| Great Architects of New York: Henry J. Hardenbergh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Schermerhorn Building Addresses 380 Lafayette Street New York, N.Y. 10003 Location Great Jones Street and Lafayette Street, southwest corner Neighborhood NoHo Built April 7, 1888, to Feb. 25, 1889 Style Romanesque Revival Use Lofts. On the ground floor: Time Cafe, which used to have a great lounge, Fez, that, sadly, has closed. AIA Guide "[T]his free-swinging Romanesque Revival work is a rich addition to the area's architecture. From bottom (the brownstone and polished granite dwarf columns — though dimmed by paint) to the top (the richly decorative cornice), it's a gem: sandstone, terra-cotta and brick. William C. Schermerhorn built this lusty stonework on the site of his family mansion." Landmark Status This building was designated an individual landmark in 1966, and it is part of the NoHo Historic District, designated in 1999. Web resources New York Architecture Images — Most people would probably say that the Art Students League is Hardenberg's third-best work, but I think this is better. Nine mighty three-story arched windows — or are they monstrous toothmarks bitten out of a prim beige brick block? The stubby columns at the street, and the deeply set windows set bestow weighty permanence. Yet this is offset by enough ornament to convey a bit of whimsy. The beige and the brown compliment one another perfectly, while the brickwork and the gables at either end recall the Dakota.
This was the first building designed by Hardenbergh to be landmarked, in 1966.
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The Faces . . .
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