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Puck Building
The Puck Building as seen from Houston Street in 2021
Seen from Houston Street (2021)
Map
Location295–309 Lafayette Street
Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Coordinates40°43′29″N 73°59′43″W / 40.7248°N 73.9953°W / 40.7248; -73.9953
Built1885–1886
ArchitectAlbert Wagner; Herman Wagner (later expansion)
Architectural styleRomanesque Revival, Rundbogenstil
NRHP reference No.83001740[1]
NYSRHP No.06101.001564
NYCL No.1226
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJuly 21, 1983
Designated NYSRHPJune 13, 1983[2]
Designated NYCLApril 12, 1983

The Puck Building is a mixed-use building at 295–309 Lafayette Street in the SoHo and Nolita neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. The building was designed by Albert Wagner in the Romanesque Revival style, with elements inspired by the German Rundbogenstil style. It is composed of two sections: the original seven-story building to the north and a nine-story southern annex. The Lafayette Street elevation of the facade was designed by Herman Wagner in a style similar to that of the original building. The Puck Building is a New York City designated landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Puck Building occupies the block bounded by Lafayette, Houston, Mulberry, and Jersey streets. The red brick facade is divided vertically into bays of uniform width. The facade is also divided horizontally into several tiers of arcades, with wider arches at the top and narrower arches at the bottom. The sculptor Henry Baerer crafted two sculptures of the Shakespeare character Puck for the facade. The building is topped by a penthouse structure. The original interiors were arranged as open plan offices, which largely remained intact in the late 20th century. There is retail space in the basement and first two stories; office and studio space on the intermediate stories; and six penthouse apartments on the highest stories.

The building was the longtime home of Puck magazine, a humor cartoon whose founders Joseph Keppler and Adolph Schwarzmann acquired the site in 1885 with J. Ottmann. The original building was completed the following year, and the annex was built between 1892 and 1893. When Lafayette Street was extended through the neighborhood in the late 1890s, the western section of the building was demolished, and a new facade and entrance were built on Lafayette Street. Puck magazine went out of business in 1918, and the structure was used by printing firms over the next several decades. Paul Serra's family bought the Puck Building in 1978, and Serra and his partner Peter Gee converted it to commercial condominiums, which were completed in 1983. A syndicate led by Harry Skydell bought the Puck Building in 1986 and carried out additional renovation. Kushner Properties, a partner in the syndicate, took over the building in the 1990s. The lowest stories were converted to a store in 2011, and Kushner Properties converted the upper stories to penthouse apartments between 2011 and 2013, constructing a dormer for one of the apartments.

Site

[edit]

The Puck Building is at 295–309 Lafayette Street,[3] in the Nolita[4] and SoHo neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S.[3][5] It occupies an entire city block between Lafayette Street to the west, Houston Street to the north, Mulberry Street to the east, and Jersey Street to the south.[6] The land lot is quadrilateral and measures around 23,397 square feet (2,174 m2).[7] Across the street to the southeast are St. Patrick's Old Cathedral and St. Patrick's Old Cathedral School.[3][7] In addition, an entrance to the New York City Subway's Broadway–Lafayette Street/Bleecker Street station is directly outside the building to the north.[8] There are glass-and-iron vaulted sidewalks around the building;[9] the vaulted sidewalks on Mulberry Street have all been replaced, but those on Houston and Lafayette streets are largely intact.[10]

Prior to the construction of the Puck Building, the site had been occupied by St. Catherine's Convent, which was built by the Order of the Sisters of Mercy in 1848. The convent was located at 35 East Houston Street, and the adjacent House of Mercy was at 33 East Houston Street.[11] When the building was erected in the 1880s, it was at the southern end of Manhattan's printing district,[12][13] which was centered around the Astor Library Building. Furthermore, there were numerous publishers, printing firms, and publications headquartered in the neighborhood.[14] These firms had settled in the neighborhood in part because of their proximity to the New York and New Haven Railroad's freight terminal, which was several blocks south on Canal Street between Centre and Lafayette streets.[15]

At the time of the building's construction, Lafayette Street did not exist at the intersection with Houston Street.[16] What is now known as Lafayette Street was two separate streets: Lafayette Place to the north and Elm Street to the south.[17][18] These two streets were connected between 1897[19] and 1905.[14][20] Because of the construction of Lafayette Street, part of the original building has been demolished.[14][21] Before the original building was truncated, it carried an address of 31–39 East Houston Street.[21]

Architecture

[edit]

The Puck Building was designed by Albert Wagner[3][12] and was built for Puck magazine and the J. Ottmann Lithographing Company.[14] It is designed in the Romanesque Revival style, with elements inspired by the German Rundbogenstil style.[22] It was constructed in two parts: The north section was built in 1885–1986 and the south addition in 1892–1993.[3] The front of the building on Lafayette Street was relocated in 1899 when the street (then called Elm Place)[23] was widened. Herman Wagner was the architect for the renovated facade.[3]

Facade

[edit]

The current Puck Building is composed of the original structure to the north, which dates from 1885, and the annex to the south, which dates from 1892.[6] In both sections of the building, the western elevation of the facade, along Lafayette Street, dates from 1898.[24] The Lafayette Street elevation is stylistically similar to the original facades of both the original building and the annex.[25] The original building is seven stories high, while the annex is nine stories high.[9] The building's facade includes gilded statues of Shakespeare's character Puck, from A Midsummer Night's Dream;[26] the sculptor Henry Baerer created two such statues for the building.[3][27]

Every elevation of the facade is divided vertically into bays of uniform width.[6] The original building measures three bays wide (originally five bays[14]) on Houston Street to the north, six bays wide on Mulberry Street to the east, and four bays wide on Lafayette Street to the west.[6] The southern annex is five bays wide on Mulberry Street and six bays wide on Lafayette Street.[28] The southern elevation on Jersey Street is clad in plain brick and has a small number of window openings with iron shutters.[29] The bays are separated vertically by projecting brick piers, which rise atop granite pedestals. The rest of the facade is made of red brick, except for the cast iron window frames and statues, as well as the wrought iron entrance gates.[30] Some terracotta and sandstone is also incorporated into the facade.[31] All four corners of the building are chamfered, with small diagonal cutouts.[32] On Mulberry Street, there are two wrought-iron fire escapes, one each in the annex and the original building.[32]

Lower stories

[edit]
The Lafayette Street entrance, with double-height arches on either side

On the first two stories of the facade, there is one double-height arch in each bay.[9] The piers between each bay are wider than on the upper stories, and there is a brownstone course at the bottom of each pier, just above the granite pedestal.[6] On the first story, most of the bays contain rectangular openings, which are divided vertically into groups of three.[9] Some of the first-story openings contain storefront entrances instead of windows; these entrances are accessed by small stoops,[30] which are made of pieces of vaulted sidewalk.[10] The second story is a semicircular lunette window, which is divided vertically into three panes. A cast-iron transom bar separates the first- and second-story windows. The lunettes are surrounded by round arches with slightly projecting edges, and there is a horizontal string course made of brownstone above the second story.[6]

The Puck Building's main entrance is on Lafayette Street, within the fifth-northernmost bay.[28] This entrance is shaped like a triumphal arch.[33] At the ground story of the archway are two rectangular doorways, which are separated by a cast-iron column and flanked by smaller cast-iron piers. In front of each doorway is an ornate Art Nouveau wrought-iron arch with a set of wrought-iron gates. A transom bar runs above the doorways, and a statue of Puck stands atop the center of the transom bar. Above the transom bar is a lunette window.[28] On either side of the entrance is a granite pedestal, above which are two stone columns and two pilasters, all in the Doric order.[32] The columns and pilasters are all topped by capitals with wreath motifs.[28] Above the columns is an architrave bearing the words "Puck Building" in all-capital letters, with a console bracket below the center and a balustrade above it.[32]

When the building was completed, Puck magazine described the structure as having round arches along both Houston and Mulberry streets, with a recessed wrought-iron entrance at the corner of these streets.[34][35] The entrance at the northeast corner of the building, at Houston and Mulberry streets, included a pair of doorways until 1899.[33] This entrance has been replaced with a double-height brick column with a brownstone sphere.[32] Above it is one of the Puck statues.[32] which holds a mirror, pen, and book.[28] The statue also included the inscription "What fools these mortals be",[28][36] the phrase printed on Puck magazine covers;[37] this inscription had been worn away by the 1950s.[38] When the building's entrance was located at this corner, the column stood in front of the entrance.[39]

Upper stories

[edit]
The windows on the fourth through seventh stories. On the fourth story, each bay contains two windows, while on the floors above, the bays are split into groups of three.

