Silk Centre
Encyclopedia
The Silk Centre was an area of business property, composed of buildings and lofts, which opened in Manhattan (New York), in 1924. It was adjacent to a car-barn site, numerous clothing firms, and advertising agents located within a block or two of this corner. Harper & Brothers
was also situated on East 33rd Street.
The Silk Centre was located in Midtown (Manhattan) between two great railroad terminals and close by the hotel district of New York City
. The region radiating from 34th Street to Madison Avenue was well suited to the growth of the wholesale silk trades. In addition to its proximity to the railroad terminals, the silk hub benefited from a closeness to the elevated and surface lines of the subway and eighty-one clubs located within a few blocks of Madison Avenue and 34th Street (Manhattan)
. The significance of Madison Avenue as an impetus to the expansion of the silk trade was enhanced with its widening, by five feet on each side, extending from 23rd Street (Manhattan)
to 41st Street. This provided 70400 square feet (6,540.4 m²) of additional roadway.
rented for $145,000. The structure fronted East 33rd Street for 115.6 feet (35.2 m) and had a depth of 98.9 feet (30.1 m). It tenants were mostly engaged in the silk
trade. The site for the building was purchased in 1913 from Dr. John B. Walker, who ran a private hospital there. It was sold to the George Backer Construction Company which completed the edifice in 1914.
In the fall of 1924 Cheney Brothers and Belding Brothers announced plans to relocate to the southeast and southwest corners of Madison Avenue. They awaited the completion of two buildings designed to their specifications. Their relocation designated the Madison
Avenue area as a new axis of the silk industry. Schoolhouse & Company moved to the ground floor of a new building at the northwest corner of
Madison Avenue and 39th Street. L.O. Thompson & Co. opened their headquarters on the second floor of an edifice on 244 Madison Avenue, at the southwest corner of Madison Avenue and 38th Street. L.D. Tompkins leased the second floor of the Cameron Building at the northeast corner of Madison Avenue and 34th Street. South of 34th Street on Madison Avenue was a region where a number of prominent silk houses
found new locations and signed extended leases. One of these was the R & H Simon Company which moved from 4th Avenue
and 20th Street to 159 Madison Avenue. Another was Menke Kaufmann & Co., which removed from lower 5th Avenue (Manhattan) to East 33rd Street. The Golding Fabric Corporation was exceptional, having just moved to a spacious new location at 417 Fifth Avenue, in November 1924.
In early 1925 excavation began on land once occupied by the August Belmont
home, at the southeast corner of Madison Avenue and 34th Street. A seventeen story building was being planned for the site, to be occupied by a syndicate headed by Robert M. Catts. Cheney Brothers were
to have offices on the first three stories of the structure. Silk manufacturer, Belding Brothers, purchased a plot of land measuring ninety feet on the southwest corner, directly opposite. The company was soon to occupy a sixteen or seventeen story edifice on the site.
The Heminway Silk Company signed a twenty year lease to occupy the store, basement, second, and third floors of a fourteen story building at
the northwest corner of Madison Avenue and 37th Street. The total rental was $1,000,000. Heminway Silk Company, which had a capitalization
of $3,500,000, was founded in Watertown, Connecticut
in 1848. The firm opened a New York
office in 1872.
The Duplan Silk Corporation moved into three floors of the Continental Building, a forty two story office structure completed by Louis Adler in early 1931. The edifice was located at the southeast corner of 41st Street and Broadway (Manhattan). The lease totaled above $1,000,000
and included the second, third, and mezzanine
floors of the banking concourse of the building. The three floors encompassed more than 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²). The second floor was reached via a broad marble staircase leading from the main lobby fronting on Broadway. Previously
the Duplan Silk Corporation was located on the east side of New York City for a dozen years. Earlier the firm was situated successively at Broome Street and Greene Stree and Union Square (New York City)
. The business was a leader in the silk industry and one of its most recognized names.
Harper & Brothers
Harper is an American publishing house, the flagship imprint of global publisher HarperCollins.-History:James Harper and his brother John, printers by training, started their book publishing business J. & J. Harper in 1817. Their two brothers, Joseph Wesley Harper and Fletcher Harper, joined them...
was also situated on East 33rd Street.
The Silk Centre was located in Midtown (Manhattan) between two great railroad terminals and close by the hotel district of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The region radiating from 34th Street to Madison Avenue was well suited to the growth of the wholesale silk trades. In addition to its proximity to the railroad terminals, the silk hub benefited from a closeness to the elevated and surface lines of the subway and eighty-one clubs located within a few blocks of Madison Avenue and 34th Street (Manhattan)
34th Street (Manhattan)
34th Street is a major cross-town street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, connecting the Lincoln Tunnel and Queens-Midtown Tunnel. Like many of New York City's major crosstown streets, it has its own bus routes and four subway stops serving the trains at Eighth Avenue, the trains at...
