supply New York City with a “cheap and improved system of transit.” To accomplish this, the company adopted practices that are common in today’s taxicab industry.

Passengers were charged a “fixed and moderate” fare, drivers were identified with badges, and carriages were painted the conspicuous color yellow. The company had at least ten midtown offices, particularly in the Herald Square and Times Square entertainment districts. Investors in the business included many prestigious New Yorkers, many who were involved in horse-related social activities, including William Jay, Frederic Bronson, and William K. Vanderbilt. The New-York Cab Company leased the Amsterdam Avenue building from its completion in 1890 to 1909.

The gradual introduction of the automobile during the first decade of the twentieth century hurt business and beginning in 1910 the stable was leased to a succession of automotive tenants, including Sherman Square Motors and the Berkeley Garage. To accommodate these uses and retail tenants, the ground story of the Amsterdam Avenue façade was altered and various modifications were made to the interiors. Despite changes, the exterior of the garage is extremely well preserved, displaying an unusual scalloped cornice, intricate decorative brickwork, and much of the original fenestration.