The old NYPD headquarters on Centre Street is pretty spectacular. And I’m a fan of the understated elegance of the Fifth Precinct on Elizabeth Street.
But when it comes to regular precinct houses, I have to go with the 19th precinct station at 153 East 67th Street (between Lexington and Third Avenues) as the loveliest in New York City.
Completed in 1887, it’s a blended confection of different late 19th century styles. The AIA Guide describes it as a “Victorian palazzo: brownstone and red brick borrowing heavily from the Florentine Renaissance. The rusticated base supports a mannered Victorian body.”
It’s not the only piece of Gilded Age eye candy on the block. On its left is the former Mt. Sinai Dispensary; on the right is a firehouse designed by preeminent architect Napoleon Le Brun in 1886. On the other side of the firehouse is the Park East Synagogue, dating back to 1890. “A wild, vigorous extravaganza,” the AIA Guide calls it.
The police station has one extra wonderful touch: the green lanterns on either side of the entrance, a nod all city police stations have to acknowledge the early police force in New Amsterdam that kept watch on the streets with a green lantern on a pole guiding the way.
Tags: 19th Precinct NYPD Manhattan, NYPD Green Lanterns, NYPD Police Precincts, Police Precinct East 67th Street, Police Station East 67th Street, Police station green lanterns
February 15, 2021 at 4:28 am |
fascinating to lear about the significance of the green lantern
February 15, 2021 at 7:45 am |
Is this the “Barney Miller” precinct?
February 15, 2021 at 2:29 pm |
Now a school the Kojak and NYPD Blue precincts, exteriors anyway, were on East 5th Street near Ave A. This pic is around 2005…
https://ibb.co/album/hswxyH
February 15, 2021 at 3:23 pm
Wonderful 1980s photos, thank you for sharing!
February 16, 2021 at 7:57 am
yeah that was very cool
February 15, 2021 at 9:05 am |
In my mind’s eye I see policemen in dark blue coats dragging handcuffed, swearing toughs in derbies past those marvelous green lanterns!
February 15, 2021 at 9:59 am |
Center Street: isn’t that the precinct where Inspector Cramer of Nero Wolfe fame is based?
February 15, 2021 at 3:24 pm
I’m not familiar with that show but if anyone knows, please reply!
February 16, 2021 at 12:23 am
I see that there were TV versions but I only know Center St through the wonderful series of novels written by Rex Stout, all read for solace during Lockdown.
February 15, 2021 at 1:31 pm |
Also, the origin of the name of the cartoon character
February 15, 2021 at 7:52 pm |
Inspector Cramer (no first name) works at the “Homicide Squad” office on 20th Street
February 16, 2021 at 12:54 am |
well then, who’s at Center Street?
February 16, 2021 at 7:38 pm
I don’t know if Wolfe or Archie go down to Centre Street in the books.
February 17, 2021 at 12:27 am
That means I’m have to read all those wonderful stories a second time just to find out ….
February 17, 2021 at 10:15 pm
Pfui! 🙂
February 17, 2021 at 10:21 am |
In conjunction with the 1980s construction of the two Hunter College towers, the 19th pct and fire house switched buildings. The fire house was temporarily relocated to the loading dock of the then under- construction Hunter building on the west side of Lexington Ave. The old firehouse was renovated to become the new 19th pct and the then vacated police facility was renovated to become the new firehouse.
February 21, 2021 at 12:16 am |
Complicated backstory, I didn’t know this. Thanks!
May 14, 2021 at 10:30 am |
Uh, not exactly.
During the renovation, the police station house was moved to an old Health Dept building on East 94th street.
February 18, 2021 at 1:30 am |
Just so. Coincidently I read yesterday that there’s a plaque to Rex Stout on a brownstone on W35th Street. A possible subject for Ephemeral New York?
February 19, 2021 at 4:56 pm |
Judging by the house numbers used in the Nero Wolfe books (it is actually about 5 different house numbers in the various books, all theoretically on the south side of 35 St), the brownstone would be in the Hudson River. This is very common in popular culture where an exact address is used but it is designed to make sure it couldn’t exist (go back to I Love Lucy).
February 20, 2021 at 1:19 am
W35th St BrownstoneL: suitably Ephemeral to the end.
February 21, 2021 at 12:17 am |
Thanks for the tip! Clearly this is a topic that’s resonated with readers, so I will look into it for a future post.