When you embark on a stroll with a devoted enthusiast of New York City’s history, fascinating tales of unique and captivating architecture often accompany you. Many New Yorkers, focused on daily ambitions and infamous for blending into the cityscape, overlook the architectural marvels that captivate visitors. Consider the case of 58 Joralemon Street in Brooklyn Heights. Urban explorer Cash Jordan, in his detailed exploration, describes it as a standard townhouse from the exterior. Yet, its blacked-out windows, metallic shell, and sealed door reveal something more peculiar beneath.
Originally constructed as a genteel townhouse in 1847, 58 Joralemon Street underwent a transformation in 1907 into a ventilation point for the subway system. Its neighboring buildings continue to serve as residences, with one recently fetching $6 million on the market, as Jordan highlights in his investigation.
For a stark contrast, visit the Strecker Memorial Laboratory on Roosevelt Island. Established in 1892 for City Hospital, it marked the nation’s pioneering institution for pathology and bacteriology research – a fitting pursuit away from urban hustle. After being deserted in the 1950s, it later transitioned into a vital power conversion substation for the subway.
Exploring further, Jordan unveils a faux facade on Pier 34, designed to ventilate the Holland Tunnel’s exhaust. Despite being under public authority, these structures serve transparent, crucial roles in city transit—an openness not shared by the last subject of Jordan’s exploration. This windowless Brutalist tower at 33 Thomas Street in Lower Manhattan arouses curiosity. Originally an AT&T switching station, it’s speculated to masquerade as a “doomsday fortress.” Though theories abound, its ominous presence breeds many narratives, yet few New Yorkers pause to ponder, adhering to the city’s unwritten rule: don’t look up.
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Colin Marshall, based in Seoul, delves into cities, language, and culture through his writings and broadcasts. His works encompass the Substack newsletter Books on Cities and the book The Stateless City: a Walk through 21st-Century Los Angeles. Connect with him on Twitter via @colinmarshall or on Facebook.
