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205 West 76th

Amsterdam Avenue between 75th and 77th Streets once contained a dozen public and private garages, leading to the informal nickname "Stable Row." The location was optimal to provide ready access to rowhouse residents near the Hudson, but far enough away so they didn't have to smell or hear the animals.

Banker Edmund Coffin erected the Mason Stable in two sections from 1891 to 1894 as a real-estate investment. The lightly-decorated Romanesque Revival building was designed by Bradford Lee Gilbert, who introduced steel skeleton construction to the city with the Tower Building on 50 Broadway in 1889. The structure originally contained 158 horse stalls and space for 300 carriages. The building was renamed the Dakota Stables in 1912 after a nearby building of the same name was demolished (not the current Dakota on CPW). In 1915, the building was modified and strengthened to be suitable for use entirely by automobiles. It was renamed the Pyramid Garage sometime in the 1950s, probably because of the pyramid-shaped portals. Around probably the same time, the ground floor was significantly altered, which ultimately lead to a rejection for landmark designation in 2006 and demolition shortly thereafter. (reference) (reference)

The building which took the place of the stables was The Harrison, designed by Robert A.M. Stern. The new 14-story residential and retail structure included all of the former stable footprint, plus another building on Amsterdam whose final residents were a pool hall and gym. However, the Related Companies were apparently unable to buy out the lovely old building on the corner of Amsterdam and 76, home to the Westside Brewing Company (a restaurant) and a small hotel.

Next: 2148 Broadway / 208-210 West 76th Street