Please help identify architecture on Whitehall Street in 1955 (New York, York: 2014, construction)

[Joe63]

In 1955, the man who took the photo linked below was interested in buses built by Mack. However, the buildings along Whitehall Street attract my attention. Would someone help me identify the style and possible date of the three buildings?
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Link: Whitehall Street.
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At the corner of Front and Whitehall is Leonard's Uniform occupying 45 Whitehall Street and adjacent probably #43. They are two different architectural styles. The second building has a pitched roof, probably covering a storage attic. The third building (going left) is probably #41, Old Dutch Coffee, with fire escapes and (as I have often seen) smaller windows on the top floor.
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This entire block was demolished sometime after 1955, and this intersection with Front Street was eliminated.
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I would be grateful for an commentary on the styles of the three buildings. Is any one of them Federal?

[BugsyPal]

Am feeling charitable and thus did some research. Ride the wave....


Building on corner of Front and Whitehall 49 Whitehall Street was the Jacob Houseman House


https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ny0...tos?st=gallery


https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.ny0548.photos/?sp=2




Like all great people Jacob Houseman was from Staten Island: IK Bio of Jacob Housman


#47 Whitehall Street is the Jacob Crocheron House
https://picryl.com/media/jacob-croch...rk-county-ny-5


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...NEYO,126-1.tif


https://ny.eater.com/2012/5/24/65848...s-in-the-1960s




Late Night Cafe: New York in the 40s - 3






These and other buildings down there most certainly are or were pre-Civil War if not dating to early years of Manhattan, hence their inclusion in Library of Congress and other historical archives.


Buildings you mentioned and have given information on were demolished to make way for #3 New York Plaza. You can see what much of that part of Manhattan looked like back in the day here: CHARLES CUSHMAN'S 1940s NYC COLOR VIEWS - Forgotten New York


As to the how and why of the destruction two words "urban renewal".


By the l950's spurred by federal and other funding and in a race to reverse "declining" urban areas, New York City joined many others in declaring vast areas "blighted" and took (or attempted) via eminent domain for redevelopment. Looking as some of the pictures above you can see how some might get the idea Whitehall/Front Street area was in need of "improvement".


In 1959 NYC hatched out a plot called the "Battery Park Urban Renewal Plan". As name suggested this gave us what is BPC today and much of the changes down there in from the 1960's through well into the 1970's or so. This includes IIRC the taking of the land which became the World Trade Center.


City sought to make a land grab further east to get the land under what is now 1 and 2 New York Plaza and 115 Broad Street. Owner of land fought back and won right to keep properties but had to develop them, the rest as they say is history.

[Joe63]

Many thanks for a superb, extensive explanation! I will have to learn from each sentence you wrote. Joe

[BugsyPal]

If you want to know more about buildings in question I'd head to the archives of Library of Congress. There has to be reasons why those properties were extensively photographed and included.


You can also check out the Museum of the City of New York. There is a vast collection of pictures of NYC buildings, streets, and areas going back decades.


Finally there is also the NYC municipal archives; a great source of photos and other information.


Did "Whitehall Street" and there are pictures post demolition of buildings on Whitehall Street showing the construction site:










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