116 Second Avenue; 48 East 7th Street | Block : 448 | Lot #7

Building Date : 1845-46, 1884-86 (alt)
Original Use : Residential

Original Owner : Samuel Perry (1845-46), H. Ludemann (1884-86)
Original Architect : Unknown

Description & Building Alterations

A fire broke out at the former building at this site on December 5, 2020, damaging the structure beyond repair. A previous fire had erupted here on February 10, 2020, damaging the interior of the building and injuring five people. After the second fire, the building was razed.

The former five-story tenement shared Lot 7 with the building at 48 ½ East 7th Street. A low brick extension connected these two structures; the extension had a sign that read “Via Della Pace.” Originally built to three-and-a-half stories in 1845-46, the tenement was raised to five stories in 1884-86.

The facade featured hooded brownstone window lintels, sills and banding, a projecting chimney on the north facade with decorative brownstone and brick details, metal stoops and historic wood doors. The historic molded cornice was visible above part of the storefronts. The roof cornice had been removed. The fluted cast-iron column was visible within the northwest storefront window.

Block : 448 / Lot : 007 / Building Date : 1845-46, 1884-86 (alt) / Original Owner : Samuel Perry (1845-46), H. Ludemann (1884-86) / Original Use : Residential / Original Architect : Unknown

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What is the Building Blocks Project

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.