Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
Also known as: Asch Building; Brown Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1901 as an industrial loft at 23-29 Washington Place in Greenwich Village, this ten-story building was designed by John Woosley for developer Joseph Asch. It has a stone base, brick upper walls, terra-cotta trim and a round-arched arcade below a projecting cornice. In 1902 the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory took the eighth, ninth and tenth floors. On March 25, 1911, a fire swept the factory and killed 146 workers, mostly young women. Many were trapped by locked doors, and the fire department's ladders reached only the sixth floor. The disaster followed the 1909 garment workers' strike and drew public outrage. Speeches by organizers such as Rose Schneiderman helped build support for reform. The resulting state commission led to thirty-six new New York labor laws by 1914, and the fire is cited as a turning point in American labor history. The exterior remains largely intact above the altered ground floor, while the interior has been remodeled for New York University classrooms and offices. Union members still gather outside each year to commemorate the victims.
Significance in brief: The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory occupied the eighth, ninth and tenth floors, and the fire there on March 25, 1911 killed 146 workers, mostly young women. The tragedy galvanized the labor movement and led to the New York Factory Investigation Commission and dozens of new state labor and safety laws. The building is also tied to the 1909 strike known as the Uprising of the Twenty Thousand and to labor figures Rose Schneiderman, Mary Breier and Clara Lemlich.
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 91002050, listed July 17, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 23--29 Washington Pl., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | July 17, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91002050 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1901-1911 |
| Architect / builder | John Woosley |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Neo-Renaissance |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Politics/Government, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated July 17, 1991 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by New York University and used for classrooms and offices; the interior has been extensively remodeled and retains no signs of the factory. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.73009, -73.99537 (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 91002050.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4976083
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.