On the third to seventh stories, the piers are narrower than on the lower stories.[6] The third and fourth stories comprise a second tier of arcades. Within each bay, the third and fourth stories are composed of two double-height arches, each of which is half the width of the ground-level arches.[9] The windows between the third and fourth stories are separated by patterned spandrel panels. Within each arched opening, there is a pair of sash windows on either story.[6] Each pair of arches is separated vertically by a narrow brickwork pier with patterned capitals.[9] In addition, there are corbels and brownstone sills running horizontally above the fourth story.[6]

The fifth through seventh stories of each bay comprise a third arcade. On these stories, each bay has three triple-height arches, each measuring one-third of the width of the ground-level arches.[9] Within each arched opening, there is a single sash window on each of the fifth through seventh stories.[40] As with the third-and-fourth-story windows, each arch is divided by narrow brickwork piers with patterned capitals.[9] At the sixth story of the building's northeast corner, the chamfer has a massive console bracket, which originally served as the base of a flagpole.[32][39] A patterned brick course, corbels, a brownstone sill, and a cornice run horizontally above the seventh story of the original building.[40]

The annex rises another two stories; the eighth and ninth stories of the annex form a separate arcade.[32] On these stories, each bay contains three double-height arches, which are the same width as the arches on the fifth through seventh stories. A cornice runs horizontally above the ninth floor, and each of the piers rises slightly above the level of the cornice.[28] Both the original building and the annex were originally topped by a parapet. The section of the parapet above the original building was removed by the late 20th century[33] but was restored in the 2010s.[41]

Interior

[edit]

The ceilings on the first floor are 18 feet (5.5 m) high, shrinking to 10.5 feet (3.2 m) on the upper stories.[42] The interior's architectural features included a cast-iron elevator. cast-iron staircases, wooden wainscoting, and open plan spaces with cast-iron columns. The columns were decorated with motifs such as rosettes, fluting, bosses, and bands.[43] The original building to the north has a wood-beam and cast iron superstructure, while the southern annex has a brick-vault and cast iron superstructure.[44] The brick vaults were strong enough to accommodate the weight of the building's printing presses.[45]

The ground (first) floor was originally used by the J. Ottman firm, and it also included a stair leading to the Puck company offices on the upper stories.[13][35] On the upper floors was a reception area, a library, an office, a workshop and reception room, and a set of artists' ateliers. There was also a photographer's darkroom on the fifth floor.[46] In addition, artists' sketches were reproduced in color in a transfer room on the sixth floor.[46][47] The building had 24[48] or 30 printing presses as well.[39][49][50] After the original building was finished, King's Handbook of New York City characterized the building as being among the largest printing-plant structures in the world.[14][39] A Puck magazine supplement described the structure as being the largest printing plant near the Astor Library.[14]

Most of the interior, including the open plan offices, remained intact in the late 20th century.[43] A lobby for commercial tenants was added during the 1980s renovation.[51] On average, each of the modern-day building's floors covers about 22,000 square feet (2,000 m2)[52] or 24,500 square feet (2,280 m2).[51] The building contains both office and retail space as well as ballrooms for large events on the ground and ninth floors. The Skylight Ballroom can accommodate 250 guests, while the Grand Ballroom can fit up to 1,000.[53] Large masonry walls, measuring 2 feet (0.61 m) thick, split the interiors into thirds.[54]

Penthouse apartments

[edit]

At the top of the building are six penthouse apartments collectively known as the Puck Penthouses;[55][56] they were designed by Jose Ramirez and Sherida E. Paulsen.[56][57] The apartments are accessed through their own entrance and are served by a concierge.[58] The penthouse lobby has an imported European cast-iron fireplace mantel, and the private elevator has a depiction of Puck. Each of the apartments is designated with a Roman numeral apartment number.[56] The penthouses range from 4,895 to 7,000 square feet (454.8 to 650.3 m2).[57][58] Each penthouse has a separate layout; three of the penthouses have outdoor terraces, and two units occupy two levels.[56] The largest unit is Penthouse I, which spans 7,241 square feet (672.7 m2) and includes five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and 5,100 square feet (470 m2) of terraces.[59][60]

The Puck Penthouses retain the spaces' original large windows, cast-iron columns, and vaulted brick ceilings.[55][57][58] The units were fully furnished when they were built.[61] The apartments have custom stoves, window frames, door hinges, and other appliances,[56][55] and the bathrooms are clad in travertine.[56] In addition, the doors are made of nickel and glass,[56][62] materials that were selected specifically to give the penthouses an industrial ambiance.[62] The builders hardware is made of materials such as marble and nickel.[55] There are also electronic devices, such as hidden televisions in the bathroom mirrors.[61][62] One of the penthouses is within a dormer structure,[63][64] which has a steel frame and is structurally connected with the frames of the original structure and annex.[44]

History

[edit]

Puck ownership

[edit]
A gilded statue of Shakespeare's character Puck above the original entrance at the building's northwest corner

The building was the longtime home of Puck magazine, a humor cartoon.[65][66] Joseph Keppler and Adolph Schwarzmann had founded Puck as a German-language publication in 1876 and started publishing in English in 1877.[66][67] Puck magazine was originally situated near the Manhattan end of the Brooklyn Bridge.[68] Puck and the J. Ottmann Lithographing Company, which printed out Puck cartoons, were situated on Warren Street in Manhattan's Civic Center by 1880.[68][69] The magazine's circulation had grown to 80,000 by then, and it needed a larger building.[37]

Development and opening

[edit]

In February 1885, Keppler, Schwarzmann, and J. Ottmann agreed to acquire the Institution of Mercy at the southwest corner of Mulberry Street and Houston Street.[11][70] The sale was finalized the next month;[14][71] the three men paid $140,000 (equivalent to $4,899,000 in 2024) for the site.[11] The men hired Albert Wagner to design a seven-story building, with two basements, on a site measuring 117 feet (36 m) along Houston Street and 138 feet (42 m) along Mulberry Street. As planned, the ground floor would contain stores, the second and third stories would be used as offices, and the upper stories would be used as a printing plant.[70] Demolition was underway by mid-1885.[72] Keppler, Schwarzmann, and J. Ottmann borrowed $130,000 (equivalent to $4,550,000 in 2024) from the Franklin Savings Bank.[73] The George A. Fuller Company was the main construction contractor.[74]

