May 12, 2015
Item 1
Corbin Building, 11 John Street (aka 1-13 John Street; 192 Broadway), Manhattan
LP-2569
Landmark Site: Manhattan Block 79, Lot 15
Community District 1
The Historic Districts Council is the advocate for New York City’s designated historic districts and neighborhoods meriting preservation.
The Historic Districts Council is the citywide advocate for New York’s historic buildings and neighborhoods. HDC supports the designation of the Corbin Building on its merits – it is an outstanding architectural feature on the lower Broadway streetscape and the more Francis Kimball buildings that are recognized and protected, the better. However, we question the timing and purpose of this designation.
This building is owned by the Metropolitan Transit Authority and the façade, at least, is in better shape than it has been in 100 years. Since it is owned by MTA, the Landmarks Commission’s authority is advisory at best. As many are aware, the only reason for the building’s continued existence today is its inclusion on the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places over a decade ago, which holds more sway over the MTA’s decision-making process. That inclusion was done at the behest of several preservation groups who were alarmed at the prospect of losing the Corbin Building to the construction of the Fulton Transit Center. It should be noted that two significant neighboring buildings on Broadway, the 1904 Girard Building at 198 Broadway (described by the AIA Guide as “Assyrian Revival on a rampage”) and the 1911 Child’s Restaurant Building at 194 Broadway, were demolished for the construction.
Although those two sites were deliberately excluded from the final map, the Historic Districts Council successfully sponsored the inclusion of several surrounding blocks to the New York State and National Registers as the Fulton-Nassau Historic District in 2005.It should be noted that although the Landmarks Commission has designated two individual buildings noted in that district , the1860 James Bogardus building at 63 Nassau Street and the 1891 Keuffel and Esser Building at 127 Fulton Street by DeLemos and Cordes, the agency has declined to consider the entire district. This is particularly unfortunate as the vast private investment and residential conversion which swept this area in the past 10 years could have greatly benefited from the agency’s oversight and guidance. If the LPC is looking to protect open barns, it could do worse than to look at the area around the worthy but completely protected Corbin Building.