The muted Art Deco of the the Louis J. Lefkowitz Building, which houses offices of
the Manhattan District Attorney and various court offices
There is always something surprising about New York architeture. We have become so used to a crass, loud, garish New York from all those movies and television shows (mostly post-50s) that permeate our chanels, that it is a surprise to discover what a grand project its builders (structurally and culturally) had in mind.
I've been to New York about three times in the the past two years. Each time, I find a gem, big or small, to discover.
Well, my favorite show on TV (yes, I do watch!) is the family-centered cop show Blue Bloods, which became somewhat of a renaissance for the rugged Tom Selleck. He is charming in the show, and often not as accomplished and actor as Lee Strasberg would have wanted him to be, but he makes up for that through his genuineness and a certain gravitas he now carries in his older age. His mustache is still there, too.
He plays the New York Police Commissioner for the show, tracking down criminals (often murderers) with his motley crew of a team, which includes his busy-body assistant (a male) and his three children: Danny, Erin and Jamie, all of whom have entered law enforcement as officers or lawyers. I actually like the rough and street-wise Danny best, although Erin comes off as strong but sweet (as her real self - Bridget Moynahan - she has a commercial for face cream). Danny's partner Jackie has been cut from the show. Jennifer Esposito, who plays Jackie, apparently has celiac disease. She really was a good partner, with her own cynical observation skills matching Danny's hot-headed, but often correct, ones. Still, it is hard to believe she stays calm and collected during the gory scenes, which Danny whizzes through without a flicker of fear. Danny now has a Hispanic partner (Esposito - who played Jackie - is apparently "Italian American"). This is another politically correct casting by the directors. His new partner isn't only female, she is also ethnic.
We get to see a lot of New York's court houses and police precincts. I have written about the New York Court House and the gilded interior of the City Hall here, which we briefly (3-5 minutes) visit each week.
Manhattan District Attorney's building is one that figures every week in the show. From the small TV screen, it doesn't look that impressive: just a tall, granite building. Closer look shows understated dignity, with many interesting details.
At the top, I have posted the building.
Below are details from the building:
Here is information on the building:
The Lefkowitz Building is adjacent to Foley Square and is bounded by Worth, Centre, Leonard and Baxter Streets. It houses offices of the Manhattan District Attorney and various court offices.
The block-long building has nearly 700,000 square feet of office space in its nine stories, plus penthouse and basement levels. It is constructed of Maine Coast granite. The Centre Street lobby is decorated in an elaborate Art Deco Egyptian design.
The building opened in 1930 as a central home for state government offices in Lower Manhattan. In 1984, it was renamed to honor Louis J. Lefkowitz, New York State’s longest-serving Attorney General. The building was transferred to City management in 2002.
The Office of the City Clerk and its Manhattan Marriage Bureau moved to the building in 2009 from the Manhattan Municipal Building. The Clerk’s Office is reached through a separate entrance at 141 Worth Street.
William Haugaard, state architect, designed 80 Centre Street under a height restriction so that it would not overshadow the nearby courthouses and symmetry of Foley Square. It was constructed by Cauldwell Vingate Company at a cost of $6 million.
The new building was greeted with great fanfare at a groundbreaking ceremony on December 17, 1928. The band played “Sidewalks of New York” as Governor Alfred E. Smith laid the cornerstone containing a time capsule with records, newspapers and photographs of that day.