An opera house, firehouse, and former telegraph bureau headquarters are the newest individual landmarks in the Bronx! At a Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing on June 13th, the commissioners voted unanimously to designate these three structures which each represent a different aspect of the borough’s history. All of these sites were part of a comprehensive borough-wide survey of the Bronx conducted last year by an LPC research team with the intention of identifying eligible structures in areas that are less represented by landmark designations. Here, we explore what makes these Bronx landmarks so special!
1. Engine Company 88/ Ladder Company 38 Firehouse, built in 1908
Image Courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission
Engine Company 88/Ladder Company 38 Firehouse was built to serve the growing population of the Belmont neighborhood at the turn of the 20th century. Its design represents a transitional era in firehouse construction when firefighting methods were evolving from relying on manual tools and horses to more mechanized equipment. The firehouse was designed by the architecture firm of Herts & Tallant, Broadway theater designers who designed the New Amsterdam Theater, the Lyceum Theater, and the Booth Theater. They were also experts in fireproof building design and this structure is the sole firehouse designed by the duo.
2. The Bronx Opera House, built 1912-1913
Image Courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission
The Bronx Opera House is located at 436-442 East 149th Street in the South Bronx. It was designed by noted theater architect George Keister who has two other individual landmarks under his belt – Belasco’s Stuyvesant Theatre and the Apollo Theater. This theater was built to be part of the “Subway Circuit,” a selection of outer borough theaters where Broadway productions were tested before heading out on regional or national tours. In the 1950s, as the Puerto Rican population in the area grew, the opera house was converted into a nightclub and operated under various names, from Club Caravana to El Cerromar. As a club, the building saw performances by stars such as Tito Rodriguez, Johnny Pacheco, and more. Though the interior auditorium is no longer extant, the building retains its impressive Italian Renaissance Revival facade. It now operates as a boutique hotel with storefronts on the ground floor.
3. Fire Alarm Telegraph Bureau, Bronx Central Office, built in 1915
Image Courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission
The Bronx Central Office of the Fire Alarm Telegraph Bureau is one of four borough offices that were constructed in the early 1900s. It was designed by noted Brooklyn architect Frank J. Helmle. The four borough offices – in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan – were built on large open lots in city parks, far from neighboring buildings that might pose a fire hazard or impede communications. This Italian Renaissance Revival-style building is located at the southeastern corner of Bronx Park and is still used in the FDNY’s communications system.
Nicole Saraniero is the Insider-in-Chief at Untapped New York, leading our Untapped New York Insiders membership program. Nicole graduated from Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Science in Televis
