Preservation Alert:
SAVE THE HAUGHWOUT
Located at 490 Broadway, at the corner of Broome St., the Haughwout
Building, one of New York's ten greatest landmark properties is under grave
threat of desecration. The Corcoran Group has recently leased the 2nd and 3rd
floor of The Historic Cast Iron District's most well recognized building. They
have proposed to install forty window awnings, branded with the words,
"Corcoran Real Estate," across the entire lengths of the 2nd and 3rd
floors obfuscating the magnificent colonnade of keystone arches and fluted
columns. Awning were not part of the architect's original vision. Awnings were
seen briefly on the building around the turn of the century to block out the
sun. Today A.C. renders them functionless. This is just another attempt by a
large corporation to commercialize our streetscapes that have been desecrated
by vulgar signs and billboards over the past couple of years. It is up to
preservationists and the community at large to prevent this disaster from
occurring. YOU MUST SAY, "NO."
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The Haughwout Building was built in 1857, designed by architect
John Gaynor who was inspired by the San Sorvino Library located on the Piazetta
in Venice. The cast iron was forged at Daniel Badger's famous foundry,
Architectural Ironworks, located along the East River. Its entire facade is
comprised of 92 keystone arches crowned by an entablature comprised of several
bands of intricate friezes. The facade was handsomely renovated at great
expense several years ago. The building featured the world's first passenger
elevator, powered hydraulically, designed and installed by Elijah Armstrong
Otis. |
The Haughwout Emporium was world famous in its day as manufacturers and
purveyors of cut glass, porcelains, mirrors , chandeliers and more. Their
clients included the Lincoln's, who purchased a service for the White House,
the Czar of Russia, the Imam of Muscat who purchased chandeliers to illuminate
the royal harem. Gifts from Haughwout's were presented to the Emperor of Japan
and King Rama IV of Siam in the age of gunboat diplomacy.
Help preserve the integrity of this great building and of SoHo. Write
to:
Hon. Jennifer Raab, Chair
Landmarks Preservation Commission
100
Old Slip
New York, NY 10005
-or- e-mail to the Commission Chair via New York City Links:http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/misc/html/maillpc.html
Please send a copy to:
Carl Rosenstein
SoHo Alliance Preservation Committee
435 Broome
St
New York,, NY 10013
last revised June 3 2000