38 East 23rd Street | office building

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4-story office building completed around 1860 as a mansion for William C. Prime, who was the co-owner and the editor of the Journal of Commerce. His influence resulted in the creation of the department of Art History at Princeton University, his alma mater. Prime’s active interest in the arts resulted in his being elected the first Vice-President of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1870. He died in February 1905, and the funeral was held in the home.

The property was sold to James L. Breeze in 1907, who commissioned architects Snelling & Potter to remodel the Prime mansion into a commercial building, which involved removing the stoop, and adding show windows and an elevator. Breese leased offices in the upper floors including those of R. P. Breese, designers of motorboats and gas engines. The retail store was leased to Rogers’ Misfit Parlors. In April 1912 James Breese embarked on further renovations designed by Brooklyn architects Koch & Wagner. The plans called for new interior walls and replacement windows. But the $8,000 renovations, like those of 1907, did not alter the façade above the 2nd floor. The renovated retail store became home to the Shed Rain Rubbercoat Company later that year. But before long it would be replaced by a soda fountain, the Loft.

The facade is clad in off-white marble above storefronts that have been more recently altered. The upper floors have three bays of windows with full surrounds, including projecting sill courses and cornices. A black iron fire escape runs down the western two bays, and the facade is crowned by a roof cornice with paired brackets, dentils, and three ornamented panels. The ground floor is occupied by Springbone kitchen restaurant.