History and architecture
The Stuyvesant Polyclinic, formerly the German Dispensary, was designed by William Schickel, a German born architect. In an interesting exuberant version of the neo-Italian Renaissance style, the building is especially notable for its sculptural detail which includes a series of portrait busts of famous physicians and scientists. This learned assembly, many of whom wrote classic medical texts, alludes indirectly to the relationship between the Dispensary building and the small neighborhood library.
Both were constructed in 1883-1884, designed by Schickel and commissioned by Anna and Oswald Ottendorfer. In constructing these two buildings, the Ottendorfers hoped "to promote the bodily and mental health of their fellow Germans in the United States."
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.