The Quiet Brick Building On Washington Street

By Brian J Pape, AIA

This quiet brick building is a former warehouse that was repurposed for an art collector. Generous, landscaped roof terraces add to the ambiance of the single-family residence at Washington and Jane streets. Credit: Leroy Street Studio.

I’ve walked by this ultra-simplistic brick building at 777-781 Washington Street weekly, noticing the ‘private property’ signs but never seeing any activities there. Curiosity got me to look for information in the public realm and here is what I found to explain this unusual building.

There are many architecture firms working in NYC’s historic districts, but a few have many projects in our Greenwich Village Historic District. While researching another project on the website of Leroy Street Studio (LSS), this project was also shown. To my best guess, this work was done close to 15 years ago.

This is how LSS describes their designs for an industrial townhouse at the southeast corner of Jane and Washington streets: “Central to the concept for this art collector’s house was maximizing the amount of natural light and outdoor living space through a series of volumes carved out of an existing industrial warehouse. At the heart of the building, well insulated from the bustle of the city, sits a large courtyard lined with walkways that act as both circulation and gallery space. A three-story steel and glass curtain wall allows for simultaneous experiences between galleries and the tree-filled courtyard. Successful project delivery required a high level of coordination and management due to the complexity of new construction in a landmark district, an E-designated site with unstable soil conditions, and shoring of neighboring buildings. LSS’s commitment to a collaborative and hands-on working process allowed us to meet this challenge by coordinating an expert group of 17 consultants.”

This aerial view shows the courtyard in the absolute center of the image. It has been cut from the floor plates to add light and exterior space at the southeast corner of the lot. Credit: Google maps.

As evidenced by the two-story corner windows, a double-height living room has been carved from the interior. It appears like the other large window openings have their origins in the original building, while upgraded for contemporary functions, probably in a bid to satisfy historic preservation rules.

Every project reviewed by the Manhattan Community Board 2 (CB2) Landmarks Committee that involves excavation must prove with engineering analysis and procedures that neighboring properties will not be disturbed or damaged. Such was the case for this work, adjacent to many older buildings. Since this single-family mansion was completed, similar mansions have been built involving extensive excavations nearby, namely the Stryker mansion facing across Jane Street and the residential conversion with two swimming pools and penthouses just south at 12th Street and Washington Street.

Balancing the character of the former warehouse and neighborhood with the needs of a new use can be very difficult without a thorough knowledge of historic precedent. This quiet building seems to have struck that balance.