City Pier A
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Why it's listed
Pier A projects 285 feet into the Hudson River from the edge of Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan. Begun in 1885 and substantially complete by May 1886, it was designed by Engineer-in-Chief G.S. Greene, Jr., of the city's Department of Docks as headquarters for the Docks Department and the Harbor Police. Its foundations combine bagged concrete placed by divers, concrete blocks and granite sub-piers, with concrete arches forming the deck, an early American use of the material. The building on the pier has a fireproof inshore end for records and a wood-frame remainder sheathed in galvanized iron, plus a 70-foot lookout tower. It was extended in 1900 and gained a third story in 1904. A memorial clock that strikes ship bells was added to the tower in 1918. Since 1960 the pier has housed a marine fire company. It is valued as a reminder of the harbor's commercial past and as a human-scale landmark beside Battery Park.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents Pier A as a landmark in the city's economic, technological and architectural history. It was headquarters for the agencies regulating the nation's busiest waterfront. Its concrete foundation is an early American example of the material's use, and the pier is one of the few remaining reminders of Lower Manhattan's seaward orientation.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75001203, listed June 27, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S end of Battery Pl. at Hudson River, New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | June 27, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001203 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | G. S. Greene, Jr., Engineer-in-Chief, New York City Department of Docks; C.O. Brown, contractor |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a fire station (Marine Company No. 1) for the Hudson River waterfront since 1960; condition listed as good and altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.70436, -74.01780 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75001203.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5123366
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.