59 West 12th Street

59 West 12th Street is a residential building located in the Greenwich Village Historic District[1] in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States.

59 West 12th Street
Between 5th and 6th Avenues
General information
TypeCondominium apartment
Architectural styleArt Deco
LocationGreenwich Village
Town or city59 West 12th Street, New York, New York 10011
CountryUnited States
Coordinates40°44′8.66″N 73°59′49.42″W
Current tenants101 apartments
Construction started1929
InauguratedAugust 7, 1931
Technical details
Floor count18 including two penthouse floors
Design and construction
ArchitectEmery Roth
DeveloperBing & Bing

It was built by the developer brothers Bing & Bing with noted architect Emery Roth[2] whose other work includes The Beresford and The Eldorado.

It was granted an occupancy license on August 7, 1931[3] and houses 101 condominium apartments.

Development

It was part of a simultaneous development of five buildings in the area.

Bing and Bing also used Roth to design 299 West 12th Street.[4]

They worked with the architectural firm of Boak and Paris on both 302 West 12th Street [5] and 45 Christopher Street.[6]

And they chose to work with architect Robert T. Lyons on 2 Horatio Street.[7]

Rivaling Central Park West

Leo Bing announced on April 1, 1929 that his firm had quietly acquired 75 small lots and old buildings largely around Abingdon Square, Sheridan Square and Jackson Square Park. And the lots would be combined to allow for a set of larger-scale, 17-story apartment buildings.[8]

He said his goal was to "recreate the entire district as a modern counterpart of the high-class residential section it once was" saying it would "rival Central Park West and the fashionable east side within a few years." He cited the goal of neighborhood reinvention as the reason for the simultaneous building, saying his hope was that "complete transformation of the section may be achieved as quickly as possible."[8]

Despite the start of the Great Depression just months after Leo Bing's announcement, by September 1931, Bing & Bing reported that the "five new buildings on Christopher, Horatio and West Twelfth Streets are proving among the most popular of all the Bing & Bing apartment properties. Callers have been numerous … and a high percentage of the space has been leased."[9]

Notable residents

Once the home of:

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References
  1. New York City Landmarks Preservation Committee maps
  2. Columbia University Libraries, New York Real Estate Brochure Collection 59–69 W. 12 St."
  3. "New York City Certificate of Occupancy 1931" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 21, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  4. Columbia University Libraries, New York Real Estate Brochure Collection "299 W. 12 St."
  5. Columbia University Libraries, New York Real Estate Brochure Collection "302 W. 12 St."
  6. Columbia University Libraries, New York Real Estate Brochure Collection "45 Christopher St."
  7. Columbia University Libraries, New York Real Estate Brochure Collection "2 Horatio St."
  8. "Bing & Bing Plan $40,000,000 Apartment Development on Lower West Side". New York Times. April 2, 1929.
  9. "Tall apartments in Village centre. Presents rental problem". New York Times. September 27, 1931.
  10. "Taking a Peek at Prewar Classics". New York Times. June 9, 2006. Archived from the original on June 10, 2011.
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