The Hendrik Hudson

The Hendrik Hudson, formally known as the Hendrik Hudson Residence Hotel, is a Tuscan-style apartment building located on Riverside Drive in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, New York City. The first plans for a building named for Hendrik Hudson on Riverside Drive were announced in October 1897 by Eugene Kirby, a former manager of the Marie Antoinette Hotel. This was to be an 18-story hotel.[1] These plans were never completed, however, and by 1907, an apartment building bearing the name had been constructed instead.[2]

History

In order to take advantage of the New York City Subway's newly opened line in the area, developers George F Johnson and Aleck Kahn purchased three-quarters of the block defined by Riverside Drive, Broadway, West 110th Street and 111th Street in order to build an apartment complex. The architectural firm of Rouse & Sloan was hired to design and construct the building. The project was led by William L Rouse, and the result was an eight story building modeled after a Tuscan Villa, containing 72 apartment units. The building also featured two towers, on the north and south sides, connected by a promenade.[3][4] The apartments officially opened on October 1, 1907, and the units were quickly rented. Due to this success, a 12 story annex, also designed by William Rouse, was constructed.[3]

The apartment building continued to enjoy success for several decades, until the aftermath of the 1943 rent-control law caused it to rapidly deteriorate. The current landlords of the building were brought to court in 1958 due to the slum-like conditions of the building, and were sentenced to a 30-day jail term. This, along with the investigation of the accidental death of a small child in the building, prompted renovations to be carried out in 1959.[5][3] In 1971, the Hendrik Hudson became a co-op, and the north tower was removed. In 1996, the decision was made to preserve the deteriorating south tower as a "stabilized ruin", despite its preservation costing more than demolishing it.[4]

References
  1. "Hotel On Riverside Drive", The New York Times, October 22, 1897, pg. 12, accessed March 25, 2009
  2. Salwen, Peter (1989). Upper West Side Story: A History and Guide. Abbeville Press. p. 127. ISBN 9780896598942.
  3. Alpern, Andrew (1992). Luxury Apartment Houses of Manhattan: An Illustrated History. Courier Corporation. pp. 77–82. ISBN 9780486273709.
  4. Gray, Christopher (December 29, 1996). "A Decision to Save a Lump of Terra Cotta and Brick". The New York Times.
  5. Young, Allen (April 8, 1960). "Slum With a View' Converted To Luxury Apartment Building". Columbia Spectator.

Further reading
  • "Addition to Mammoth Apartment House". Carpentry and Building. Vol. 29. David Williams Co. 1907. p. 129.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

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