181983-85 Sullivan StreetArchitect: UnknownLocation: 83-85 Sullivan Street Just a doorway. A reasonably intact Federal-style entrance is a rarity within a rarity. When the neighborhoods changed and the buildings went from residential to commercial uses, ground floors that once communicated hospitality towards one’s peers (and one’s peers alone) were accordingly altered to maximize foot-traffic and window-shopping for the greater public. Charles Lockwood’s Bricks and Brownstone says: “The usual Federal style doorway had a delicately leaded rectangular toplight and, often, leaded sidelights. The single wooden door had six or eight deeply set planels, often edged with a delicate egg-and-dart pattern or beading, and brass or silver doorknob and knocker.” 83 has no sidelights (these would be thin panes of glass to the side of the door), edge detailing, or a knocker, but still, pretty typical for the time. We’ll compare this to the more ornate Late Federal and Greek Revival doorways in later entries. Anyway, it’s good to know they finally removed the wreath.
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1819
83-85 Sullivan Street

Architect: Unknown
Location: 83-85 Sullivan Street

Just a doorway. A reasonably intact Federal-style entrance is a rarity within a rarity. When the neighborhoods changed and the buildings went from residential to commercial uses, ground floors that once communicated hospitality towards one’s peers (and one’s peers alone) were accordingly altered to maximize foot-traffic and window-shopping for the greater public.

Charles Lockwood’s Bricks and Brownstone says: “The usual Federal style doorway had a delicately leaded rectangular toplight and, often, leaded sidelights. The single wooden door had six or eight deeply set planels, often edged with a delicate egg-and-dart pattern or beading, and brass or silver doorknob and knocker.” 83 has no sidelights (these would be thin panes of glass to the side of the door), edge detailing, or a knocker, but still, pretty typical for the time. We’ll compare this to the more ornate Late Federal and Greek Revival doorways in later entries.

Anyway, it’s good to know they finally removed the wreath.