The Puck Building was completed in 1886.[14][27] The original building was much wider along its northern end, at Houston Street, than along its southern end.[75] At the time, it had 231,000 square feet (21,500 m2) of space.[50] Originally, Ottmann's lithograph firm was located on the ground floor, while the Puck offices upstairs were accessed by a separate lobby.[13][35] Shortly after the building was finished, in June 1887, a fire caused up to $30,000 in damage to the upper floors (equivalent to $1,050,000 in 2024). There was also water damage to Puck magazine's editorial rooms when firefighters tried to put out the blaze.[76] The building caught fire again in early 1888, although the blaze was extinguished before a large amount of flammable material in the basement could catch fire.[77] By the late 19th century, Puck employed 400 people at the building.[39][49][50]

Expansion

[edit]
Houston and Mulberry, 1893

The Board of Rapid Transit Commissioners, which was appointed in 1889 to plan a New York City Subway line,[78] announced a tentative route for the subway's first line in June 1890.[79] Part of the Puck Building would need to be demolished because the line would be built underneath a new street running between Elm Street and Lafayette Place, and the building stood in the line's way.[79] The building would have to be reconfigured so that it had a facade along the new street.[75] That August, Keppler, Schwarzmann, and Ottmann acquired the site at 281 Mulberry Street, directly south of the Puck Building.[14][80] At the time, the irregularly-shaped site on Mulberry Street contained a three-story tenement, which Keppler and his partners planned to demolish and replace with an annex to the Puck Building.[80] Due to uncertainties over the subway line's construction, the annex's construction was delayed.[14][80]

B. B. Schneider sold Keppler and Schwarzmann the site on the northwest corner of Mulberry and Jersey streets in March 1892. This gave Puck's executives full control of the western side of Mulberry Street between Houston and Jersey streets.[81] The same month, Thomas Weatherby sold four houses on the north side of Jersey Street, immediately west of Schneider's plot, to Keppler and Schwarzmann.[82] Wagner was rehired to design the annex,[83][84] which was to rise nine stories.[84][85] W. Arnott was hired as the stonemason for the annex,[84] which was planned to cost $365,000[85] or $400,000.[84] Work on the annex began sometime in 1892;[83] during the annex's construction, some workers went on strike.[86] In January 1893, the city government agreed to widen and extend Elm Street northward, which would require demolishing about one-third of the existing building;[87] several property owners, including Keppler, expressed objections to the street's extension.[88] That year, Keppler, Schwarzmann, and Ottmann borrowed $300,000 for the annex from the Brooklyn Savings Bank (equivalent to $10,499,000 in 2024).[89] The annex was ultimately completed in 1893.[27][83]

Partial demolition and early 20th century

[edit]
Map of the site in 1894
Map of the site in 1905
Maps published in 1894 (left) and 1905 (right) show the Puck Building, lower right, before and after Lafayette Street (labeled here as Marion Street) was cut through the block, necessitating the relocation of the western wall.

Meanwhile, there were still plans to extend Elm Street north through Marion Street and Lafayette Place. In 1893, the city's Board of Street Opening and Improvement submitted plans for the project to the New York City Board of Aldermen for approval.[90] Though the building's owners were still opposed to the street's extension as late as December 1894,[91] they had come to support the proposal by the following year.[92] To make way for the section of Elm Street between Houston and Jersey streets, the city government decided to raze the building's westernmost section in 1897.[93] A city commission was appointed to determine how much each property owner should be compensated. They determined that the owners of the Puck Building would receive $464,000 in compensation (equivalent to $17,537,000 in 2024).[94]

In September 1897, the Puck Publishing Corporation filed plans for $275,000 worth of alterations to the Puck Building (equivalent to $10,394,000 in 2024).[95][96] Wagner was again hired as the architect for these modifications,[96][97] and Hanlon Brothers were hired to demolish part of the building.[21] P. & J. Schaeffler received the masonry contract; Grissler & Son was hired as the carpenter; and Baker, Smith & Co. was hired to reconfigure the building's steam-heating system.[97] After Wagner died in 1898, Herman Wagner and Richard Jahn took over responsibility for the design.[14] The northern part of the facade, originally five bays wide, was truncated to three bays.[14][21] Heavy braces measuring 60 feet (18 m) long were used to temporarily shore up the northern and eastern elevations, and part of the remaining structure's facade on Houston Street was also demolished and rebuilt.[21] A new main entrance was built to the west on Elm Street (later Lafayette Street). replacing the original entrance at Houston and Mulberry streets,[14] and Henry Baerer designed a Puck statue above the new Elm Street entrance.[25] Materials salvaged from the building were reportedly reused in a four-story building at 163 Crosby Street.[98]

The modifications to the Puck Building were completed in 1899,[83] though Lafayette Street was not completed until 1905.[17] After Keppler and Schwarzmann died in 1894 and 1904, respectively, their estates took over the respective stakes in the company (including the Puck Building).[99] A fire in November 1905 caused $50,000 in damage (equivalent to $1,750,000 in 2024). The fire had started after a can of turpentine caught fire inside a finishing room where workers were producing Christmas cards.[100] In 1912, six people were severely injured after one of the building's elevators fell seven stories.[101] The Manhattan Ladies' Hat Company leased some space in the building in 1912,[102] followed by Teitelbaum & De Marinis the following year.[103] The Puck Building remained Puck magazine's headquarters until 1917, when Hearst Communications took over the magazine.[104][105] Puck was discontinued in September of the following year.[105][106]

Mid-20th century

[edit]
The building's Mulberry Street facade

Though Puck magazine had been discontinued, the building remained suitable for firms in the printing industry, as its floor plates had been built to accommodate heavy printing presses.[25] The building thus housed numerous independent printing firms and related printing services.[104] Among the building's tenants were the Keller Printing Company in one of the building's lofts,[107] the Paulus-Ullmann Printing Corporation on the fifth floor,[108] and the Paulus & Howell Press on the eighth floor.[109] All of the usable space had been rented by the end of 1917, when Acme Steel Goods Company took the seventh floor.[108][110] Other tenants in the late 1910s included the American Paper Mills,[111] clothing manufacturers Zeeman & Grossman,[112] Raymond Engineering Corporation, and a store operated by Olney & Warrin.[113]

A ladies' hat manufacturers' association moved into the building in the 1920s,[114] and Comfort & Company, Inc., leased a large part of the building in 1935.[115] The building's other tenants in the mid-20th century included the bookbinder J. C. Valentine Company (which moved out in 1931 after four decades there);[116] the printing company Lehmaier Press;[117] the Parker-Wilson Printing Company;[118] the printing company Costa & Aliani;[119] and the Pioneer Scientific Corporation.[120] An office stationery company, S. Novick & Son, occupied the second floor; its salesmen included former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Alger Hiss.[121] In 1937, the Puck statue above the main entrance was cleaned.[122]

In 1947, the Puck Building was sold to a client of David Rapaport;[104][123] this was the first time the building had changed ownership in half a century.[123] By then, the building was cited as having 210,000 square feet (20,000 m2) of space, and it was valued at $490,000 (equivalent to $6,900,000 in 2024).[104] Marlow Handbags moved its factory to the Puck Building in the following year.[124] By the 1950s and 1960s, the building also housed such tenants as the Empire Bookbinding Company,[125] Prospect Press,[126] Sample Service Corporation,[127] and the garment-industry-ticket producer Keller Ticket Company.[128] After Coney Island's Steeplechase Park was closed in 1965, part of the amusement park's fence was moved to the Puck Building, where it was rebuilt.[129]

Serra and Gee ownership

[edit]

Paul Serra's family bought the Puck Building in 1978; at the time, the building was fully occupied.[49] Serra and his partner Peter Gee, who ran a company called Peter, Paul and Puck,[50] began making plans to renovate the building.[49] The two largest tenants moved out of the building in 1980, and all but one of the other tenants moved out during the subsequent months. The Serra family bought out the last tenant's lease and proposed converting the building into a commercial condominium.[42] Initially, there were plans to add residential space, but this was canceled due to high costs, as the owners had to pay the displaced commercial tenants $9 per square foot.[52] Additionally, Gee said "there are too many problems involved with the city and dealing with people's personal lives" when it came to residential tenancies.[50]

