Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Coignet Building

Took a walk through Gowanus this weekend and visited the once-lonely, lovely Coignet Stone Company Building, long on a vacant promontory of empty space, beautifully decaying.



It's now hugged by the rising Whole Foods, girders pressing in on two sides, big-boxing it in.



If you want to hear the whole story of the mysterious Coignet Building's past, present, and possible future, take a look at the new documentary by Max Kutner, At the Corner of 3rd and 3rd.


"At The Corner Of 3rd and 3rd" Trailer from Max Kutner on Vimeo.
at

9 comments:

  1. Herb Westphalen Chef/MixologistMarch 6, 2013 at 8:01 AM

    Eye-opening! Thanks for a very informative piece. I had never heard of the Coignet Building. It is beautiful, even in it's decay.
    I hope it can be saved and refurbished to its prior glory.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ms.March 6, 2013 at 11:13 AM

    Another gem Jeremiah....what a wonderful building...and what an informative video.

    ReplyDelete
  3. marta appleMarch 6, 2013 at 11:41 AM

    I love this building, with its clear, if clunky references to Michelangelo's architecture. I have long passed it in wonder, and this video explains it to me. Of course it was a showpiece for the sellers of stone for Beaux Arts architectural details, with it's small but grand staircase, and the transoms above the windows, echoing the Farnese Palace in Rome. I LOVE this building. I've missed the construction going on around it, and want to join the movement to save it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Brian DubéMarch 7, 2013 at 3:03 PM

    A little piece I wrote on this building a few years back: http://newyorkdailyphoto.com/nydppress/?p=1017

    ReplyDelete
  5. JordanMarch 7, 2013 at 5:58 PM

    I can't be the only person who walks by that building and thinks every time of the Paper Street Soap Company.

    ReplyDelete
  6. lauraMarch 7, 2013 at 10:24 PM

    that building has to stay, even if it becomes chic condos.

    ReplyDelete
  7. MandadMarch 8, 2013 at 9:42 PM

    I recently discovered this blog when doing research on Ivy Brown Gallery. An amazing piece on a fab woman, who I hope will not vanish anytime soon.
    Last weekend, I too went for a walk and passed by the Coignet Building. My wife and I had many questions and you answered most of them. Thank you. We are now avid Jeremiah followers and are loving your archives.

    ReplyDelete
  8. PeteMarch 10, 2013 at 10:50 PM

    Now I know what this building is! I've loved it for years. It's gonna be weird hemmed in by Whole Foods but at least they kept it. Part of of it's beauty was its solitude though.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ken MacMarch 12, 2013 at 10:16 AM

    I wondered about the lovely building for years. Such personality in lovely nowhereland.

    ReplyDelete

Comments will no longer be published. Too much spam, not enough time. Thank you.

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.