The Garfield Building was located at 26 Court Street, [1] at Remsen Street, [2] in Brooklyn, New York. [3] It was built by contractor William Lamb, who was originally from Glasgow, Scotland. Together with his brother Thomas, the builders began their careers with the firm W&T Lamb, starting in 1861. [4] The seven-story Garfield Building was offered in an auction by the Brooklyn Real Estate Exchange in January 1906. The lot covered 100 feet by 150 feet on Remsen Street. [5] [6] It was near Borough Hall, the court house, Temple Bar, Hall of Records, the borough's first subway station, and the heart of the financial center. [7]
The building was constructed by tea merchant Abiel Abbot Low, the father of future New York City mayor Seth Low, in 1881. [5] [6] The structure, designed by J. C. Cady of the then-separate city of New York, replaced four brick buildings on Court Street and three on Remsen Street. [5] The Garfield Building was eight stories high and measured 121.5 ft (37.0 m) high, with a clock tower at the corner of Court and Remsen Streets. It was designed in the Italian Renaissance style, with a facade of brownstone on its first two stories and Philadelphia brick and terracotta on its upper stories, as well as a red-tiled roof. [6] Inside were 279 offices (illuminated by a light court), two elevators, and a law library. [5] [6]
In the late 19th century the structure often served as a meeting place for railroad officials and the Brooklyn Republican Campaign Committee. [2] Colonel Charles L. Fincke, of the 23rd Regiment of the United States National Guard, maintained an office at the Garfield Building. [8] It also was home to lawyers. [9]
The Garfield Building was razed after a period of building inactivity following World War I. City departments were moved to a new Municipal Building and the Court Remsen Building. [10] The Chanin Construction Company, led by Irwin Chanin, bought the building from the Childs Restaurants chain for $1.3 million and announced plans in 1924 to construct a 26-story building on the site for $4 million. [11] The developer, the 26 Court Street Corporation, filed a lawsuit later that year, which sought to overturn an old covenant that banned development within 8 ft (2.4 m) of the sidewalk on Court Street. [12] The dispute was prolonged because many neighboring property owners opposed the proposed annulment of the covenant. [13] By May 1925, the Chanin Construction Company was demolishing the edifice. [6] [14] During demolition, several workers were nearly killed after the building partially collapsed. [6]
40°41′36″N 73°59′27″W / 40.69329°N 73.99079°W
The Garfield Building was located at 26 Court Street, [1] at Remsen Street, [2] in Brooklyn, New York. [3] It was built by contractor William Lamb, who was originally from Glasgow, Scotland. Together with his brother Thomas, the builders began their careers with the firm W&T Lamb, starting in 1861. [4] The seven-story Garfield Building was offered in an auction by the Brooklyn Real Estate Exchange in January 1906. The lot covered 100 feet by 150 feet on Remsen Street. [5] [6] It was near Borough Hall, the court house, Temple Bar, Hall of Records, the borough's first subway station, and the heart of the financial center. [7]
The building was constructed by tea merchant Abiel Abbot Low, the father of future New York City mayor Seth Low, in 1881. [5] [6] The structure, designed by J. C. Cady of the then-separate city of New York, replaced four brick buildings on Court Street and three on Remsen Street. [5] The Garfield Building was eight stories high and measured 121.5 ft (37.0 m) high, with a clock tower at the corner of Court and Remsen Streets. It was designed in the Italian Renaissance style, with a facade of brownstone on its first two stories and Philadelphia brick and terracotta on its upper stories, as well as a red-tiled roof. [6] Inside were 279 offices (illuminated by a light court), two elevators, and a law library. [5] [6]
In the late 19th century the structure often served as a meeting place for railroad officials and the Brooklyn Republican Campaign Committee. [2] Colonel Charles L. Fincke, of the 23rd Regiment of the United States National Guard, maintained an office at the Garfield Building. [8] It also was home to lawyers. [9]
The Garfield Building was razed after a period of building inactivity following World War I. City departments were moved to a new Municipal Building and the Court Remsen Building. [10] The Chanin Construction Company, led by Irwin Chanin, bought the building from the Childs Restaurants chain for $1.3 million and announced plans in 1924 to construct a 26-story building on the site for $4 million. [11] The developer, the 26 Court Street Corporation, filed a lawsuit later that year, which sought to overturn an old covenant that banned development within 8 ft (2.4 m) of the sidewalk on Court Street. [12] The dispute was prolonged because many neighboring property owners opposed the proposed annulment of the covenant. [13] By May 1925, the Chanin Construction Company was demolishing the edifice. [6] [14] During demolition, several workers were nearly killed after the building partially collapsed. [6]
40°41′36″N 73°59′27″W / 40.69329°N 73.99079°W