210 7th Avenue

 abandoned / shut down  Add category

6-story vacant building originally completed in the 1840s as a 4-story townhouse. In its early years, a small school was run in the basement, and later a medical practice. In 1880 the house was purchased by Anna E. Smith, who rented out rooms, installed the first commercial storefront on the ground floor, and added the two copper bays on the 2nd floor. A new cornice with neo-Classical decorations was installed as well.

By the early 1920s No. 201 West 22nd Street had become a fleabag hotel, named Halpin's. In 1993 a permit was issued for the addition of two stories atop the brick and brownstone house. Clad in metal and glass, it clashes with the original facade, which was veneered in brick over the brownstone. The 6th floor rises only from the north half of the structure. Shortly thereafter, the current owner abandoned the property, which has deteriorated since. In 2010 a sidewalk shed was installed to protect pedestrians from the deteriorating facade. It was finally removed in 2019 after the city removed about half of the 4th-floor cornice, which had been dangerously sagging.

The ground-floor storefront extends slightly east toward the avenue, with a sloping metal roof, and fluted cast-iron pilasters at the south end. The 2nd floor has two projecting bays of double-windows in copper enframements with sloped copper roofs, and a single-window to the north of each projecting bay. The 3rd & 4th floors have three single-windows (with no window bay at the south end), and a small bathroom window at the 3rd floor between the northern two bays. A rusted iron fire escape runs down one of the bays.

The south facade on 22nd Street has two bays of single-windows, and is clad in darker, variegated brick.

210 7th Avenue has been vacant seemingly since 2002.

ny.curbed.com/2012/3/22/10386366/neglected-chelsea-buil...