The Griffith Building, also known as the Griffith Piano Company Building, is located at 605-607 Broad Street by Military Park in the city of Newark in Essex County, New Jersey. It was built in 1927 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 24, 1984, for its significance in architecture, commerce, and music.[4] It was added as a contributing property to the Military Park Commons Historic District on June 18, 2004.[5]

Griffith Building
Griffith Building in 2020
Griffith Building is located in Essex County, New Jersey
Griffith Building
Griffith Building is located in New Jersey
Griffith Building
Griffith Building is located in the United States
Griffith Building
Location605-607 Broad Street
Newark, New Jersey
Coordinates40°44′27″N 74°10′11″W / 40.74083°N 74.16972°W / 40.74083; -74.16972
Area0.3 acres (0.12 ha)
Built1927
ArchitectGeorge Elwood Jones
Architectural styleGothic
Part ofMilitary Park Commons Historic District (ID04000649[2])
NRHP reference No.84002641[1]
NJRHP No.1263[3]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPMay 24, 1984
Designated CPJune 18, 2004
Designated NJRHPApril 17, 1984

History and description edit

 
Detail of entryway

The Griffith Piano Company was founded in 1911 by Parker O. Griffith. The building was designed by local architect George Elwood Jones (1886–1952), construction started in 1927, and opened on June 1, 1928.[4] It has 14 floors and is 64.01 m (210.0 ft) tall.[6] The company erected the building as a showroom, workshop, office tower and recital auditorium.[7] Under the direction of Mrs. Parker O. Griffith, a foundation supported by the company was responsible for the direction, support, and programming at Newark Symphony Hall.[8][9]

Plans to renovate the building into apartments have been proposed but have yet to bear fruit.[10][11][12]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "National Register Information System – (#84002641)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  2. ^ "National Register Information System – Military Park Commons Historic District (#04000649)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  3. ^ "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Essex County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – Historic Preservation Office. March 23, 2022. p. 17.
  4. ^ a b Wyatt, Charles E. (January 1984). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Griffith Building". National Park Service. With accompanying 25 photos
  5. ^ Zakalak, Ulana D. (February 2003). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Military Park Commons Historic District". National Park Service. With accompanying 46 photos
  6. ^ "Griffith Building". Emporis.[dead link]
  7. ^ DePalma, Anthony (June 12, 1983). "OUTSIDER SHOWS FAITH IN NEWARK". The New York Times. Retrieved July 22, 2010.
  8. ^ https://www.newarksymphonyhall.org/about-main.shtml Archived 2010-07-11 at the Wayback Machine Newark Symphony Hall website
  9. ^ Sills, JoAnne (November 23, 2008). "Newark's forgotten music center". Newark Star Ledger. Retrieved September 11, 2010.
  10. ^ Depalma, Anthony (June 12, 1983). "Outsider Shows Faith in Newark". The New York Times.
  11. ^ "NYC developers crossing the river to Newark". The Real Deal. Archived from the original on February 15, 2010. Retrieved July 22, 2010.
  12. ^ "Could Newark's Historic Griffith Building Finally be Restored?". August 27, 2018.

External links edit