Serra and Gee converted the building to office and gallery space for graphic-arts firms.[42][50][130] Workers regilded the Puck statues, renovated the elevator cabs, added interior wainscoting, and installed new wiring and HVAC systems;[42] in addition, they preserved a much of the original interiors as they could.[50] During the building's renovation, in 1982, the author and artist Theresa Hak Kyung Cha was raped and killed in the building by a security guard named Joey Sanza.[131] The renovation ultimately cost $14 million and mostly involved cosmetic changes.[132] The Puck Building's renovation, along with the construction of other residential buildings nearby, helped attract retailers to Lafayette Street, which had been a frequent hangout for drug dealers.[133] The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) designated it as a city landmark in April 1983,[134] and the structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places the same year.[27]

The Puck Building reopened in April 1983.[49][50] The reopening was celebrated with a temporary exhibit on the history of Puck magazine,[135][136] which included artifacts from the building that were discovered during its renovation.[135] Initially, the first two stories contained galleries, the midsection had offices, and the top stories had schools.[42][50] One-third of the entire floor area was reserved for a design school operated by Gee,[49] while the two men planned to sell the remaining space to designers, artists, and other tenants who wanted more than 10,000 square feet (930 m2).[130] The smallest condo spanned 4,000 square feet (370 m2), and the units were listed for sale at an average price of $125 per square foot ($1,350/m2).[137] To attract tenants, Serra and Gee offered to split up existing condo units and install new floors, and they gave commercial tenants their own lobby.[51] The structure also hosted events such as dinner parties and balls.[138] Three years after the renovation, none of the condos had been sold,[139] prompting Serra and Gee to sell the Puck Building.[140][130]

Skydell and Kushner ownership

[edit]

1980s to 2000s

[edit]
The building's Lafayette Street facade

In 1986, a syndicate led by Harry Skydell paid $19 million for the building.[140][141] Skydell's partners in the syndicate included George Gellert, Charles Kushner, and Joel Seiden,[140] and Skydell's firm Hudson Park Management took over the building's operation.[142] Skydell and his partners spent another $9 million on the building,[141] which included new elevators and mechanical systems.[140][143] Sonnenblick-Goldman Corporation, borrowed $26.3 million to pay for the building's renovation and purchase.[143]

After the second renovation, the Puck Building was nearly fully occupied.[132] The building was the original home of Spy Magazine,[144][145] whose founders, Graydon Carter and Kurt Andersen, had specifically wanted to establish a magazine in the former Puck headquarters.[146] The Pratt Institute opened its Manhattan Center campus on the building's second floor in 1986,[140][147] relocating several of its graphics and illustration departments there.[147][148] In addition, the New York City government rented four floors, three of which were occupied by the Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Transportation;[139][149] the city's Civilian Complaint Review Board also had offices in the Puck Building,[150] The New York Press magazine moved into the building as well.[151] The Puck Building's ballroom became a popular venue for fashion shows,[152] in part due to the ballroom's relatively low rental rates and plain architectural design.[153] Other events hosted in the building during the late 20th and early 21st centuries included the National Black Fine Art Show[154] and the Outsider Art Fair.[155]

Skydell owed $2.2 million on the Puck Building and another structure by the early 1990s.[156] Because of the ownership syndicate's financial troubles, Kushner's firm Kushner Companies had to take over the Puck Building.[157] Kushner Companies thus became the sole owner of the structure.[158] Additional tenants moved into the building during the decade.[159] The city government stopped leasing space in the building in 1992,[160] and Pratt expanded into some of the city government's former space on the fourth floor.[149] Beyer Blinder Belle designed a further renovation of the building in the mid-1990s.[3] The Bell Technology Group leased 25,000 square feet (2,300 m2) in 1996, at which point the building's space was fully leased.[159] By 1998, Kushner Companies contemplated converting the ballroom spaces on the lower stories into retail space, as the Puck Building did not have any stores at the time.[161] The city government rezoned the building's land lot the same year, changing it from a manufacturing zone to a mixed commercial and residential zone.[162] The structure was valued at $80 million by 2000.[157]

Pratt moved out of the Puck Building in 2001,[163] and New York University leased 75,000 square feet (7,000 m2) at the building two years later, becoming the structure's largest tenant.[164][165] NYU relocated its Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and sociology department into the building;[54][166] at the time, the other tenants included Swanke Hayden Connell Architects and the catering firm New York Caterers.[164] NYU hired Suben/Doughtery to install raised floors, consolidate some offices, and add a staircase to its space.[54] The Puck Building was again renovated in the mid-2000s, when workers replaced the windows and added some lighting. The building was fully occupied at the time.[167] In addition, the building's owner sought to lease out the structure's 20,600-square-foot (1,910 m2) event space to a food emporium.[168]

New retail space and penthouses

[edit]
The building's Houston Street facade

The outdoor-gear store REI leased 39,000 square feet (3,600 m2) in the building in 2010, with plans to open a three-story store there.[169][170] Kushner Companies refinanced the building with an $80 million mortgage the same year.[171] Part of the ground floor was cut away to make way for a staircase,[172][173] and some of the original lower-story finishes were restored.[173][174] Some materials such as wood ceilings, floor joists, and wainscoting were removed and reinstalled elsewhere within the storefront space, while equipment like flywheels and printing tablets was preserved.[175] The storefront renovation was designed by the architecture firm of Callison and included an area that showcased the history of the Puck Building.[176] The REI store opened in early December 2011,[176][177] becoming the building's first retail tenant in over a century.[170]

Meanwhile, the LPC issued a permit for the facade's renovation to Kushner Companies in May 2011.[178] Kushner Companies' chief executive Jared Kushner announced plans that August to add penthouse apartments atop the building[179][180] and hired PKSB Architects to design the residences.[178][179] At the time, there was high demand for luxury residences in SoHo,[181] and the Puck Building was among the neighborhood's most prominent structures.[41] The original plans for Kushner's penthouses called for three apartments each on the eighth and ninth floors, as well as a single duplex apartment within a new dormer structure on the roof.[179] The LPC rejected the initial designs in September 2011.[182] Kushner submitted revised plans for two glass penthouse dormers in October,[179] but the LPC also rejected these designs, saying the dormers were too large.[183] The agency declined to accept a further modification that November for a similar reason.[184] The LPC conditionally approved a downsized dormer in December 2011[41][185] and formally approved the renovation later that month.[63][64] Ultimately, Kushner Companies met with the LPC five or six times.[63][186] In the final plan, the dormer was downsized by 1,500 square feet (140 m2) and shortened by 20 feet (6.1 m).[64] In addition, the building's original parapet would be restored, preventing pedestrians from seeing the penthouse dormer from street level.[41]

Jared Kushner was involved with the design of the building's new apartments, to the extent that he mapped out their layouts and selected the materials with which they were decorated. His wife Ivanka Trump selected the materials for the apartments' bathrooms and closets.[56] Kushner Companies renovated the remaining space in the building as well.[187] Kushner began marketing the condos in September 2013, asking $21 million to $60 million.[56][188] At the time, Kushner anticipated that the residences would attract "connoisseurs, collectors, and those with a youthful exuberance".[61] Office and commercial tenants continued to occupy the intermediate stories.[187] In the 2010s, these tenants included NYU's Wagner Graduate School;[130] a Warby Parker showroom;[189] the Kushner family's firm Thrive Capital, along with numerous startups funded by Thrive Capital;[190] and several media- and internet-related firms.[187]

