269 Henry Street, which once housed Fire Engine Company No. 15, is a strong candidate for landmark designation for its significance as civic architecture, its unique cultural history extending back to Boss Tweed, and its contribution to the fabric of its streetscape, renowned for the Henry Street Settlement. The building is remarkably intact and meticulously restored.

This former firehouse, built in 1884, was among the early buildings designed for the Metropolitan Fire Department of New York by the distinguished firm of Napoleon LeBrun & Sons, which had been hired for a major building campaign for the Department. As a prominent civic institution, the former Fire Engine Company No 15 building has certain features which are still recognizable to pedestrians today as belonging to a firehouse. But its unique historic elements clearly set it apart from modern firehouses. The building’s long-lasting presence in the neighborhood as a symbol of protection, and its evocation of the past, adds resonance to its current use for community services provided by the historic Henry Street Settlement.

Read LESPI’s Letter to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission and Statement of Significance