Case Study: The Historic Site Of 345 Edgecombe Avenue, Manhattan

History

The Nicholas & Agnes Benziger house was designated as a historic landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission on December 15th, 1998. There were none as opposed to the designation, as the site is rich with history and lore. The current structure has been in planning since March 5th, 1890. This is when Nicholas Benziger and his wife Agnes purchased the land from James and Ella Montieth for $32,000, equivalent to $911,000 in the current economy. The deal had a clause stating that ‘only a first-class structure could be erected on the site’. This is why the building’s façade has remained relatively unchanged since its construction; it is a symbol of old money and beautiful olden time’s architecture. Here are a couple of photos to illustrate the staying power of the design.

Present Day

Presently, the building is owned by the Broadway Housing Development Fund Company. It is a non-profit organization that uses the property to provide affordable housing to previously homeless adults from certain areas of Manhattan. The company purchased the residence in 1989 when they purchased the building it was at an all-time low. Prior to the purchase, 345 Edgecombe was a ‘no-tell motel’ with adult movie showings on the side. The non-profit came in and spruced up the building, no changes made to the design but just general quality of life improvements was made. The site now serves a great purpose to the community and we were very happy to equip the site with adequate security measures.

Total Security

31 years after the Broadway Housing Development Fund bought the building, they gave us a call to do what we do best, install security systems. We were honored to etch our company’s name into the rich history of the building. Our two installers, Rohan and Lorenzo did a great job at the site. Here are some photos from the job!