Building of the Day: 1 Front Street
The BOTD is a no-frills look at interesting structures of all types and from all neighborhoods. There will be old, new, important, forgotten, public, private, good and bad. Whatever strikes our fancy. We hope you enjoy. Address: 1 Front Street, at Old Fulton Street Name: Long Island Safe Deposit Company, now 1 Front St. Neighborhood:…
The BOTD is a no-frills look at interesting structures of all types and from all neighborhoods. There will be old, new, important, forgotten, public, private, good and bad. Whatever strikes our fancy. We hope you enjoy.
Address: 1 Front Street, at Old Fulton Street
Name: Long Island Safe Deposit Company, now 1 Front St.
Neighborhood: Fulton Ferry/DUMBO
Year Built: 1868-69
Architectural Style: Italianate
Architect: William A. Mundell
Landmarked: Yes
Why chosen: Cast iron architecture, so popular just across the river in lower Manhattan, was new to Brooklyn when William Mundell designed this beautiful Venetian-inspired, cast iron palazzo. The building was designed for the Long Island Safe Deposit Company, another new innovation for Brooklyn, setting up business in only 1861. It shared the building with The Brooklyn Bank. The architect, William Mundell, was born in Brooklyn, and designed mostly commercial and civic buildings in the New York City area. His most notable works in Brooklyn are the Williamsburg and Park Slope armories. Mundell was only twenty-four when he designed this elegant two story and a basement bank, which appears much larger than it really is, due to the scale of the other buildings around it, as well as the grand scale of the detailing and the arched windows, especially the second floor Venetian-style windows, all topped by a large cornice. The entire façade of the building is cast iron, which extends also to the inside, also clad in cast iron. This was to provide fireproofing protection, and assure customers that the contents of their safe deposit boxes were protected. The Brooklyn Bridge, built in 1883, which so dramatically rises in the background, meant the end of the Fulton Ferry area as the center of commerce. By the 1890’s, the Safe Deposit Company and the Brooklyn Bank moved to corner of Clinton and Fulton Streets, and this building became a warehouse. As the entire area fell into disuse and general abandonment, the building was ill-cared for many years, the cornice removed, and at one point, it had been painted black. Fortunately, it has been beautifully brought back to life, with a restored cornice, and a bright white paint job which makes it an immediate focal point on the street. Today it is a restaurant and club, called appropriately, 1 Front Street.
I remember Ferrybank. I went to a party there. The two older businesses mentioned in today’s article relate to the what MM wrote about the Lefferts family in previous articles. Great stuff.
Nice. So glad you’re doing the buildings in this area, MM. I always wonder about them.
Never thought til now about the effect of the Brooklyn Bridge on this area. Fascinating.
snowman,
no, sorry, I wasn’t born then.
In the early ’80s (1980s) it was a really good restaurant called Ferrybank. Does anyone else remember it?
I love this little building.
I like this building. It looks like it was delivered to the wrong address.
The inside space has some nice proportions as well – I went to a party in there once. LOVE those 2nd floor windows.
BHO — I’m pretty sure you are right. I was going to ask the same question. The arched windows are very distinctive.
Is this where Nola’s crib was in ‘She’s Gotta Have It’? I know a scene with her uppity, pretty boy (can’t remember character’s name) was shot at River cafe down the street.
***Bid half off peak comps***