Good afternoon Commissioners. I am here today to testify on behalf of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation in support of the proposed designation of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Building, 23-29 Washington Place, as an individual landmark. GVSHP is the largest membership organization in Greenwich Village, founded in 1980 to protect the special architectural heritage and cultural history of Greenwich Village and the East Village, and to promote historic preservation.
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Building is of undeniable cultural and historic significance to all New Yorkers, and in fact to the history of the nation as a whole. The tragic events of March 25, 1911 are well documented, as are those which led to and followed from this terrible event. The deadly fire which took place here had a tremendous impact on the course of the labor movement, the women’s movement, and a broad array of social justice work. The impact was so great not only because of the dimensions of the tragedy which took place here, but because of the typicality of the circumstances – a largely female workforce, working under inhumane circumstances in a densely built-up, hi-rise factory district, rebuffed for seeking better conditions and compensation. The changes which the events at this site led to have a profound impact upon our daily lives today, and the building serves as a living reminder of the conditions which many of our forefathers and mothers toiled under. It is remarkable that such a significant physical embodiment of this incredibly noteworthy piece of our history remains intact, and we fully support the effort to ensure that it remains that way.
Additionally, while they might in some ways pale in comparison to the significance of this tragic fire, the architectural merit of this and surrounding buildings should be noted as well, as they are of an extremely high caliber, and embody the history of many aspects of New York’s development. This building, like many of those in the six or so blocks between Washington Square Park and Broadway, was an early high-rise loft building, of the sort which came to dominate the lower Manhattan skyline just below the spires of the emerging crop of early skyscrapers. The granite, masonry, and cast-iron buildings in this area have intricate detailing on superbly composed facades, turning otherwise boxy buildings into lyrical compositions. Nearly all of the buildings in these blocks were built over a 30 or so year time span, nearly all are of great architectural quality and, like the Triangle Shirtwaist Building, nearly all are in superb condition with most of their original details intact. They come together as an ensemble which represents the best of early 20th century New York commercial and industrial design sensibilities. They also reflect the role of this area – like the nearby Soho, Noho, and Ladies Mile/Flatiron districts, its true architectural and historical peers -- as a center for the development at the turn of the century of a distinctly New York building type which had such a strong impact on our city’s history, as well as its aesthetics: the high-rise loft building.
Thus GVSHP strongly supports the designation of this building as an individual ladnmark, and applauds the Commission for bringing this proposed designation forward. We also hope, however, that the Commission will use the occasion of this designation to examine the history and architecture of its surroundings. We think that it will be clear that they too are worthy of landmark protections, and are one of many areas of Greenwich Village lacking the historic district protections which would ensure the preservation of the unique qualities they contribute to our city’s history and built environment.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.