31 St. Mark’s Place | Block : 464 | Lot #44

Description & Building Alterations

Prolific real estate developer of St. Mark’s Place, Thomas E. Davis built this three-story row house in 1833. This stretch of Eighth Street property was purchased from Peter Stuyvesant and had recently been part of his Bouwerie before being converted into spacious homes on large lots. The brick building was tenementized in 1874 when it was enlarged to its current size. The building then housed two families per floor and was owned by J. Metcalfe. On a hot night in June 1897, a large fire broke out in this building and 18 families barely escaped with their lives. The fire started on the first floor and spread quickly via the hallway stair. Hook & Ladder No. 3 rescued many of the residents.

The Old Law tenement building features a historic cornice and pedimented lintels above the second floor windows.