129 East 7th Street | Block : 435 | Lot #38

Building Date : 1861
Original Use : Residential/Commercial

Original Owner : William B. Astor
Original Architect : Unknown

Description & Building Alterations

This five-story Italianate style pre-law tenement was erected in 1861. This building was part of the original holdings of John J. Astor. His heirs leased the lot in 1860 to Samuel Bessey and Thomas E. Tripler who constructed this building. The first sale of the building was to Conrad Siemon in 1898. The lot was once part of William B. Astor’s holdings and was leased out in 1860.

The present facade features a bracketed iron cornice, molded metal lintels and footed sills, and a historic fire escape. The first story storefront was removed in 1933 and replaced with a funeral home. During this alteration the first story was refaced with brick, doors and windows were moved, and a new ogee-arched entrance with stone enframements and quoining was added.

Block : 435 / Lot : 038 / Building Date : 1861 / Original Owner : William B. Astor / Original Use : Residential/Commercial / Original Architect : Unknown

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What does a building mean to someone who lives there? A person who lives on the block? In the neighborhood? In the city? This site presents a wealth of historic information gained from GVSHP’s architectural research survey about the buildings located in the East Village.

The site explores the area generally considered today as the East Village: from a northern border of 14th Street to a southern border of Houston Street, Avenue D in the east to 4th Avenue/the Bowery to the west. You can explore the information about the blocks and buildings featured here in two ways.

Pick a block. Maybe it’s yours, or perhaps it is just your favorite place to shop, grab a bite, or just people watch. Then explore the buildings that make up that block. Or take one of the many guided tours on the site, curated by a collection of organizations and experts from the neighborhood. See how they experience the neighborhood. Then tell us what the neighborhood means to you. The site’s comments section allows you to open a dialogue with others who feel just as passionately as you do about the East Village.