This firehouse was constructed in 1906-07 to accommodate Hook and Ladder Company 17, which was organized in 187 4 to serve the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. One of the first paid firefighting companies in this neighborhood, Ladder 17 replaced an earlier volunteer force, the J.& L. Mott Ladder 2 Company. This brick and stone building, designed by Michael J. Garvin, provided a larger facility for this densely-populated section of the Bronx. Garvin served as Bronx County’s first Commissioner of Buildings and also designed the Bronx County Courthouse (a designated New York City Landmark). Incorporating design elements from the prevailing classical style, Garvin created a solid, three-bay structure with rusticated end piers, carved stone ornament, and a strong cornice, all of which served to anchor the building to the street, as well as to provide an important sense of civic monumentality for the Bronx. In 1948, Engine Company 60, which had been organized in 1895 at 352 East 137th Street, was reassigned to this location and has continued to share the facility with Ladder 17.
STATUS Designated Individual Landmarks
The Neighborhood
The Bronx
The only borough contiguous with the mainland of the United States, the Bronx was named for Jonas Bronck who established a settlement in the area in 1639. The Bronx’s main thoroughfare, the Grand Concourse, was conceived as part of the City Beautiful movement. It was...
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