Mid-2010s to present

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Before sales had formally launched, penthouse IV was sold in December 2013 for about $28 million;[191] the sale was finalized the following year.[192] The first completed penthouse was placed for sale in January 2014,[193] and the remaining penthouses were finished that March.[61][194] Kushner placed two more penthouses on sale for $57 million the same year.[195] The Chefs Club restaurant opened within the building's first floor in late 2014.[196] The next penthouse was not sold until early 2016,[197][198] and the fourth penthouse was placed for sale that March.[199] Kushner Companies replaced the penthouses' original brokerage, Sotheby's International Realty, with the Corcoran Group the same year.[198] With sales of the penthouse condos lagging, Kushner Companies decided to rent out three of the apartments in 2017.[200] Kushner and Trump had originally wanted to move into one of the apartments,[56] although they still had not done so by 2017.[201]

Kushner's brother Joshua and Joshua's wife Karlie Kloss bought one of the building's penthouses in 2019 before reselling it;[202] the couple purchased the last remaining penthouse two years later,[59][60] which they also resold.[203] The Chefs Club restaurant closed during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, and the Major Food Club took over the space,[204] opening the Torrisi restaurant there in 2022.[205] After NYU relocated part of its Wagner Center out of the building in 2023, about 30,000 square feet (2,800 m2) of its space was leased to the hedge fund Quadrature.[206] In addition, OpenAI rented 90,000 square feet (8,400 m2), nearly half of the building's space, in 2024.[207][208] At the time, the building's other office tenants included Thrive Capital, Plaid Inc., and Cadre.[208] REI announced in 2025 that it would close its store in the Puck Building the next year,[209] prompting Kushner Companies to seek new tenants.[210]

Impact

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The 1893 King's Handbook of New York City described the Puck Building as "a fitting monument" to Puck magazine and the J. Ottmann Lithographing Company, particularly praising the facade as giving an impression of "strength combined with lightness and graceful simplicity".[39] Paul Goldberger wrote for The New York Times in 1978 that the Puck Building was a "fine Romanesque commercial building" with "amusing" Puck statues,[211] and another writer for the same newspaper said in 1983 that the building "seems to fit right in with the cast-iron structures" around it.[212] Following the building's 1983 renovation, a New York Daily News writer referred to the Puck statues as "the most outstanding feature of the building".[50] In his 1994 book New York, a Guide to the Metropolis, Gerard Wolfe wrote that the Puck Building was "a fine example of the industrial Romanesque Revival style" of the late 19th century;[213] similarly, Eric Nash wrote in his 1995 book New York's 50 Best Secret Architectural Treasures that the Puck Building was a "premier example of the Rundbogenstil".[214]

Before the Puck Building was preserved as an official city landmark, it was depicted in the Municipal Art Society's 1982 exhibit "Landmarks That Aren't".[215] After Wagner designed the Puck Building, he reused its design details for a structure at 140 Franklin Street in Tribeca.[216] The Puck Building has been shown in various works of popular culture, For example, an exterior shot of the Puck Building is seen in the American television sitcom Will & Grace,[217] and it is also used as a setting in the 1989 film When Harry Met Sally....[218] The band The National recorded parts of their 2003 album Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers in an empty penthouse in the building;[219] two of its members, Matt Berninger and Scott Devendorf, worked there at the time.[220] The building is also depicted in a mural in the New York Public Library Main Branch's Periodical Room.[221]

See also

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References

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Puck Building

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The Puck Building is a Romanesque Revival landmark at 295–309 Lafayette Street in the Nolita section of Manhattan, New York City, constructed between 1885 and 1893 as the headquarters for Puck, a pioneering German-American satirical magazine founded by Joseph Keppler. Designed by architect Albert Wagner in the Rundbogenstil ("round-arch") variant of Romanesque Revival, the massive red-brick structure spans an entire city block bounded by Lafayette, Houston, Mulberry, and Jersey streets, featuring prominent round-arched windows, terracotta ornamentation, and a rooftop statue of the eponymous sprite from Shakespearean folklore. Originally built to house printing presses and editorial operations amid New York's late-19th-century publishing boom, it expanded in phases to accommodate growing needs, reflecting the era's industrial vitality before evolving into a mixed-use property with commercial spaces, offices, event venues, and luxury residential penthouses atop its historic core. Designated a New York City Landmark in 1983 for its architectural significance and survival as a rare intact example of the city's printing district heritage, the building underwent restorations and adaptive reuse projects, including boiler system upgrades and penthouse additions approved despite initial preservation debates.

Location and Site

Site Description and Surroundings

The Puck Building occupies the full city block bounded by to the west, East to the north, Mulberry Street to the east, and Prince Street to the south in , . Its primary address is 295–307 , with entrances and facades extending along these bounding streets. The site integrates into the urban fabric of the and neighborhoods, positioned at the southern edge of and northern fringe of , amid a mix of historic loft buildings, contemporary retail, and residential uses. The lot measures 23,397 square feet, supporting a structure with a current building area of 166,265 square feet that achieves near-complete lot coverage. The building's footprint originated with the initial construction phase in 1885–1886 and expanded southward and eastward via a seamless addition completed in 1892–1893, incorporating additional bays along (six bays) and Mulberry Street (five bays) to encompass more of the block. This evolution maximized the site's utilization within the dense grid of Manhattan's street layout. Immediate surroundings include the bustling commercial corridor of , lined with boutiques, galleries, and eateries, while East Houston Street provides vehicular access and proximity to broader Midtown connections. The location borders the Cast Iron Historic District to the southwest, contrasting the Puck Building's Romanesque Revival massing with the area's prevalent cast-iron facades, yet sharing the industrial-era context of former manufacturing lofts repurposed for modern creative and residential purposes. Mulberry Street to the east links toward Little Italy's ethnic enclaves, enhancing the site's position at a cultural and neighborhood confluence.

Historical Context of Location

In the early 19th century, the area around the intersection of Houston and Lafayette Streets, part of the broader Bowery corridor, transitioned from rural farmland and plantation roads to urban development following the Commissioners' Plan of 1811, which imposed a grid system facilitating northward expansion from Lower Manhattan. Initially, this zone featured residential lots with single-family homes and row houses occupied by middle-class families, alongside light industrial uses such as small workshops and breweries, reflecting New York's shift from agrarian outskirts to burgeoning suburbs amid population growth from 60,000 in 1800 to over 200,000 by 1830. By mid-century, economic pressures and epidemics prompted denser tenement construction and commercialization, with the Bowery evolving into a lively commercial artery lined with shops, theaters, and markets, though marred by vice and overcrowding as wealthier residents decamped northward. This site's selection for Puck magazine's headquarters in the 1880s aligned with Manhattan's publishing industry's northward migration from cramped Printing House Square near City Hall, where over 20 publishers clustered by the decade's end in adjacent blocks, drawn by available space, rail access, and lower costs amid urban densification. The vicinity, including nearby facilities like the De Vinne Press at 392–396 , had emerged as a secondary hub for and printing post-Civil War, supporting Puck's need for expansive facilities to produce its color-illustrated satirical weekly, which required specialized equipment and proximity to suppliers and distributors. This positioning capitalized on the area's infrastructural advantages, such as elevated ground avoiding flood-prone lowlands and connectivity to the Third Avenue Elevated line opened in 1878, enabling efficient circulation of magazines citywide. Waves of German immigration peaking in the 1840s–1850s, with over 1 million arrivals bolstering New York's German-American population to around 200,000 by 1880, concentrated in the adjacent "Little Germany" enclave east of the Bowery, influencing Puck's location as its founder, Austrian-born Joseph Keppler, initially launched a German-language edition targeting this demographic before expanding to English. The site's adjacency to this vibrant community—home to German theaters, beer gardens, and newspapers—provided a ready pool of bilingual artists, engravers, and readers familiar with European satirical traditions like Simplicissimus, while fostering Puck's early content skewing toward immigrant experiences and political commentary resonant with Teutonic cultural ties. Prior to construction, the block housed St. Catherine's Convent, underscoring the area's eclectic pre-commercial mix of institutional and residential uses amenable to repurposing for industrial-scale publishing.

