[Debora.Tannenbaum]

Debora Tannenbaum

Category: Intervention

Select one of the buildings discussed in class and analyze it in terms of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards
Tags: renovation, restoration, rehabilitation, preservation, adaptive reuse, maintenance

Location: 171 Duane Street, New York, NY, 10013
Block 143 Lot 3 with NYC.gov listed as Lot 1

Photographs ©Allan Tannenbaum
The selected building at 171 Duane Street within the landmarked area of Tribeca is a great example under Building Exterior category Architectural Metals by the Secretary of Interior’s Standards.
The final reconstruction of this building was completed in 1920 (estimate). However, historically this address was mostly comprised by single-family row houses. And, at 171 Duane Street its original house was put up in 1803 for Henry Verveelen, a schoolmaster. The house had been reconstructed, traces of its Jefferson-era windows stick out from the Staple Street side. Later on, the building at 171 Duane Street was occupied by Ephraim Treadwell, a “shipbread and cracker baker” who had stores elsewhere downtown. The commercial elements such as the new railroad running up Hudson Street, brought changes to Duane Park, and 171 Duane Street house was rebuilt as a commercial building in 1860.
Duane Street along with Jay, Harrison and Staple streets at west of Hudson Street are in the heart of Tribeca, and they capture the oldest architecture in the district.
When Mr. Treadwell left in the late 1850’s the house was rebuilt as a commercial building and extended upward with a cast-iron façade (1859). However, the Federal-style lintels of the windows facing Staple Street were left in place. After this building reconstruction, a grocer and several perfumers occupied the building.
Presently, 171 Duane Street is a co-op. The co-op had hired Bone Levine Architects around 2001 to repair the 1803 lintels that were failing. Since the area is included in the Tribeca West Historic District, every detail in its renovation required approval by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

The Landmark Preservation Commission’s Map
The façade is essentially the same since the building became a residential coop. The ground floor windows and doors were updated. The ground floor was used as a retail store with display windows but later was converted to a residential unit. The cornice at the roof was repaired, as was the concrete slab at the sidewalk. The biggest change was to replace the wooden awning with a metal grill in the same dimensions. It does not provide protection from rain and snow as a commercial building requires, but it does allow more natural light to reach the ground floor.
and cracker baker” who had stores elsewhere downtown. The commercial elements such as the new railroad running up Hudson Street, brought changes to Duane Park, and 171 Duane Street house was rebuilt as a commercial building in 1860.
Duane Street along with Jay, Harrison and Staple streets at west of Hudson Street are in the heart of Tribeca, and they capture the oldest architecture in the district.
When Mr. Treadwell left in the late 1850’s the house was rebuilt as a commercial building and extended upward with a cast-iron façade (1859). However, the Federal-style lintels of the windows facing Staple Street were left in place. After this building reconstruction, a grocer and several perfumers occupied the building.
Presently, 171 Duane Street is a co-op. The co-op had hired Bone Levine Architects around 2001 to repair the 1803 lintels that were failing. Since the area is included in the Tribeca West Historic District, every detail in its renovation required approval by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

The Landmark Preservation Commission’s Map
The façade is essentially the same since the building became a residential coop. The ground floor windows and doors were updated. The ground floor was used as a retail store with display windows but later was converted to a residential unit. The cornice at the roof was repaired, as was the concrete slab at the sidewalk. The biggest change was to replace the wooden awning with a metal grill in the same dimensions. It does not provide protection from rain and snow as a commercial building requires, but it does allow more natural light to reach the ground floor.

Repair
Repairing architectural metal features by patching,
splicing, or otherwise reinforcing the metal
following recognized preservation methods.
Repairs may also include the limited replacement
in kind-or with a compatible substitute material-of
those extensively deteriorated or missing
parts of features when there are surviving prototypes
such as porch balusters, column capitals or
bases; or porch cresting.
Replace
Replacing in kind an entire architectural metal
feature that is too deteriorated to repair-if the
overall form and detailing are still evident-using
the physical evidence as a model to reproduce the
feature. Examples could include cast iron porch
steps or steel sash windows. If using the same
kind of material is not technically or economically
feasible, then a compatible substitute material
may be considered.

• This topic was modified 8 years, 11 months ago by Debora.Tannenbaum.