Smith, Fleming, Warehouse
Why it's listed
Rising six stories at the corner of Washington and Watts Streets in lower west Manhattan, this warehouse was built in 1891-92 for Fleming Smith and designed by architect Stephen Decatur Hatch. The ground floor is faced in rock-faced grey granite and red sandstone, while the upper stories are yellow brick with dark red brick trim. Its most distinctive feature is the roofline, with four stepped Flemish gables and four gabled dormers topped by conical copper caps. Iron details include a five-balcony fire escape and the markings "1891 / FS" on a gable. Hatch had designed an earlier neo-Flemish warehouse for Smith in 1886 on Duane Street and returned to the style here, blending it with late Romanesque Revival elements. The area had once been residential, but became commercial after St. John's Park was sold for a railroad depot in 1867. The interior has been converted to residences with a restaurant below, while the exterior remains largely intact apart from a set-back rooftop elevator tower.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as an architecturally distinguished warehouse designed by New York architect Stephen Decatur Hatch. It combines neo-Flemish and late Romanesque Revival features, notably stepped gables and round-arched windows. Its picturesque roofline also enhances the surrounding commercial area.
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 83001745, listed May 26, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 451-453 Washington St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | May 26, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001745 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1891-92 |
| Architect / builder | Stephen Decatur Hatch |
| Architectural style | Neo-Flemish combined with late Romanesque Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Exterior in excellent condition but altered; the interior was recently remodeled for residential use with a restaurant on the first floor. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.72403, -74.01017 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 83001745.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5862549
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.