New York Songlines: King Street

Greenwich St | Hudson | Varick | 6th Ave | Macdougal
King Street is named for Rufus King, one of New York's original two senators (1789-1796) and the Federalist candidate for president in 1816. The street was named for him by Aaron Burr, a political ally who first laid it out on land that was formerly part of the Richmond Hill estate (where Washington, John Adams and Burr all lived). Because of Burr's financial reversals, however, the street was actually developed by John Jacob Astor.


Block (319 Spring): This three-story UPS facility was built in 1949.



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Corner (341 Hudson): Like several properties hereabouts, this building is owned by Trinity Church, which received the entire neighborhood as a land grant from Queen Anne in 1705. In the early 20th Century, the church tore down a large number of residential buildings it owned and replaced them with large commercial structures in what was viewed as a slum-clearance effort. This 17-floor office building dates to 1931.

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Saatchi & Saatchi

Saatchi & Saatchi II by edenpictures, on Flickr

Block (375 Hudson): HQ of the advertising giant, which has represented Margaret Thatcher and Boris Yeltsin. Some of the company's ''sensational'' art collection is displayed here.


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Corner (348 Hudson): Another Trinity Church-owned commercial building--this one a nine-story structure from 1930.











84: This building used to be Paradise Garage, legendary disco from 1977-87 that featured artists like Grace Jones, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan and Madonna. Once an actual parking garage, now a Verizon facility.














Corner (185 Varick): Dizzy Izzy's New York Bagels

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U.S. Appraisers Stores Building by edenpictures, on Flickr

201 (block): Designed by Albert Buchman and Eli Jacques Kahn, this was built in 1929 as the United States Appraisers' Stores Building, a federal building that warehoused goods seized by the Customs Bureau. During World War II, the building was reportedly used for secret atomic experiments. The Atomic Energy Commission moved offices to the building in 1959.

The building houses an INS detention center, used to hold what would be called "political prisoners" if they were in another country. After September 11, it is believed to have held numerous "special guests"--though the point of a secret jail like this one is that one doesn't know who or how many. As commentator John Bloom wrote, "I've seen buildings like this in other countries--in Moscow, in Istanbul, in Mexico City--but I had never before seen an unmarked urban detention center in the U.S."

Also in the building is the Environmental Measurements Laboratory, which is the government's main radiation-testing lab. It helped monitor the environmental consequences of September 11. It's now part of the Department of Homeland Security.

Other offices in the building include Manhattan's main passport office, a branch of the National Archives and the local office of Rep. Jerry Nadler.


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Corner (180 Varick): A 17-story commercial building from 1929 that's home to a number of architectural and design firms, including 2x4, MASS.com, Michael Sorkin Studio/Terreform, Hargreaves Associates, MESH Architectures and Thomas Phifer & Partners.

54: All the buildings from here to 6th Avenue are part of the Charlton-King-Vandam Historic District, established 1966.

40-44: Three very well-preserved Greek Revival rowhouses from the 1840s

20: Another well-preserved Greek Revival rowhouse from the 1840s

18 (corner): Mekong, Vietnamese; was Le Pescadou, French seafood.

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49: All the houses on this side of the block from here to 6th Avenue are part of the Charlton-King-Vandam Historic District.










S <===     6TH AVENUE     ===> N

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2 (block): Seven-story white-brick building from 1963.







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5 (corner): All the buildings on this side of the block are in the Charlton-King-Vandam Historical District.





1A (corner): Building dates to c. 1899.


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What's missing on King Street? Write to Jim Naureckas and tell him about it.

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