80 and 82 Beekman Street America, 20th century

The Destruction of Lower Manhattan

80 and 82 Beekman Street

1966–67

Danny Lyon

(American, 1942-)

America, 20th century

gelatin silver print

Image: 25 x 24.7 cm (9 13/16 x 9 3/4 in.); Paper: 35.4 x 27.7 cm (13 15/16 x 10 7/8 in.)

Gift of George Stephanopoulos 2011.238

Location: not on view

This artwork is known to be under copyright.

Description

Cast-iron facades from the mid- and late 1800s, assembled on-site from prefabricated parts, were common in Lower Manhattan. Many remain, especially in Soho. Less than a 10-minute walk from the East River, city hall, and Wall Street, the site of these Italianate, cast-iron front structures is now part of a nine-building, 1,651-unit co-op apartment complex built in 1971. Among the goals of the 1960s redevelopment plan for Lower Manhattan was to establish housing that would take advantage of the waterfront for views and recreation in this previously industrial area. Workers in the nearby Financial District and city center were considered likely tenants for these middle- and upper-income housing units