George Bruce Building

254 Canal Street | also 112 Lafayette Street, 260 Canal Street | Civic Center | built 1857

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.

1855
An earlier lumber mill on this site burns down
Printer and typographer George Bruce bought the Canal Street lot in 1832 and ran a lumber mill there for more than two decades. A fire destroyed the mill in 1855, clearing the way for a fireproof cast-iron building for his printing business.
Source: Daytonian in Manhattan
1857
James Bogardus builds Bruce a cast-iron printing works
Cast-iron pioneer James Bogardus produced a five-story Italianate building for Bruce, with fluted Corinthian columns at street level and between the upper windows. Bruce planned three separate stores on the lower floors, with loft space above for his printing business.
Source: Daytonian in Manhattan
1910
George Bruce's estate, including the building, is auctioned
In December 1910 the building was auctioned along with 22 other properties from George Bruce's estate. The New York Times credited Bruce with wise real-estate investments and put the value of his property at between $2 million and $3 million.
Source: Daytonian in Manhattan
1985
March 12
The city designates the George Bruce Building a landmark
The Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the cast-iron building a New York City landmark. It was later added to the New York State Register of Historic Places in 2006 and to the National Register of Historic Places that June.
Source: Wikipedia

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