130 East 12th Street; 130-134 East 12th Street | Block : 556-2 | Lot #7501

Description & Building Alterations

This seven-story brick and stone warehouse was built in 1905 by the famed architectural firm Renwick, Aspinwall, & Tucker. James L. Aspinwall was in charge of this commission as well as the landmarked American Express Building constructed in 1916. The firm is very well known for its many handsome Neo-Classical buildings all over the City built for the Provident Loan Society where, according to architectural historian Christopher Gray, the firm perfected their brick and terra cotta combination, a mix that is used at 130 East 12th Street.

James Renwick, perhaps the most famous of the three, designed St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Grace Church, and the Smithsonian Institution Building in Washington D.C. He passed away in 1895, leaving Aspinwall as his successor to carry on the firm. The original owner of the building, Ida S. Bruch, was the daughter of William Schlemmer, co-owner of the famed hardware company Hammacher & Schlemmer, which got its start on the Bowery (the company still exists today, but is now a purveyor of unique gifts). Therefore, Ms. Bruch was quite well off, allowing her to own numerous properties around the City, according to historic New York Times articles. When Mr. Schlemmer passed away in 1917 he left a large part of his $500,000 estate to Ida, including the Hammacher & Schlemmer factory down the street at 133 4th Avenue, which she later sold for $152,000 in 1935.

Former Lot #: 54