Cast iron detail, typical South Village storefront, 68-74 Thompson Street
One of the many compelling elements of the architecture of the South Village is the frequency of intact 19th century details on storefronts such as this. Cast iron was frequently used to create intricately detailed panels and posts on these storefronts, and many have other original details such as cast-iron bay window frames and friezes. The colorful paint job here at 68-74 Thompson Street emphasizes the details.
At 68-74 Thompson Street you also have an impressively designed Beaux Arts tenement with lyrical ironwork fire escape balconies (see below), a chunky and elaborately detailed cornice, a modulated façade, and intricately detailed coursings and lintels (see below). Along with this storefront, this is a remarkably intact example, down to the finest details, of a turn-of-the-century tenement, though few are as elaborately detailed as this one. (See map item #17).
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