Spring Street, which runs in Soho from the Bowery west to West and Canal Streets, is named for an actual spring that has been contained in the sewer system for the past couple of centuries. Like the rest of NYC, some interesting signs and buildings can be found along its length.
A peculiar attribute of NYC’s liquor stores is that many of them retain decades-old signage, neon or otherwise. The lettering is bold and the color scheme is basic, and the proprietors know enough to let these signs do their jobs and not interfere with them, or add to them with meaningless clutter. This store can be found just west of Mulberry.
The JUDSON HEALTH CENTER, providing care for neighborhood residents, is affiliated with Judson Memorial Church on Washington Square South. It was founded in 1921 and moved into this handsome brick building on 34 Spring in 1950, and keeps its signage inconspicuous.
Anyone have any idea what this building’s original purpose was?
Radio man Bernie Wagenblast referred me to the answer.
RICE TO RICHES, 37 Spring, serves rice pudding only, but in a couple dozen flavors. (My father was a rice pudding aficionado, but he knew only one flavor, the original vanilla.) This is the latest and greatest in store awning signage, a 3-D metallic effect. Compare the the basic black and white liquor store sign.
Brilliant red and yellow signage with mostly Chinese characters (translation please) decorates the Eastern USA Taoist Association Center at 16 Spring.
Taoism at a Glance [BBC]
Till a few years ago, 11 Spring Street at the NE corner of Spring and Elizabeth was one of the most heavily-graffitied buildings in the city, as hundreds of street artists were allowed to make their various marks here. It was turned into expensive apartment units beginning in 2007.
The building ‘s renaissance comes after years of mystifying passersby. It was known to people in the neighborhood simply as the “candle building,” because of the constant dim light that came from single candles that burned in its windows. An artist who designed theater sets, John Simpson, owned the building between 1974 and 2003. NY Sun
Some vivid lettering, illustrating part of the USA Pledge of Allegiance, has been painted on the exterior of 10 Spring. The “Occupy” sentiment sign in the window is the only clue about its significance, so again, I’d appreciate a clue about what’s going on here.
Much more from Spring Street [PBase]
6/25/12
8 comments
wasn’t 11 spring street once known as ”the ice house,” for its reputation as a mob dead-body dumping ground?
10 Spring is a long-time “lawyer for the little guys,” office. hence the sentiment.
The Judson Health Center at 34 Spring Street was previously the New York Dispensary. The building was built in approximately 1912. The site was previously used as a coal yard. You’ll find more information in this article from The New York Times.
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F60717F7345517738DDDAD0894DF405B828DF1D3
I bet that somewhere down there way underground the spring is still going
You can see the building that is now the Judson Center at http://www.oldnyc.org/#723363f-a … Image is from 1922. The buildings in the foreground of the image were all demolished, and today there is a park in their place.
In the 90’s there was an amazing Plant shop on Spring Street, just off West Broadway. Does anyone remember its name? Thanks. Pat
The building on 11 Spring Street was once used as a stable for horses and carriages that were still used by street vendors in the late 1950s and early 1960s. You can note the large entrance outlines ion Elizabeth Street side. I do believe this building was a also a storage area for ice as elders living in the neighborhood at that time had “ice bpxes” instead of electric refrigerators. We had an “ice man” who kept ice covered with a blanket on the corner of Prince and Elizabeth Street. His name was Aspano – not sure of the spelling.
Does anyone have photos of the flea market on Spring and Wooster? I’m talking late eighties.