654 East 12th Street; 189-191 Avenue C | Block : 394 | Lot #36

Building Date : 1944 (no. 189-191), 1945 (no. 654)/2007-08 alt.
Original Use : Commercial

Original Owner : William Hoffman (no. 189-191), Harry Field (no. 654)
Original Architect : Samuel Hertz (no. 189-191), Ervin Palmer (no. 654)

Description & Building Alterations

Former lot 36 is an oddly shaped L lot that was once connected to Lots 32 and 34, or 636-650 East 12th Street. According to the Office for Metropolitan History, the present building fronting East 12th Street was originally erected as a freight terminal and garage in 1945 by owner Harry Field and architect Ervin Palmer. The building fronting Avenue C was constructed as a one-story garage in 1944 by owner William Hoffman and architect Samuel Hertz. Although the alteration permits for this building held on the Department of Buildings’ website do not disclose when the combined building was enlarged to its present size, Google Maps Street View shows that the upper stories were added around 2007.

Block : 394 / Lot : 7506 / Building Date : 1944 (no. 189-191), 1945 (no. 654)/2007-08 alt. / Original Owner : William Hoffman (no. 189-191), Harry Field (no. 654) / Original Use : Commercial / Original Architect : Samuel Hertz (no. 189-191), Ervin Palmer (no. 654)

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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.

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