155 Mercer Street is an excellent example of a restoration gone right. This building dates back to 1850, when it was constructed by the city of New York as a Fireman’s Hall. Before 1865, firefighting in New York was pretty much made up of a bunch of competing fire companies, not quite Gangs of New York style with firefighters fighting in the street but not that far off.

As a result of this competition, the city built this as a place for them to get together to increase their spirit of cooperation. In 1865, the FDNY was formed, officially professionalizing firefighting, making the Fireman’s Hall obsolete. A few decades later, it was converted into a regular firehouse, with a very unusual mascot, Jenny the monkey who lived in the house for 12 years. In the 1970s, the FDNY vacated the property, which had lost most of its ornamentation, leaving it with a flat and ugly facade.

It would go on to be used as a Mosque in the 80s, followed by a performing arts venue. In 2013, the building underwent a restoration, bringing it back in line with what it looked like in the 1850s, restoring its facade. It housed a Dolce & Gabana before being sold yet again in 2023 for $60 Million and is now home to a Dyson store. I’ve included photos from 1940, 2011, and 2024. It was landmarked as part of the Soho Cast Iron Historic District on August 14th, 1973.