159 Ninth Avenue (New York City, New York)

 apartment building  Add category

5-story Italianate residential building completed in 1861. This building, as seen today, is a strange combination of nineteenth century elegance and twentieth century utilitarianism. The upper three stories remain in perfect condition and have a white marble Italianate front. It retains also its original roof cornice (painted black with paired console brackets), segmental arched windows and, most unusual, its molded lintels above them. By contrast, the modern first floor storefront is clad in red-painted stone, with two high-set plate-glass windows flanking a commercial entrance. A residential entrance is on the right, atop three black stone steps, with a black metal-and-glass double-doors with an angular geometric pattern. The ground floor is occupied by F. Rozzo & Sons fish market. Above the ground floor is a band of four modern windows on the south half of the east facade. The upper floors have three bays of single-windows.

The exposed southern wall is faced in very rough stucco, painted white and grey.