Broadway-Franklin Building (New York City, New York)

 store / shop, apartment building, 1907_construction, housing cooperative, Beaux-Arts (architecture)

12-story Beaux-Arts cooperative-apartment building completed in 1907. Designed by Frederick C. Browne as an office building, it is also known as the Broadway Textile Building. It is faced in brick and limestone with terra-cotta trim. Each facade is divided into three parts — a base, a midsection, and a top. The 2-story terra-cotta top section has double-height paired and fluted pilasters flanking window openings. On the 3-bay Broadway facade, seven of the eight floors of the midsection feature vermiculated stone banding. The lowest story of this section is faced in smooth limestone and is topped by a cornice with a Greek key frieze. Window openings of alternate stories have scroll keystones with carved faces.

The 2-story base of the building has double-height banded and fluted end piers. A stone frieze which separates the 1st and 2nd floors has applied letters reading "Bernard Semel, Inc.," advertising the dry goods firm which once occupied the building. Between the end piers, storefront bays are divided at the first story by painted Ionic columns; historic transoms remain. The northernmost ground-story bay has been filled with stainless steel and a pair of metal and glass doors. Bays at the 2nd floor are divided by elaborate piers with garlands and female heads and have paired windows.

The 3-bay-wide end portions of the Franklin Street facade follow the same overall design and articulation of detail as the Broadway facade. The center section of the Franklin Street facade is five bays wide and is executed more simply with brick banding. The five center windows of the 11th floor have protruding metal oriels and are flanked by double-height paired columns. The three bays at each end of the base of the Franklin Street facade follow the Broadway design, as well. Banded stone pilasters flank the five center bays. Spandrels between the 1st and 2nd floors have carved rosettes and foliate detailing. Most ground-floor bays are filled with show windows with transoms.

The Cortlandt Alley elevation is faced in banded brick with terra-cotta trim. Six window openings span each story. Double height pilasters are found above the 10th floor. A fire escape fronts the two center bays above the ground floor, which is divided into three bays by brick piers on tall stone bases. A cast-iron lintel above the 1st-floor windows has rosette and scroll ornament. The northern (side) elevation is visible above the adjacent building. Faced in brick, it has several inserted window openings.

The most recent commercial tenant was the O.K. Uniform Company Inc. before the building was converted to residential. The ground floor is currently occupied by Gourmet Garage.