Porter Arms

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1906 Porter Arms 620 West 116th Street
– Joseph Paterno (Kelley Paterno page 285)

Located in the Morningside Heights Historic District designated 21 February 2017

Formerly the Fiora-ville/Fioraville or Paterno per Apartment Houses of the Metropolis (scroll down to see illustration)

Currently a dormitory on the Barnard College campus. (source)

1906
962
$400,000.00
116th st, s s, 250 w Broadway two 10-sty brk and stone apartment houses, 75˙83.6
OWNER / OWNER ADDRESS
(o) Paterno Bros, Inc / (o) 557 W 183d [183rd] st COMMENTS
ARCHITECT / ARCHITECT ADDRESS
(a) Schwartz & Gross / (a) 35 W 21st st (source)

620 West 116th Street (aka 620-622 West 116th Street) ( Porter Arms )
Borough of Manhattan Tax Map Block 1896, Lot 83
Date(s): 1906-07 (NB 962-1906)
Architect(s) / Builder(s): Schwartz & Gross
Owner(s) / Developer(s): Paterno Bros.
Type: Apartment building
Style(s): Beaux Arts with alterations
Stories: 10
Material(s): Red brick; limestone; terra-cotta
Status: Contributing

History, Significance and Notable Characteristics
Porter Arms and Altora Residence are Beaux Arts style apartment buildings designed by the firm of Schwartz & Gross built in 1906-07 for the Paterno Brothers, prolific apartment house builders in Morningside Heights between 1898 and 1924. Porter Arms is a ten-story red brick, limestone, and terra-cotta apartment building with ornamental features characteristic of the Beaux Arts style, including a two-story rusticated base, wide stone stoop with two-story arched main entrance, transitional story with decorative banding, elaborate wrought-iron balconettes, keyed window surrounds, upper stories with stone and terra-cotta details such as bracketed sills, lintels with sculpted keystones and wrought-iron railings, band courses, and an attic story with arched windows, ornate spandrel panels and metal cornice. David (Tayson) Torrence (1864-1951), actor who appeared in 104 films between 1913 and 1939, lived at 620 West 116th Street according to the 1910 census.

Alterations
West 116th Street Facade: Cornice removed; main entrance door replaced; non-historic light fixtures and metal numerals at main entrance; windows replaced; concrete ramp at main stoop; electrical conduit piping at first-story facade; siamese piping at basement facade
West Facade: Red brick facade; partially visible interior light-court; facade repointed and parged in several places; windows replaced

Site
Sunken areaways with stone stairs, stone newel posts, and wrought-iron railings and fencing; tall metal gate

Sidewalk / Curb Materials
Concrete sidewalk with metal curb

References
U. S. Census records, 1910.
(source)

“It was not until 1904 that Mr. Paterno signed a contract for this first ten-story building, the Broadway, at 620 West 116th Street.” Joseph Paterno obituary (source)