Potter Building
145 Nassau Street, New York, NY 10038
This week’s building is one of those that I walked by and thought was super cool. I was on my way to acupuncture but I got distracted and overshot it. This detour proved to be greatly worth it as I spotted a peek of scarlet over the luscious City Hall Park trees. Clad in bright red brick and an intricately designed facade, the Potter Building stands out amongst this downtown landscape. Chat, is it obvious I went to 1 (one) writing class and am now abusing a thesaurus?
I HATE taking pictures of myself in public, but I feel as though I must for journalistic purposes
In the 19th Century, this particular area of Manhattan became the home to several newspaper headquarters, quickly becoming known as “Newspaper Row”. These include the New York Times Building, the Park Row Building, the New York Tribune Building, and the New York World Building - where our story begins!
Imagine this: it’s 1882, ‘Where the Lindens Bloom’ by Francis Bennoch is topping the charts, and a fire just broke out in the New York World Building. The fire destroyed most of the block within just a few hours and cost $400,000 (roughly $13 mil now) in damages. This fire was so bad that the City Council imposed a 2-year moratorium on building construction! The pause was greatly beneficial as stricter fire-proofing regulations came into place. Chat, should we bring back moratoriums? This also led to the birth of the iconic, the ball-busting, the slay queen that is *drumroll please* the Department of Buildings!!! The DOB has been mentioned in many a newsletter at this point and I can’t believe this week’s building led me to her birthplace. Kind of emotional about it.
The building's namesake, Orlando B. Potter (B is not short for Bloom, unfortunately) was hot shit back in the day. His resume includes going to Harvard Law School (ok elle woods!), President of the Grover & Baker Sewing Machine Company, and being in the U.S. House of Representatives! Booked and busy! After the fire of 1882, he purchased the newly crispy NY World Building lot and funded the creation of a cutesy lil 11-story bricked-up baddie & named it after himself (as he should).
Picture taken in 1886
Potter entrusted none other than Norris Gershom Starkweather as the architect. Starkweather Frankenstein-ed (Frankenstein’s Monster-ed?) several architectural styles, including Queen Anne and neo-Greco style, to create the building we see today. The building employed the most advanced fireproofing methods available at the time, which included the use of iron beams, cast iron columns, brick exterior walls, as well as tile arches and terracotta. Sad fact is that Starkweather passed away in 1885 before the building was completed. RIP, you really popped off with this one.
Using tile and terracotta not only increases fire safety but opens the door to beautiful designs. The building’s facade is adorned with garlands, masks, and mythological figures. Why aren’t more buildings these days made with these materials?? Have we learned nothing from the three little pigs??
Fun Facts
The building was converted from office space to a co-op in the early 90s. Here’s a penthouse unit available for only $17,500 a month!
A guy built this building in Blender just for fun. He didn't even see the building in person, just found it while exploring Google Maps.
Someone also made this building and the NY World Building in Minecraft!!! How insane.
Howdy pals! I will be taking next week off so please don’t miss me too much <3
Anyways… see you next week! NOT! Toodaloo!
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Terracotta is really having a comeback as a color. Would love to see her pop off as a building material again
Building color really said 💅