Starrett-Lehigh Building

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Starrett-Lehigh Building

Starrett-Lehigh Building

Credit

Liz Waytkus/Docomomo US

Site overview

Constructed in 1930-31 by architects Russell G. and Walter M. Cory with Yasuo Matsui as associate architect, the Starrett-Lehigh Building occupies an entire New York City block. The structure served originally as a freight terminal for the railroad with rental manufacturing and warehouse space above. A structurally complex feat of engineering, the building is also notable for its exterior design of horizontal ribbon windows alternating with brick and concrete spandrels. Considered in the forefront of "modern” architecture in the early 1930s, the building combined the practical functionalism of American industrial architecture with the influence of European modernism of the 1920s.

Starrett-Lehigh Building

Site overview

Constructed in 1930-31 by architects Russell G. and Walter M. Cory with Yasuo Matsui as associate architect, the Starrett-Lehigh Building occupies an entire New York City block. The structure served originally as a freight terminal for the railroad with rental manufacturing and warehouse space above. A structurally complex feat of engineering, the building is also notable for its exterior design of horizontal ribbon windows alternating with brick and concrete spandrels. Considered in the forefront of "modern” architecture in the early 1930s, the building combined the practical functionalism of American industrial architecture with the influence of European modernism of the 1920s.

Starrett-Lehigh Building

Site overview

Constructed in 1930-31 by architects Russell G. and Walter M. Cory with Yasuo Matsui as associate architect, the Starrett-Lehigh Building occupies an entire New York City block. The structure served originally as a freight terminal for the railroad with rental manufacturing and warehouse space above. A structurally complex feat of engineering, the building is also notable for its exterior design of horizontal ribbon windows alternating with brick and concrete spandrels. Considered in the forefront of "modern” architecture in the early 1930s, the building combined the practical functionalism of American industrial architecture with the influence of European modernism of the 1920s.

Starrett-Lehigh Building

Site overview

Constructed in 1930-31 by architects Russell G. and Walter M. Cory with Yasuo Matsui as associate architect, the Starrett-Lehigh Building occupies an entire New York City block. The structure served originally as a freight terminal for the railroad with rental manufacturing and warehouse space above. A structurally complex feat of engineering, the building is also notable for its exterior design of horizontal ribbon windows alternating with brick and concrete spandrels. Considered in the forefront of "modern” architecture in the early 1930s, the building combined the practical functionalism of American industrial architecture with the influence of European modernism of the 1920s.

Starrett-Lehigh Building

Site overview

Constructed in 1930-31 by architects Russell G. and Walter M. Cory with Yasuo Matsui as associate architect, the Starrett-Lehigh Building occupies an entire New York City block. The structure served originally as a freight terminal for the railroad with rental manufacturing and warehouse space above. A structurally complex feat of engineering, the building is also notable for its exterior design of horizontal ribbon windows alternating with brick and concrete spandrels. Considered in the forefront of "modern” architecture in the early 1930s, the building combined the practical functionalism of American industrial architecture with the influence of European modernism of the 1920s.

Primary classification

Commercial (COM)

Terms of protection

All exterior above the second floor.

Designations

New York City Individual Landmark, designated on October 7, 1986

Author(s)

Nikki Westfall | | 11/23/2010

How to Visit

Visit website for upcoming events

Location

Starrett-Lehigh Building

601-625 West 26th Street
New York, NY, 10001

Country

US
More visitation information

Starrett-Lehigh Building

Credit:

Liz Waytkus/Docomomo US

Designer(s)

Yasuo Matsui

Architect

Yasuo Matsui was born and raised in Japan. He immigrated to the United States in 1902 and attended M.I.T. and the University of California, Berkeley. He became a registered architect and worked as a draftsman for several prominent New York firms. He acted as an associate or consulting architect on many significant buildings including the Empire State Building, Starrett-Lehigh, and the Japanese Pavilion at the 1939 New York World's Fair. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Matsui was held at an internment camp for two months and was required to report to the federal government monthly until October 1945, a month after World War II ended.

