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1910 Campus 39 Claremont Avenue; Victor Cerabone Construction Company; Schwartz & Gross architects
Located in the Morningside Heights Historic District designated 21 February 2017
1950 Campus 39-41 Claremont Avenue; Paterno Family (Kelley Paterno page 287)
NB 457-1910
Claremont Avenue, west side, 125 s West 119th Street
11-sty brick and stone apartment house, 100×83 COST:
$425,000
OWNER:
V. Cerabone Const. Co, Northern av and 183d [183rd] st; V. Cerabone, president and treasurer; J. Paterno, secretary
ARCHITECT:
Schwartz & Gross, 347 5th [Fifth] av
ADDRESS IN REAL ESTATE RECORD:
CLAREMONT AV, w s, 125 s 119th st
39 Claremont Avenue (aka 39-41 Claremont Avenue) ( DeWitt Clinton Hall )
Borough of Manhattan Tax Map Block 1990, Lot 29
Date(s): 1910-11 (NB 457-1910)
Architect(s) / Builder(s): Schwartz & Gross
Owner(s) / Developer(s): V. Cerabone Construction Co.
Type: Apartment building
Style(s): Renaissance Revival
Stories: 11
Material(s): Beige brick; limestone
Status: Contributing
History, Significance and Notable Characteristics
De Witt Clinton Hall is an 11-story U-shaped, white brick and limestone Renaissance Revival style building designed by Schwartz & Gross and built in 1910-11 by V. Cerabone Construction Company. The building features a two-story rusticated limestone base, a deep light court facing the street containing a historic metal-and-glass vestibule, transitional molded stone bands, elaborate wrought-iron balconettes, a monumental attic story with arched windows and sculptured keystones, ornate spandrel panels, bracketed windows, and elaborately detailed bracketed cornice.
De Witt Clinton Hall is named in honor of DeWitt Clinton (1769-1828), Columbia class of 1786. He later became Mayor of New York City, a U.S. Senator, and the sixth Governor of New York State. From 1810 to 1824, he was a member of the Erie Canal Commission and he became the driving force during the construction of the canal.
Alterations
Claremont Avenue Facade: Facade repointed in several places; non-historic metal security grille at first-story windows; windows replaced; siamese pipes at first story; light court facade repointed in several places; windows replaced West 119th Street Facade (partially visible): Facade repointed; windows replaced
Site
Curved stone hip wall encloses areaways flanking central entrance; sunken northern areaway with stone stairs enclosed by stone curb with cast-iron fencing and newel posts; southern areaway with planting bed enclosed by stone curb with cast-iron fencing and newel posts
Sidewalk / Curb Materials
Concrete sidewalk and metal curb
References
“Columbia University Bulletin of Information Annual Report 1920”, (New York, 1921), 6-7;
“Charters Acts of the Legislature Official Documents and Records” compiled by John B. Pine (1920), 114-116. (source)