Architecture

Exterior Design

The Puck Building's exterior is a prime example of adapted with elements of the German , featuring round arches and robust massing, designed by Albert Wagner and constructed in phases between 1885 and 1893. The structure occupies an entire city block bounded by , East , Mulberry Street, and Jersey Street in Manhattan's neighborhood, with the original northern section rising seven stories and the 1892–1893 southern annex extending to nine stories. Red forms the dominant material of the facades, organized into vertical bays defined by that support a hierarchy of round arches varying in scale: full-bay two-story arches at the base, subdivided into double or triple arches on upper levels, creating a rhythmic progression upward. accents stringcourses, sills, and bases, while polished gray caps the pier bases, and frames windows, entrances, and vault lights embedded in the pavement. Elaborate corbeling crowns the , and chamfered corners feature prominent columns, such as the two-story round column at the East Houston and Mulberry Street intersection. Iconic ornamentation includes gilded statues of Puck, the mischievous sprite emblematic of the building's namesake magazine, sculpted by Henry Baerer: a large figure at the northeast corner holding a mirror, pen, and book inscribed "What fools these Mortals be," and a smaller duplicate above the entrance. The main entrance features a Doric with lion's head motifs and wrought-iron gates, underscoring the facade's blend of structural vigor and whimsical detailing reflective of its satirical publishing origins.

Facade Composition

The Puck Building's facade is constructed primarily of red brick laid in running bond, with brownstone employed for bases, stringcourses, and cornice elements, creating a cohesive Romanesque Revival composition unified across its phased construction. Vertical brick piers divide the elevations into bays of uniform width, while horizontal divisions form tiers of arcades featuring round arches of varying scales—double-story at the base, paired two-story in mid-sections, and triple three-story spanning upper levels—supported by patterned brickwork and corbeling. Cast-iron enframements surround double-hung windows (configurations including one-over-one, four-over-four, and six-over-six lights), with neo-Grec detailing on piers, and polished gray granite forms the street-level bases on principal facades. The Lafayette Street elevation, the most elaborate, spans 10 bays across the original seven-story northern section and nine-story southern annex, with the primary entrance in a Doric in the first bay of the addition; chamfered corners articulate junctions with adjacent streets. East mirrors this with three bays, including former entrances marked by steps, while Mulberry Street presents six bays on the original and five on the addition, with secondary storefronts and an ornamental featuring eight landings. In contrast, the Jersey Street facade remains nearly plain, with metal-shuttered windows under simple round arches and minimal articulation. These elements derive visual rhythm from the interplay of arch widths within equal bays and the adept modulation of red texture against stone and iron accents.

Ornamentation and Iconography

The facade of the Puck Building employs restrained yet distinctive ornamentation characteristic of with influences, featuring red brick laid in patterned courses, white terracotta trim encircling the round arches and s, and cast-iron window enframements with neo-Grec motifs. Polished gray forms the base, while stringcourses and corbeling accentuate horizontal divisions and the line, creating a rhythmic across the piers and bays. Iconographic elements center on the building's namesake, Puck—the mischievous sprite from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream—symbolizing the satirical and irreverent ethos of Puck magazine, which occupied the structure. A large gilded bronze statue by sculptor Henry Baerer crowns the northeast corner at East Houston and Mulberry Streets, depicting Puck in mid-flight holding a mirror, pen, and open book inscribed with the quote "What fools these Mortals be" from the play, underscoring themes of folly and critique. A smaller Puck figure, designer unknown, surmounts the Lafayette Street entrance within a Doric portico featuring wreath capitals, rosettes, lion's heads, and the inscription "PUCK BUILDING," reinforcing the publication's branding. These sculptures, among the city's most recognizable outdoor figures, integrate the magazine's whimsical, anti-establishment identity into the architecture, with wrought-iron Art Nouveau gates at the entrance adding a later ornamental flourish.

Interior Layout and Features

The Puck Building's original interior, designed by Albert Wagner in 1885–1886, was configured across seven stories for the lithographic printing operations of Puck magazine and the J. Ottmann Lithographic Company, providing expansive open-plan floors totaling nearly eight acres to house large presses, inking equipment, and editorial workspaces. Structural piers with brownstone bases and multi-story round arches supported heavy machinery loads and facilitated vertical circulation, while cast-iron and glass vault-lights embedded in the sidewalks admitted natural light to basement and lower-level areas used for storage and processing. The 1892–1893 annex, also by Wagner, extended the layout southward with two additional stories, incorporating reinforced brick piers and iron framing to integrate seamlessly with the original and accommodate expanded production capacity without disrupting the open spatial flow. These adaptations maintained high ceilings—evident in surviving double-height arches spanning the first and second stories—for ventilation and overhead clearance essential to 19th-century . Following acquisitions in the late and , the interiors underwent conversion to and gallery spaces suited for graphic-arts tenants, retaining the building's characteristic loft-like openness through minimal partitioning and preservation of exposed structural elements such as brick arches and high ceilings averaging 12 feet in upper floors. Subsequent reinforcements, including updated systems and floor supports, enabled flexible modern layouts while complying with landmark restrictions that protected original spatial volumes. Barrel-vaulted ceilings in select areas were restored or highlighted to emphasize the industrial heritage during these adaptations.

Modern Additions and Adaptations

In the 2010s, oversaw the installation of advanced HVAC systems throughout the Puck Building, including air-cooled and water-cooled (VAV) and constant volume units, designed to create a multi-zone, code-compliant setup without modifying the historic . These upgrades integrated modern controls with existing dated equipment to enhance operational efficiency while preserving the structure's architectural integrity, as demonstrated in tenant fit-outs like the 10,000-square-foot for Insurance. Boiler system modernizations included the addition of four modular Triad Series 1600 low-pressure boilers with gas-fired burners in the ground-floor space, enabling scalable operation—such as using a single unit during low-demand seasons—to improve energy efficiency over traditional single-boiler configurations. Window replacements during residential conversions featured low-e coated insulating glass units filled with gas, providing enhanced performance, acoustic isolation, and UV while replicating the original curved profiles and sightlines to comply with landmarks preservation requirements. Accessibility improvements addressed landmark constraints through custom installations, such as a platform lift by Handi-Lift to facilitate vertical circulation in the historic structure. These adaptations balanced Landmarks Preservation Commission mandates with contemporary functionality, minimizing visible alterations to maintain the Romanesque Revival facade and interiors.