. The significance of Madison Avenue as an impetus to the expansion of the silk trade was enhanced with its widening, by five feet on each side, extending from 23rd Street (Manhattan)
23rd Street (Manhattan)
23rd Street is a broad thoroughfare in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is one of few two-way streets in the gridiron of the borough. As with Manhattan's other "crosstown" streets, it is divided at Fifth Avenue, in this case at Madison Square Park, into its east and west sections. Since...
to 41st Street. This provided 70400 square feet (6,540.4 m²) of additional roadway.
History of growth, 1914 - 1931
One of the buildings at the Silk Centre was a twelve story edifice located at 33 - 43 East 33rd Street (Manhattan). It was valued at $1,000,000 and was entirelyrented for $145,000. The structure fronted East 33rd Street for 115.6 feet (35.2 m) and had a depth of 98.9 feet (30.1 m). It tenants were mostly engaged in the silk
trade. The site for the building was purchased in 1913 from Dr. John B. Walker, who ran a private hospital there. It was sold to the George Backer Construction Company which completed the edifice in 1914.
In the fall of 1924 Cheney Brothers and Belding Brothers announced plans to relocate to the southeast and southwest corners of Madison Avenue. They awaited the completion of two buildings designed to their specifications. Their relocation designated the Madison
Avenue area as a new axis of the silk industry. Schoolhouse & Company moved to the ground floor of a new building at the northwest corner of
Madison Avenue and 39th Street. L.O. Thompson & Co. opened their headquarters on the second floor of an edifice on 244 Madison Avenue, at the southwest corner of Madison Avenue and 38th Street. L.D. Tompkins leased the second floor of the Cameron Building at the northeast corner of Madison Avenue and 34th Street. South of 34th Street on Madison Avenue was a region where a number of prominent silk houses
found new locations and signed extended leases. One of these was the R & H Simon Company which moved from 4th Avenue
and 20th Street to 159 Madison Avenue. Another was Menke Kaufmann & Co., which removed from lower 5th Avenue (Manhattan) to East 33rd Street. The Golding Fabric Corporation was exceptional, having just moved to a spacious new location at 417 Fifth Avenue, in November 1924.
In early 1925 excavation began on land once occupied by the August Belmont
August Belmont
August Belmont, Sr. was an American politician.-Early life:August Belmont was born in Alzey, Hesse, on December 8, 1813--some sources say 1816--to Simon and Frederika Elsass Schönberg, a Jewish family. After his mother's death, when he was seven, he lived with his uncle and grandmother in Frankfurt...
home, at the southeast corner of Madison Avenue and 34th Street. A seventeen story building was being planned for the site, to be occupied by a syndicate headed by Robert M. Catts. Cheney Brothers were
to have offices on the first three stories of the structure. Silk manufacturer, Belding Brothers, purchased a plot of land measuring ninety feet on the southwest corner, directly opposite. The company was soon to occupy a sixteen or seventeen story edifice on the site.
The Heminway Silk Company signed a twenty year lease to occupy the store, basement, second, and third floors of a fourteen story building at
the northwest corner of Madison Avenue and 37th Street. The total rental was $1,000,000. Heminway Silk Company, which had a capitalization
of $3,500,000, was founded in Watertown, Connecticut
Watertown, Connecticut
Watertown is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 21,661 at the 2000 census. The zip code for Watertown is 06795. It is a suburb of Waterbury. It borders the towns of Woodbury, Middlebury, Litchfield, Plymouth, Bethlehem, and Thomaston.-Founding History:More...
in 1848. The firm opened a New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
office in 1872.
The Duplan Silk Corporation moved into three floors of the Continental Building, a forty two story office structure completed by Louis Adler in early 1931. The edifice was located at the southeast corner of 41st Street and Broadway (Manhattan). The lease totaled above $1,000,000
and included the second, third, and mezzanine
Mezzanine (architecture)
In architecture, a mezzanine or entresol is an intermediate floor between main floors of a building, and therefore typically not counted among the overall floors of a building. Often, a mezzanine is low-ceilinged and projects in the form of a balcony. The term is also used for the lowest balcony in...
floors of the banking concourse of the building. The three floors encompassed more than 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²). The second floor was reached via a broad marble staircase leading from the main lobby fronting on Broadway. Previously
the Duplan Silk Corporation was located on the east side of New York City for a dozen years. Earlier the firm was situated successively at Broome Street and Greene Stree and Union Square (New York City)
Union Square (New York City)
Union Square is a public square in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York.It is an important and historic intersection, located where Broadway and the former Bowery Road – now Fourth Avenue – came together in the early 19th century; its name celebrates neither the...
. The business was a leader in the silk industry and one of its most recognized names.