Former Malvina Hoffman Studio Building | townhouse

USA / New Jersey / West New York / East 35th Street, 157
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4-story residential building originally completed in 1867 as a 2-story stable. Designed by John B. Franklin, it included an apartment on the 2nd floor for "dwelling of coachman and family". It was converted in 1915 (by architect George Butler) into a studio, "by removing partitions and portions of the roof and installation of skylights" for Malvina Hoffman, a renowned sculptor. She lived here until her death in 1966. The rear she decorated forms the south end of Sniffen Court. Around 1929-1932 two additional floors were added onto the rear of the house.

The front facade is clad in tan Roman brick on the ground floor, and orange brick on the 2nd. The center bay has the former carriage door, now a garage door, painted black. To the left is a black paneled wooden door, and to the right a window. A stone band across the ground floor separates transoms from all three openings, with a gentle curve at the center bay. Another band sets off the 2nd floor, which has three single-windows with flat, tan stone lintels. The front roof line is marked by a brick parapet with geometric panels outlined by dentils, and an elaborately-patterned copper cornice, surmounted by a stone coping.

The set-back upper floors are faced in beige stucco, with large studio windows on the right, and smaller window openings on the left. The rear, north facade facing Sniffen Court. The brick is painted dark-grey, with a dark-red wooden door in the center. To either side is a dark-red panel decorated with a white figure on horseback.
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Coordinates:   40°44'48"N   73°58'41"W
This article was last modified 2 years ago