As we press further into the 2010s, “painted ads” from the 1960s can join their elders in the ranks of NYC’s antique, faded signage, in addition to all the remaining Castoria and Omega Oil ads, some of which go back to the 1880s.
Baldwin Belting, which made rubber and vinyl auto parts since its founding in 1925, moved to this building on Spring Street east of Hudson in 1965, remaining here until the company went under in 1989. This ad has been open to full sun for the better part of 50 years, but only now is the sun making any real inroads in fading it. More damage was made when windows were cut out sometime after the ad was painted — the great Walter Grutchfield, who wrote the lowdown, has an early photo of the ad with its distinctive Goodyear winged foot logo before the windows appeared.
The Holland Tunnel runs under the street directly below the sign.
7/27/13