E. V. Haughwout Building
Encyclopedia
The E.V. Haughwout Building is a five-story, 79-foot (24 m) tall, commercial loft building in the SoHo
section of Manhattan
, New York City
, at the corner of Broome Street and Broadway
. Built in 1857 to a design by John P. Gaynor, with cast-iron sections for two street-fronts provided by Daniel D. Badger
's Architectural Iron Works, it originally housed Eder V. Haughwout's fashionable emporium, which sold imported cut glass and silverware as well as its own handpainted china and fine chandeliers, and which attracted many wealthy clients – including Mary Todd Lincoln
.
Architecturally, the building is fairly typical of the period, with cast-iron
facades in an arcaded system with two orders of columns that was derived from the Sansovino Library in Venice. However, the building's designers acted progressively by installing the world's first successful passenger elevator
on March 23, 1857. It was a hydraulic lift designed for the building by Elisha Graves Otis. It cost $300 and had a speed of 0.67 foot per second (0.204216 m/s). The original elevator is still in place and is in working condition.
The building was designated a New York City landmark in 1965, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1973. Its facade was restored, and the columns re-painted to their original "Turkish drab" color, in 1995, under the supervision of Joseph Pell Lombardi
.
SoHo
SoHo is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, notable for being the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and also, more recently, for the wide variety of stores and shops ranging from trendy boutiques to outlets of upscale national and international chain stores...
section of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, at the corner of Broome Street and Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
. Built in 1857 to a design by John P. Gaynor, with cast-iron sections for two street-fronts provided by Daniel D. Badger
Daniel D. Badger
Daniel D. Badger was an American founder, working in New York City under the name Architectural Iron Works. With James Bogardus, he was one of the major forces in creating a cast-iron architecture in the United States...
's Architectural Iron Works, it originally housed Eder V. Haughwout's fashionable emporium, which sold imported cut glass and silverware as well as its own handpainted china and fine chandeliers, and which attracted many wealthy clients – including Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Ann Lincoln was the wife of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and was First Lady of the United States from 1861 to 1865.-Life before the White House:...
.
Architecturally, the building is fairly typical of the period, with cast-iron
Cast-iron architecture
Cast-iron architecture is a form of architecture where cast iron plays a central role. It was a prominent style in the Industrial Revolution era when cast iron was relatively cheap and modern steel had not yet been developed.-Structural use:...
facades in an arcaded system with two orders of columns that was derived from the Sansovino Library in Venice. However, the building's designers acted progressively by installing the world's first successful passenger elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
on March 23, 1857. It was a hydraulic lift designed for the building by Elisha Graves Otis. It cost $300 and had a speed of 0.67 foot per second (0.204216 m/s). The original elevator is still in place and is in working condition.
The building was designated a New York City landmark in 1965, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1973. Its facade was restored, and the columns re-painted to their original "Turkish drab" color, in 1995, under the supervision of Joseph Pell Lombardi
Joseph Pell Lombardi
Joseph Pell Lombardi is a New York City-based architect, heading the firm The Office of Joseph Pell Lombardi, Architect. Lombardi holds degrees in both Architecture and Historic Preservation , and he established his firm in 1969 to specialize in restoration, preservation, adaptive re-use and...
.
External links
- New York Architectural images: E.V. Haughwout Building includes archival photographs.