Rieger's, C., Sons Factory
Also known as: Arden Manufacturing Corporation; Piser Company
Why it's listed
Rising six stories on East 148th Street in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx, this brick factory was completed in 1906 for C. Rieger's Sons, a furniture and bar-fixture maker founded in the 1870s by German immigrant cabinetmaker Christian Rieger. Architect Harry T. Howell, a Bronx designer best known for residential work, gave it a Romanesque Revival character, with tall round arches, corbeling, bluestone trim and strong vertical piers that show the building's structure on the facade. Inside, steel beams and cast-iron columns encased in concrete support reinforced concrete ceilings, reflecting a move toward more fireproof factory construction. The building was reported to cost about $45,000. Later it served for furniture storage and rented space to a lithographer and a toy and carriage firm. It was listed for its architecture and for its link to the Bronx's industrial growth. The interior has since been converted into apartments, while the exterior remains largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the factory embodies a turn-of-the-twentieth-century industrial building, adapting Romanesque Revival design to a factory with a facade that expresses its structure through vertical piers. It also marks a shift in construction from brick walls and cast-iron columns toward structural steel and reinforced concrete. It is further tied to the Bronx's growth as an industrial center and the New York area's furniture manufacturing.
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 04000543, listed May 27, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 450-452 E. 148th St., Bronx |
|---|---|
| County | The Bronx |
| Listed | May 27, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000543 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1906 |
| Architect / builder | Howell, Harry T. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & Early 20th Century American Movements: Other: Factory Design (Romanesque Revival style) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The interior has recently been converted to residential use and divided into apartments; the building retains a high degree of integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.81438, -73.91655 (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 04000543.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5006811
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.