181 Front Street
also 159 John Street, 89 South Street | Financial District | built 1980
Open on the map3 entries
The city photographed every building for its tax records around 1940 and again in the 1980s. NYC Municipal Archives.
Written with AI from the source each entry cites, then fact-checked.
- 1835
Two small brick buildings owned by merchant Anson G. Phelps stand here first
The land came from the estate of John Byvank, whose daughter Mary married the landowner George Codwise Jr. Two smaller brick buildings here belonged to Anson G. Phelps, the merchant and philanthropist who founded Phelps, Dodge & Co. They were replaced in 1835-36 by the present pair of Greek Revival warehouses at 181 and 189 Front Street.
- 1836
Grocers Mackie, Oakley & Jennison put up a Greek Revival warehouse on the corner
When the new stores were built in 1835-36, No. 181 belonged to the grocers Mackie, Oakley & Jennison, and its next-door twin, No. 189, to the ship captain Josiah Macy. The corner building has a granite ground floor with a row of evenly spaced piers, a feature of the Greek Revival commercial style, and the same firm reworked 165 John Street to match it.
“No. 181 was owned by the grocers, Mackle, Oakley & Jennison , and No. 189 by Josiah Macy…”
- 1917
The corner warehouse gains a sixth story and now outtops its neighbor on John Street
An extra story with a deeply projecting cornice was added to 181 Front Street in 1917. The addition made it taller than its five-story neighbor at 165 John Street.
“…the higher 181 Front Street, which had a sixth story added in 1917…”
Nearby
- 189 Front Street Building189 Front Street | 6 entries
- 191 Front Street3 entries
- 165 John Street4 entries
- 193 Front Street Building193 Front Street | 4 entries
- 195 Front Street (Schermerhorn Row)195 Front Street | 5 entries
- A. A. Low Building167 John Street | 5 entries