SomeraRoad Corporate Offices (New York City, New York)

 interesting place, social club

3.5-story Anglo-Italianate building constructed as a commercial investment by the builder, developer and merchant Richard F. Carman in 1851-53. In 1870, the New York Cotton Exchange was founded here, and in 1914 it became India House, a private club. The adjoining, Greek-revival former loft buildings at 97, 99 & 101 Pearl Street (all dating from 1836) were gradually acquired and now share a single tax lot with the original bank building and are joined on the interior. Interior alterations were made by Delano & Aldrich in 1925.

Faced in brownstone, the main building as it fronts Hanover Square features a symmetrical 8-bay facade in the Italianate style, characterized by a Corinthian entrance portico, pedimented window surrounds (rounded on the 1st floor, and triangular on the 2nd), and bracketed cornice (now missing its balustraded parapet). Four bays on Pearl Street and two bays on Stone Street continue that articulation and its division into three stories on a rusticated basement. Paneled cast-iron piers, inserted to allow wider openings, contain paired doors on Hanover Square and windows facing Pearl and Stone Streets. The basement is fronted by an areaway, defined by a brownstone-capped brick wall which supports a historic iron railing.

At the southern end of the site are three earlier, 4-story Greek-Revival buildings, characterized by simple bases of piers supporting plain stone lintels and upper walls punctured by regularly-spaced openings, framed by stone sills and lintels, and modest cornices. All have been painted. Significant ironwork survives as an elaborate fire escape connecting No. 101 to the side of the original bank building and the railing and piers associated with the basement of the original bank building.

On Pearl Street, 3-bay No. 101 retains its historic base of piers and lintel; the openings have been bricked up but for three segmental-arched multi-pane wood windows. The upper openings contain a variety of window types. At 3-bay No. 99 most of the granite step/areaway coping remains. The historic base of piers and lintel frames openings was altered for three windows. The central bay accommodates an entrance to the basement. At the upper levels, openings contain varied window types and historic pintles, to which the hinges of shutters were attached. 5-bay No. 95-97 also retains its base of piers and lintel, as well as parts of the granite steps; 1st-story openings have paneled bulkheads, and a basement hatchway with a roll-down security gate. The upper facade features star-shaped tie-rod plates and openings with pintles and varied window types.

On Stone Street the simply detailed 3-story-plus-basement facade of No. 66 was altered to align its fenestration with that of the original bank building; its commercial base was removed. Significant ironwork survives as an elaborate fire escape connecting Nos. 64 and 66. At 3-bay, 4-story No. 64 the historic base of piers (minus their capitals) and lintel frames paneled bulkheads. Upper openings contain a variety of window types. At 3-bay, 4-story No. 62 the base of piers and lintel survives with two bays covered by security gates. Upper openings have pintles and varied window types. At the 5-bay, 4-story facade of No. 60 the base of piers and lintel has security gates at three bays. The upper portion of the facade features star-shaped tie-rod ends, and openings with pintles and varied window types. One opening is blocked up.

indiahouse.nyc/
untappedcities.com/2023/11/02/one-hanover-square/
commercialobserver.com/2023/11/former-downtown-social-c...