16 Mercer Street / 50 Howard Street
7/11
16 Mercer Street / 50 Howard Street
- Location
- Soho, NY
- Use
- Residential / Retail
- Year
- 1863
- Website
- 16mercer.com
Overview
Built in 1863, the five-story building once served as the New York State Soldier’s Depot, a temporary home for Union soldiers returning from the Civil War.
Architecture
A 2009 gut renovation restored the historic building and transformed it into six luxury artist lofts and a 3,000-square-foot ground-floor retail space.
History
Its life spans military history, cast-iron Soho, neglect, and renewal, giving it a depth rare in contemporary residential conversions.
Cultural context
The project preserves the romance of Soho without over-performing it: masonry, proportion, and memory remain the main event.