The former New-York Cab Company Stable is a striking reminder of the time when horse-drawn carriages crowded Manhattan streets. Built in 1888-90, 318-330 Amsterdam Avenue was one of the earliest commercial stables on the Upper West Side and a fine example of a utilitarian structure erected in the Romanesque Revival style.
It was designed by C. Abbott French, a New York architect who specialized in speculative residential and commercial work, particularly in this neighborhood and Harlem. The New-York Cab Company grew out of the livery firm Ryerson & Brown, founded by John Ryerson in the 1830s.
Proposed in 1876 and incorporated in 1884, it sought to supply New York City with a “cheap and improved system of transit.” To accomplish this, the company adopted practices that are common in today’s taxicab industry. Passengers were charged a “fixed and moderate” fare, drivers were identified with badges, and carriages were painted the conspicuous color yellow.
STATUS Designated Individual Landmarks
The Neighborhood
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is located along the western side of Central Park from 59th Street to 110th Street. The Upper West Side has several Historic Districts and Individual Landmarks.
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