History

Construction and Early Development (1885–1893)

The Puck Building was commissioned in 1885 by Joseph Keppler, the Austrian-born founder and editor of Puck magazine, in partnership with financier Adolph Schwarzmann and lithographer J. Ottman, to accommodate the publication's rapid expansion and its associated printing operations. With Puck's circulation surpassing 80,000 copies weekly by the early 1880s and reaching 90,000 by decade's end, the structure was purpose-built as a dedicated facility for satirical content production and large-scale lithography, prioritizing functional space over ornamental excess. German-born architect Albert Wagner, who supervised all phases of development, designed the original edifice in a Romanesque Revival style drawing from the tradition, featuring robust brick piers, round-arched fenestration, and corbeled detailing to support heavy industrial loads while evoking Teutonic solidity. Construction began in March 1885 on a site at the southwest corner of East and Mulberry Streets in , encompassing Tax Map Block 510, Lot 45, with materials including red brick for fire-resistant walls, bases, and cast-iron window frames—standard for commercial builds to mitigate risks from volatile processes involving inks and solvents. The seven-story original, completed in 1886, provided initial multi-level workspaces optimized for vertical workflow in . Reflecting the era's industrial imperatives, the build employed load-bearing techniques with vault-lights for natural illumination in interior spaces, enabling efficient lithographic operations without reliance on costly early electric systems. A bricklayers' strike in December 1885 briefly delayed progress, underscoring labor dynamics in New York's booming sector, though the project adhered to prevailing standards for durability and scale in media enterprises. To meet ongoing demands, Wagner oversaw a southward in 1892–1893, effectively doubling the footprint to nearly eight acres of floor area and integrating seamlessly with the original via consistent stylistic elements, thus solidifying the complex as one of the largest facilities worldwide for lithographic publishing at the time.

Puck Magazine Operations (1885–1917)

The Puck Building, completed in 1886, functioned as the integrated headquarters for Puck magazine's editorial and production activities, enabling the weekly issuance of satirical content featuring color lithographic cartoons. Architecturally optimized for publishing demands, its steel-frame construction and reinforced floors supported heavy machinery, making it the world's largest facility dedicated to lithography and publishing at the time, with a total floor area approaching eight acres. Central to operations was the J. Ottmann Lithographic Company, which occupied shared spaces within the building and pioneered full-color printing techniques for Puck's double-page centerfold cartoons and covers, innovations that distinguished the magazine from black-and-white competitors. This on-site capability streamlined the production pipeline, from sketch to press, allowing rapid response to current events and political developments. Editorial offices accommodated writers, artists, and engravers, whose proximity to printing facilities minimized delays and enhanced in creating caricatures that critiqued figures like presidents and policies. At its height in the late and , Puck's circulation reached approximately 125,000 copies per issue during pivotal election cycles, such as , sustaining influence through widespread distribution of its visual . The building's layout thus not only housed but actively enabled this output, positioning Puck as a trailblazer in color political cartooning by integrating creative and technical workflows under one roof. Operations continued unabated until financial pressures from competing publications and shifting reader tastes led to declining viability by 1917.

Early 20th-Century Modifications and Decline

Following the cessation of Puck magazine's operations in 1918, the Puck Building entered a phase of functional decline, transitioning from a flagship publishing and printing hub to more modest commercial uses. The magazine's closure stemmed from mounting financial losses, compounded by disruptions and its 1917 acquisition by , which failed to revive its fortunes. As New York's publishing and industry migrated uptown toward emerging districts with improved rail access, larger floor plates, and proximity to expanding garment and editorial operations—exemplified by the Garment District's consolidation around —the Puck Building housed smaller printing firms and ancillary services rather than major publishers. This shift reflected broader adaptive challenges for specialized late-19th-century facilities like the building's expansive open-plan interiors and lithographic presses, which became oversized for fragmented tenants amid technological transitions to and consolidation elsewhere. Minimal physical alterations occurred in this period, with no major demolitions or rear modifications documented to comply with emerging light-and-air regulations like the , though the building's underutilization contributed to interior neglect and exterior weathering from exposure without regular industrial maintenance. By the 1920s–1930s, reports noted the structure's survival amid the fading printing district, underscoring its resilience yet diminished role.

Mid-20th-Century Uses and Deterioration

During and the immediate postwar years, the Puck Building accommodated industrial tenancies focused on and light , with owners prioritizing operational continuity over comprehensive upkeep amid wartime resource constraints and economic shifts. In the and , the structure continued hosting such occupants, including firms like printing companies that utilized its spacious interiors for production, as remained zoned for but faced growing obsolescence in garment and related trades. By the 1960s and 1970s, SoHo's industrial base eroded with the of jobs, resulting in district-wide vacancy rates that climbed as factories emptied and owners speculated on redevelopment; this created pervasive risks of , as artists illegally converted abandoned lofts into live-work studios despite M1-5A prohibiting residences. Compounding these pressures, ' proposed Lower Manhattan Expressway (LOMEX) plan in the late 1960s envisioned slicing through , prompting zoning uncertainties and deterring long-term investments in building maintenance. While the Puck Building retained tenancies into the late 1970s, the era's deferred maintenance across similar properties led to structural wear, including deteriorated and outdated systems, necessitating major interventions evident in pre-purchase evaluations.

Commercial Conversion under Serra and Gee (1978–1983)

In 1978, the Serra family acquired the Puck Building, which was then fully occupied by tenants but in need of revitalization. Paul Serra, a financier, partnered with Peter Gee, who had prior experience converting loft buildings in into mixed-use spaces. Their initiative focused on transforming the structure into commercial condominiums, emphasizing office and studio spaces suitable for artists, galleries, and creative enterprises, thereby preventing potential demolition through private investment rather than relying on government intervention or subsidies. The conversion project, undertaken without public funding, involved extensive interior renovations to adapt the aging Romanesque Revival edifice for modern commercial use while preserving its historical fabric. Key efforts included regilding the iconic Puck statues on the facade and rehabilitating structural elements to meet contemporary building codes, aligning with New York City's evolving preservation regulations for landmark-eligible properties in the late 1970s and early 1980s. By early 1983, the approximately 150,000 square feet of space had been reconfigured into individually sellable units, marking a pioneering application of commercial condo ownership to a historic industrial building. The restored Puck Building officially reopened on April 20, , as a hub for professional and artistic tenants, demonstrating the viability of market-driven in averting for architecturally significant structures. This privately financed effort underscored the role of individual entrepreneurs in landmark preservation amid fiscal constraints on municipal resources during the period.

Skydell and Kushner Acquisition and Expansion (1983–Present)

In December 1985, a syndicate led by developer Harry Skydell acquired the Puck Building from prior owners Peter Gee and Paul Serra for $19 million, with partners including of Kushner Properties, Joel Seiden, and George Gellert. The group immediately committed $8–9 million to renovations, focusing on modernizing mechanical systems, adding two elevators, and converting spaces for office leasing to tenants such as and the City of New York, while respecting the building's newly designated landmark status from 1983. Following Skydell's financial setbacks in the late real estate downturn, which led to personal and business losses, Kushner Properties gained full ownership of the property, ensuring continuity in its stewardship. Under the Kushner family's management—initially and later involving his son —the firm implemented a long-term mixed-use that balanced preservation of the Romanesque Revival facade and interior historic elements with for commercial viability. This approach emphasized private capital investment to reposition lower floors for Class A creative offices and retail, upper levels for specialized tenants, and selective residential additions, achieving full occupancy with creditworthy lessees like and amid market challenges. The Kushners' oversight has prioritized utility maximization without compromising structural integrity, including targeted upgrades to support diverse functions such as event spaces and high-end retail, fostering economic resilience in SoHo-Nolita over four decades. This sustained family-led investment contrasts with earlier episodic uses, transforming the landmark into a multifaceted asset that generates revenue while maintaining its cultural footprint.

