Cornelia Street, one block long
Like so many streets in this part of the South Village, Cornelia Street is only one block long and feels quite removed, in spite of its proximity to the hustle-bustle of Sixth Avenue and West 4th Street. The 12-story former industrial/loft building at the head of the street at 6th Avenue (center of picture) was built in 1907 as the Varitype Building. Now converted to residences, its height and bulk help give the rest of Cornelia Street its isolated feeling. The street mostly consists of a typical mixture of tenements and altered rowhouses and commercial buildings, including a very altered early 19th century rowhouse at #35, and a 19th century stable converted to residential use at #23. At the far end of the block, 7 Cornelia is a pair of late 19th century tenements merged in the 1930’s to create communal spaces for the tenants and given an art moderne veneer; this is one of many examples of such redevelopments typical of the South Village from this era.
Cornelia Street is named for Cornelia Herring, the granddaughter of Robert Herring, on whose farm the street was laid out in 1794. The Herrings – originally Harnicks – were early Dutch settlers of New York.
7 Cornelia Street entrance
23 Cornelia Street, former stable (left) and 21 Cornelia Street altered 19th century rowhouse (red, middle)
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