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One of City's First Police Stations is now a TriBeCa Landmark

 315 Broadway was one of two buildings in Lower Manhattan that the LPC decided to fast track for landmarks.
315 Broadway was one of two buildings in Lower Manhattan that the LPC decided to fast track for landmarks.
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Courtesy of LPC

TRIBECA — One of the earliest police stations in New York and a 19th-century mercantile building are the newest landmarked buildings in TriBeCa.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously last week to landmark 315 Broadway, a five-story loft building constructed in 1861, as well as 160 Chambers St., an 1830s residence that became a police station, then was converted to a firehouse in 1896.

The 315 Broadway building — a "palazzo-inspired store" that exemplifies TriBeCa's streetscape of the pre-civil war era, according to the LPC — had been part of some 30 sites the LPC had voted in February to finally prioritize for landmarking by the end of 2016.

Those buildings had been among 95 sites that had been backlogged for decades, waiting for some kind of decision on their city landmark status.

Six other buildings in Manhattan and Staten Island, including a lighthouse in Staten Island and two churches in Harlem, St. Joseph’s Church, and St. Paul’s Church, that had been backlogged were also given landmark status.

The former firehouse at 160 Chambers St. was not part of LPC's backlog initiative. The historic building, according to the LPC, was constructed around 1832 by noted builder Samuel Thompson as a residence, then was purchased by the city in the 1860s and became the 3rd Police Precinct Station House.

The five-story building was then converted to a hospital, under the charge of New York Hospital from 1875 to 1894. Two years later, the FDNY moved in, and the building became Engine Company 29's firehouse until 1947, then was home to the Uniformed Fire Officers Association. In 1962, the building went commercial and now has both businesses and residential space.

“Today we designated eight great properties, including two freestanding houses, a commercial building, three religious properties, a lighthouse, and a firehouse— reflecting the rich and diverse historic architecture of our city,” said LPC chair Meenakshi Srinivasan in a statement. “Our actions also mark significant progress in our plan to ensure that the backlog is resolved by the end of this year, having designated 15 of the properties prioritized for designation by the Commission.”