The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) has designated five architecturally and historically significant buildings in Manhattan’s Garment District as individual landmarks. The properties are the Barbey Building at 15 West 38th Street, Fashion Tower at 135 West 36th Street, the Furcraft Building at 242-246 West 30th Street, 29th Street Towers at 214 and 224 West 29th Street, and the Lefcourt Clothing Center at 275 Seventh Avenue. All buildings reflect early 20th-century commercial development tied to New York’s garment and fur industries and were designed by architects including Delano and Aldrich, Emery Roth, Henry I. Oser, and Ely Jacques Kahn.
Furcraft Building. Photo courtesy of LPC
The landmark designations are part of a broader coordination with the Department of City Planning’s Midtown South Mixed-Use Plan, which aims to enable the creation of approximately 9,700 new housing units across 42 blocks. LPC began its survey of the area in 2023, identifying key buildings that exemplify the neighborhood’s transformation from residential to industrial and commercial uses. These five buildings were selected for their architectural merit and their historical connection to the garment and fur trades.
Fashion Tower. Photo courtesy of LPC
29th Street Towers. Photo courtesy of LPC
Notable features include the Renaissance Revival Barbey Building, completed in 1909 by Delano and Aldrich; the richly ornamented Fashion Tower, a 1925 Emery Roth design featuring Art Deco and medieval motifs; and the Furcraft Building, a 1925 Neoclassical structure with sculpted foxes framing its entrance. Nearby, the 29th Street Towers were also designed by Oser and include carved beaver grotesques. The Lefcourt Clothing Center, a 27-story Art Deco tower, became a hub for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union in the mid-20th century and continues to serve as headquarters for UNITE HERE.
Barbey Building. Photo courtesy of LPC
“The Garment District is not just a collection of buildings; it’s the story of the people who built New York’s global reputation for creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation,” said New York City Councilmember Erik Bottcher. “By preserving these remarkable structures while making way for new housing, we’re honoring our city’s rich history and ensuring a vibrant, mixed-use future for Midtown South.”
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This is a good start, but 5 buildings is just a fraction of the historic buildings that need to be saved for future generations. These structures, with operable windows, are ideal for housing conversion. This neighborhood is completely unique to the world and its character must be retained. Destroying our city’s history is stupid and wrong.
Agree, there a several more worthy of landmark status inside and on the fringes of the Garment District.
Hard disagree. Let the city continue to evolve to match present and future needs. Freezing the city in amber is not going to bring back garment workers. Preservation should be *extremely* limited.
If you look at the LPC map you can see that, except for the landmark districts, there are few individually dedicated landmarks. I was quite shocked how few actually. NYC is far from being frozen in amber.
And let me tell you from the other side of the pond… post war destruction was almost as devastating to our cities than the war itself and many buildings are lost and are now regretted. Don’t repeat our mistakes. The U.S. are now old enough to have their own century old buildings and old towns. Preserve them, you won’t regret it.
100% agree.
The Garment District is an amazing time capsule of pre-war buildings.
Not only the operable windows, but also the wedding-cake form would make them perfect for conversion with all these terraces.
I also hoped for the Hotel Governor Clinton at 371 7th Ave to become a landmark. A beautiful building!
“Fat” buildings with interiors far from exterior windows are hard to convert to residential.
The Fashion Tower sure, but not the building to the left of it?
Are these buyildings really under threat though? Is anyone seriously proposing razing “The Fashion Tower” or the beautiful building next door?
I’m not opposed to the landmarking, it just seems like a solution in search of a problem considering purchasing such sizable, solid and attractive buildings to demolish seems it a bit improbable to begin with.
NFA, well the old Penn Station was torn down. That should say a lot about how stupid people can be and not see the value in preserving such architecture…
Yes anything not landmarked is under threat. The singer building was razed. THE SINGER BUILDING
An overlooked part of Manhattan gets some recognition. Great.