109 East 12th Street | Block : 558 | Lot #49

Description & Building Alterations

This is a red painted brick building constructed in 1854 for J. Butler. The roof is lined with a brown, bracketed cornice and the windows have brown lintels and sills similar to the structure’s neighbor, Lot 48, which was also built for J. Butler. Between 1934 and 1944, this was a meeting location for the Transport Workers Union.

There were several other interesting businesses at this location that have been identified. Inventor Eberhard Schneider had his studio here in the 1900s and 1910s (by 1915 he was at 219 Second Avenue). Schneider held a 1901 patent for a “Photographic Printing Machine” and a 1905 patent for a “Film-Perforating Machine.” In 1920, the Wonder Talking Machine Co., Inc. was at this location which sold early versions of record players. During the 1970s and 1980s the Memory Shop was also at this location selling movie stills and memorabilia.

The ground and basement levels were converted into stores in 1903 and, based on a 1940s tax photo, used to have a big-windowed, early 1900s-style storefront. The building has been refaced with a tan stone façade and a studio window.