Brown Building of Science
Encyclopedia
The Brown Building is a ten-story building that is part of the campus of New York University
(NYU). It is located at 23-29 Washington Place, between Greene Street and Washington Square East in Manhattan
, New York City
. It was built in 1900-01, designed by John Wolley in the neo-Renaissance style and was originally named the Asch Building after its owner, Joseph J. Asch. The top three floors of the building were at one time occupied by the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, which was the site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
that killed 146 garment workers on March 25, 1911. The fire led to wide-ranging legislation requiring improved factory safety standards and helped spur the growth of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
. As of 2002, the building's name was changed to the Silver Center for Arts and Science.
The building survived the fire and was refurbished. NYU began to use the eighth floor of the building for a library and classrooms in 1916. Real estate speculator and philanthropist Frederick Brown later bought the building and subsequently donated it to the university in 1929, where it was known as the Brown Building until 2002.
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
and was named a National Historical Landmark in 1991. It was designated a New York City landmark in 2003. Three plaques on the southeast corner of the building commemorate the men and women who lost their lives in the fire.
an artifact
from the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory – a door knob – emits intense heat and flames when held.
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
(NYU). It is located at 23-29 Washington Place, between Greene Street and Washington Square East in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. It was built in 1900-01, designed by John Wolley in the neo-Renaissance style and was originally named the Asch Building after its owner, Joseph J. Asch. The top three floors of the building were at one time occupied by the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, which was the site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City on March 25, 1911, was the deadliest industrial disaster in the history of the city of New York and resulted in the fourth highest loss of life from an industrial accident in U.S. history...
that killed 146 garment workers on March 25, 1911. The fire led to wide-ranging legislation requiring improved factory safety standards and helped spur the growth of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union was once one of the largest labor unions in the United States, one of the first U.S. unions to have a primarily female membership, and a key player in the labor history of the 1920s and 1930s...
. As of 2002, the building's name was changed to the Silver Center for Arts and Science.
The building survived the fire and was refurbished. NYU began to use the eighth floor of the building for a library and classrooms in 1916. Real estate speculator and philanthropist Frederick Brown later bought the building and subsequently donated it to the university in 1929, where it was known as the Brown Building until 2002.
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and was named a National Historical Landmark in 1991. It was designated a New York City landmark in 2003. Three plaques on the southeast corner of the building commemorate the men and women who lost their lives in the fire.
In popular culture
In the sci-fi television show Warehouse 13Warehouse 13
Warehouse 13 is an American fantasy television series that premiered on July 7, 2009 on the Syfy network.Executive-produced by Jack Kenny and David Simkins, the dramatic comedy from Universal Media Studios has been described as borrowing much from 1980s television series Friday the 13th: The...
an artifact
Artifact
- Objects :*Artifact , an object formed by humans, particularly one of interest to archaeologists*Artifact , one of many kinds of tangible byproducts produced during the development of software...
from the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory – a door knob – emits intense heat and flames when held.