Seward Park Housing (New York City, New York)

 park, housing cooperative, apartment complex

Seward Park Housing Corporation is located in the triangle between Grand Street and East Broadway, and abuts the New York City public park that shares its name. The buildings, attributed to Herman Jessor as architect share the general design of the East River Houses, with four towers facing the Lower East Side. Each of the twelve semi-attached towers has seven or eight apartments on each floor around a central stairwell and corridor.

Construction work was begun in 1957 and finished in 1959 at a total cost of $23,258,392.75. A mortgage loan from Bowery Savings Bank and pension funds of the United Hatters, Cap & Millinery Workers, International Union as well as Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators and Paperhangers of America covered $18 million, with about 25% of the costs paid as equity by the 1,728 cooperative members.

The buildings are known for their murals by Hugo Gellert in a socialist realist style. Each of the murals depicts a "progressive" hero with an associated quote.

www.sewardparkcoop.com/default.html