1980s–2000s Repositioning

In the mid-1980s, following its sale to an investor group including the Kushner Companies for $19 million in 1986, the Puck Building was repositioned as a hub for creative and graphic arts tenants, building on prior conversions that targeted such firms amid SoHo's shift from industrial to cultural and commercial uses. Upper floors were leased to media and design entities, including Spy magazine in the late 1980s, diversifying occupancy from legacy printing operations to modern creative industries suited to the neighborhood's growing artistic ecosystem. Stabilization efforts under Kushner oversight included infrastructure upgrades, such as new elevators and mechanical systems, alongside a mid-1990s renovation led by architects Beyer Blinder Belle to enhance functionality for office users. These improvements supported tenant retention in graphic and design fields, while ground-floor retail activation complemented SoHo's , which accelerated in the and as former lofts converted to galleries, boutiques, and high-end commerce, drawing affluent visitors and boosting foot traffic. By the mid-2000s, the building had achieved near-full occupancy, reflecting successful repositioning prior to the , when rates dropped to 89 percent amid broader office market declines. This era's leasing strategy emphasized class-A creative office space, yielding occupancy levels that outperformed area averages and stabilized the property's value during economic expansion.

Penthouse Development and Retail Upgrades

In 2013, developed six luxury loft-style residences known as the Puck Penthouses, converting disused office space on the eighth and ninth floors into five units while adding a sixth atop a new two-story rooftop extension approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. These residences preserved the building's historic barrel-vaulted brick ceilings and exposed architectural columns, integrating modern amenities like private terraces engineered via the rooftop additions to avoid alterations to the landmark facade. One penthouse entered contract that year for $27.5 million, reflecting the high-value of underutilized upper spaces while maintaining structural integrity. Concurrently, the ground and lower floors underwent conversion to retail space starting in , enhancing tenant appeal with flagship opportunities in the high-traffic SoHo-Nolita location. This included accommodations for major retailers such as , which established its longtime flagship store there, benefiting from the building's prominent corner positioning at Lafayette and Streets without compromising the historic exterior. These upgrades supported economic revitalization by attracting experiential retail concepts, leveraging the Puck Building's cultural cachet to draw sustained foot traffic.

2010s–2025 Revitalization Efforts

Kushner Companies repositioned the Puck Building's first seven floors during the 2010s into modern Class A creative office and retail spaces to enhance competitiveness in SoHo's mixed-use market. This effort targeted high-credit tenants by upgrading infrastructure and amenities to meet demands for flexible, innovative environments. By early 2025, the building reached 100% occupancy across its approximately 175,600 square feet of and 42,400 square feet of retail space, leased to long-term tenants. Key office lessees included , which secured a 90,000-square-foot anchor lease in October 2024; Quadrature Capital Management, with a 10-year, 30,034-square-foot agreement; and others such as , Cadre, Plaid, and . Retail occupancy featured REI's store and Major Food Group's Torrisi restaurant. Post-pandemic leasing emphasized creative office configurations adaptable to hybrid work models, attracting tech and firms seeking collaborative spaces amid Manhattan's recovering market. In October 2025, announced the closure of its 35,000-square-foot store in late 2026 after 15 years of tenancy, prompting Kushner to market the vacancy for new retail occupants. This development posed a short-term challenge to retail stability, though the building's overall office strength underscored the efficacy of prior adaptations.

Significance and Legacy

Architectural and Historical Importance

The Puck Building exemplifies Romanesque Revival architecture, a style characterized by robust forms, rounded arches, and intricate terra-cotta ornamentation, applied to a commercial structure in late 19th-century New York City. Designed primarily by German-born architect Albert Wagner between 1885 and 1893, with expansions supervised by his relative Herman Wagner, the building features load-bearing brick walls, iron framing for fire resistance, and decorative elements including a prominent corner tower and figural sculptures. This design reflects the Rundbogenstil, a German round-arch variant blending Romanesque and Renaissance influences, which Wagner adapted for industrial purposes suited to the publishing trade's need for durable, flame-retardant construction. Its rarity stems from being one of the few intact Romanesque Revival buildings purpose-built for and operations in Manhattan's former newspaper district, where most contemporaries succumbed to fires, demolitions, or stylistic obsolescence. Unlike more ephemeral cast-iron structures, the Puck Building's and terra-cotta facade provided superior longevity, akin to the nearby (1882–1886, Norris G. Starkweather), which similarly prioritized fireproofing through brick arches and hollow-tile floors to safeguard presses and paper stores. The Wagners' cohesive additions ensured visual unity across phases, preserving detailing and structural integrity that highlight advancements in commercial building techniques of the era. The Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Puck Building a on April 12, 1983, following a public hearing on November 18, 1980, citing its exceptional survival of ornamental details, representation of the industry's architectural footprint, and the Wagners' role in elevating utilitarian spaces with artistic flair. This status underscores its contribution to the city's built heritage as a testament to engineering resilience, where empirical material choices like fireproof iron and durable terra cotta enabled endurance amid urban expansion and technological shifts in .

Economic and Cultural Impact

The Puck Building played a pivotal role in advancing publishing technologies during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, serving as the headquarters for Puck magazine and the J. Ottmann Lithography Company, which pioneered full-color chromolithography for satirical cartoons and illustrations that shaped American political discourse and graphic design standards. These innovations, including high-volume production of vibrant, multi-color prints, enabled Puck's widespread influence as the first successful humor magazine in the United States, disseminating caricatures of figures like presidents and industrialists to a national audience until its closure in 1918. Following Puck's departure, the building exemplified by transitioning from a hub to versatile commercial space, a model that preserved its Romanesque Revival structure while accommodating modern tenants in SoHo's evolving economy, thereby avoiding demolition common to obsolete industrial sites. This approach supported the neighborhood's shift from manufacturing to creative and retail districts, with the property hosting media operations, galleries, and events that sustained cultural production amid urban redevelopment pressures. Economically, Kushner Companies' stewardship since 1983 has driven mixed-use vitality, including office leases generating premium rents—such as OpenAI's 90,000-square-foot commitment in October 2024, which bolstered SoHo's post-pandemic office rebound by attracting high-value tech firms. Retail spaces have commanded averages of $352 per square foot along the Prince Street corridor in Q3 2025, reflecting sustained demand despite tenant shifts like REI's flagship closure. Luxury penthouse conversions, with units listed up to $35 million in 2022, have further amplified property values and local fiscal contributions through sales and ongoing occupancy. Claims of over-commercialization have been mitigated by adherence to New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission guidelines, ensuring that interior modernizations and rooftop additions respected the building's 1984 designated status without altering its exterior or historical fabric, thus balancing economic adaptation with heritage integrity. Culturally, the site's legacy endures through its association with Puck's irreverent commentary, which influenced subsequent satirical media, and its continued use for high-profile events that reinforce SoHo's status as a creative nexus.

Preservation and Landmark Status

The Puck Building was designated a New York City Landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission on April 12, 1983 (Designation List 164), following public hearings on November 18, 1980, and February 10, 1981, recognizing its role as a surviving example of the old publishing district's architecture. This status imposes regulatory requirements on alterations, mandating review of changes to exterior features while allowing , with compliance enforced through private owner investments rather than public mandates or subsidies. Early restoration in the , coinciding with commercial conversion under private ownership, involved regilding the iconic Puck statues, replacing deteriorated systems with new plumbing, , and heating/cooling , and rehabilitating interiors for and retail use—all funded by owners to satisfy standards and enable economic viability. These efforts preserved core historic fabric, such as terra-cotta detailing and structural , amid challenges of integrating modern code-compliant systems without compromising the building's Romanesque Revival integrity, a common tension in 1980s urban rehabilitations. Subsequent interventions under ownership, including 2011 approvals for scaled-back penthouse additions, required restoring original parapets and crenellations to align with preservation guidelines, again relying on private capital to balance regulatory hurdles with functional upgrades. Persistent adaptive pressures include tenant turnover, as evidenced by REI's October 2025 announcement of its flagship store closure in late 2026 after 15 years of occupancy, which underscores market-driven needs for repositioning amid retail shifts while navigating landmark constraints on facade and interior modifications.

References

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