5 West 16th Street

USA / New Jersey / West New York / West 16th Street, 5
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4-story (plus raised basement) Greek-revival residential building completed in 1846 as a townhouse for Gustavus A. Oppenheim. Originally three stories high with a raised basement, it has a recessed 1-story penthouse which was added in 1918. The building is three bays wide, with a bow-fronted swell incorporating the two westernmost bays. The facade is clad in red brick and the stone trim has been painted tan.

A high stone stoop with wrought-iron railings leads to an entrance in the eastern bay of the parlor floor. An eared and battered molded stone enframement topped by a lintel with a cap molding surrounds the recessed doorway, which has double wooden doors flanked by wooden pilasters and sidelights (now painted), surmounted by a glazed rectangular transom. Above the entrance, the 2nd and 3rd floors of the eastern bay have tripartite window openings with stone mullions.

The basement and parlor story of the swell have been altered from the original. A 1912 alteration designed by Schwartz & Gross converted these floors for use as stores with plate-glass show windows. The basement has a modern metal storefront with large windows flanking a central entrance. A modillioned wooden cornice with metal flashing caps the 3rd floor. Above this, the recessed penthouse has a brick facade with two large, tripartite windows.

The building served as a single-family dwelling until 1894 when it was adapted for mixed uses. The 1st and 2nd floors were converted to art and photography studios with living quarters on the top floor. The building was sold late in 1911, and further renovations in 1912 resulted in the large display windows being installed at the basement and parlor floors. The building's exterior and interior were restored from 2014-2017. The basement storefront is occupied by Copy & Print Shop, with the parlor-level storefront occupied by Advanced Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation.
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Coordinates:   40°44'16"N   73°59'36"W
This article was last modified 5 months ago