Canal Street

When success and changing land-use fashions propelled the enormously popular Arnold Constable Dry Goods Emporium northward from Canal Street to a spanking new store at 19th Street and Broadway in 1873, its original Canal Street home quickly succumbed to the déclassé tendencies of its neighborhood. A century of grime and misuse have combined to conceal the lyrical architecture of this once elegant full block retail bazaar bounded by Howard and Mercer Streets. But in 2005, United American Land rescued the property, acquiring it and presenting to the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission with plans for a loving restoration, including historic preservation of its modulated facade and architectural details. Upon completion in late 2008, the Arnold Constable & Company Building at 309 Canal Street will house luxury loft residences on its upper floors and return to its former status as a neighborhood grande dame.