The buildings feature various architectural styles and were home to garment manufacturers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. On September 25, 2018, the Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously voted to add seven buildings to its calendar for consideration as individual landmarks. The buildings are located at 817 Broadway, 826 Broadway, 830 Broadway, 832 Broadway, 836 Broadway, 840 Broadway, and 841 Broadway. All of the buildings are south of Union Square in Manhattan.
The Landmarks Research Commission studied the area south of Union Square between 5th Avenue and 3rd Avenue, including where Broadway intersects the area, for historical preservation opportunities. The Landmarks Research Commission selected the seven buildings for their distinctive, intact architectural features and the importance of the buildings in Broadway’s history. The buildings were built between 1876 and 1902, a period where this area south of Union Square experienced rapid commercial development from a growing garment industry. Many of these buildings highlight innovative construction methods for this time, including the use of steel frames, electricity, and elevators. Of the seven buildings, five were built in the Renaissance Revival style.
This excellent article reviews many of the historic buildings that help define our neighborhood. Of course, many are endangered.
Opening: A Steve Madden shoe boutique north of Union Square on Broadway, a new high-end Japanese restaurant at 13th and 3rd, and Tong Thai Brasserie right across University on 13th.
Closing: That great magazine shop at the corner of 6th Ave. and 11th Street, which is very sad.
Portland, Oregon’s wildly popular Voodoo Doughnuts will open its first East Coast branch at 41 Union Square West, formerly the site of Republic. No opening date is scheduled yet.
After a New York Post story complaining about druggies in the park, The Village Voice followed up to see if it’s really true. Their conclusion: “The piece smacks of sensationalism, so we have to ask: Is Union Square any worse than any other park in the city? Or is it simply a place we’ve all heard of, and probably been, that can symbolize the outrage? Cops have reportedly made 84 drug-related arrests in and around the park this year. But that’s hardly a return to the bad old edgy days that many of us can’t stop bemoaning the loss of, even if it is worse than recent years.”