Other designers

Architect: Russell G. Cory and Walter M. Cory. Yasuo Matsui, associated architect; Purdy & Henderson, consulting Engineers

Related News

Commission

1930

Completion

1931

Commission / Completion details

Commission 1930. Completion 1931

Original Brief

The large warehouse that takes up an entire city block was built by the Starrett Investment Corporation and Lehigh Valley Railroad as a joint venture in 1930-31. Prior to the buildings construction, the land was used as an open-air railroad. When the building was constructed there was a railroad terminal on the bottom floor of the building, while commercial space took up the upper floors. The railway was used less in the 1950s because of the popularity of highways. The tracks were later taken out in 1966. The Landmark Commission Report claims that the above space was made up of rental, manufacturing, and warehouse space. as it still is today. It went though a major renovation in 2000.

Significant Alteration(s) with Date(s)

Removal of railroad tracks on first floor (1966, Renovation (2000).

Current Use

Continued use as commercial space, though now mostly office space. The bottom floor is no longer a railway.

Current Condition

Excellent Condition. The building was renovated in 2000. The large open floor plans were changed from large industrial spaces to smaller commercial office spaces.

General Description

The 2.2 million square feet building is made up of a 19-story central tower, a 9-story west side, and 8-story east side. It is a commercial structure made up of mostly loft-like office and industrial spaces. The large interior spaces are open with the exception of large columns throughout. The columns allow for the modern exterior look of the building. The building has no exterior columns. It makes use of glass curtain walls broken up by horizontal layers of brick. This emphasizes the horizontal lines of the building.

Construction Period

1930-1931

Original Physical Context

The two lowest floors of the building were built using an open system of steel framing because of the irregular shape needed to allow for the railroad tracks. The rest of the building is constructed using mushroom columns that support reinforced concrete flat-slabs. The slabs cantilever out past the columns to connect with the building’s exterior. The exterior of the building is made up of curtain walls containing continuous glass with steel sashes. The glass walls are broken up with horizontal strips of brick.

Technical

The most notable technical advance used in the construction of the Starrett-Lehigh building is the use of flat-slab reinforced concrete slabs and vast glass curtain walls. The Landmarks Preservation Commission report states that “At the time of its completion, the Starrett-Lehigh Building was the largest multi-story structure in the United States having a flat-slab reinforced concrete frame. At the time it was also the largest building erected to lack exterior columns (New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Starrett-Lehigh building, 601-625 West 26th Street, Manhattan).The building is also known for its unique use of railroad tracks at the bottom of the building and its large elevators that allow for trucks to be lifted to the desired floor.

Cultural & Aesthetic

The Starrett-Lehigh Building was at the forefront of modern design in the International Style at the time of its construction.

General Assessment

The building is important because of its use of new technology, depiction of modern architecture in the 1930s in America, and its connection to commerce. The building once housed companies that benefited from being close to a railroad track. The renovations reworked the structure into office spaces that are more relevant to the current American industries.

References

Dunlap, David W. “For 1930’s Behemoth, a New Upscale Life” New York Times Archives. (Feb. 20, 2000) Holusha, John. “Commercial Real Estate. Industrial Center is Reborn as Offices” New York Times Archives (Oct. 11, 2000) http://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/11/nyregion/commercial-real-estate-industrial-center-is-reborn-as-offices.html?scp=3&sq=starrett-lehigh+building&st=nyt“Huge Freight Depot to be Started Soon; Central’s New Freight Terminal to Cover Four West Side Blocks” New York Times Archives (Nov. 27, 1931) http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50A1EF6395E1B7A93C5AB178AD95F458385F9&scp=82&sq=starrett-lehigh+building&st=p New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Starrett-Lehigh building, 601-625 West 26th Street, Manhattan. Designed by Russell G. Cory and Walter M. Cory; Yasuo Matsui, associated architect; and Purdy & Henderson, consulting Engineers. Report prepared by Jay Shockley, Research Department2 visual material attached:New York Public Library, Digital Collection. (July 14, 1936) http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=104453&imageID=482660 | http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/1295.pdf