From Horses to Oysters to Art - 246 East 5th Street

 

photograph by Anthony Bellov

Jacob Finck owned the two-story building--possibly a carriage house or small stable--at 246 East 5th Street when he died in 1881.  It was most likely his widow and son, Andrew, who converted the building to a house-and-store around 1883.  

The remodeling was a mélange of styles.  The building's tall second-floor windows wore molded cornices, typical of the Italianate style.  The pressed metal cornice, however, with its crisp, geometric corbels, was neo-Grec in style.  A handsome, slightly-projecting storefront was supported by paneled, cast iron pilasters.

The storefront was intact when this photograph was taken in 1940.  via the NYC Dept of Records & Information Services.

It is unclear how long the Fricks retained possession of the property.  By the turn of the century, it was owned by real estate operator Michael J. Adrian, who owned dozens of properties in the district.  As early as 1904, the store was home to Oscar Horn's clothing and tailoring shop.  

Adrian died in 1908 and on May 15 that year his estate transferred his holdings--valued at the equivalent of $62.7 million in 2026--to the newly formed Michael J. Adrian Corporation.  Included in the transfer was 246 East 5th Street, the storefront of which now held the office of building contractors Golomb & Magid.

The corporation leased 246 East 5th Street in 1913 to real estate operator Norbert Landau.  He advertised on February 8 that year, "Real Estate Wanted.  $10,000 cash to invest for good paying houses; (no steam heat;) with only one mortgage.  Robert Landau, 246 East 5th St., New York."  His substantial offering would translate to about $325,000 today.

Little changed to the charming building over the subsequent decades.  In the Depression years, a tailor shop occupied the store.  And then, in the 1970s it was converted to a single-family home.  The storefront was removed and replaced with a comically tiny window, and a slathering of stucco was applied to the facade.

image via the NYC Dept of Records & Information Services.

Before 2000, the building was renovated again.  A storefront was reintroduced, the second floor windows were shortened, and a awkward third floor added.  

Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar opened in the storefront in September 2003.  The New York Times food critic Florence Fabricant described it as "a small marble bar with chandeliers."

photograph by Anthony Bellov

The restaurant was short-lived.  On May 9, 2025, Slip House opened in the space.  The gallery was founded by Ingrid Lundgren and Marissa Dembkoski.  At some point (the timeline is vague), the ground floor facade was encrusted with colorful mosaics, reportedly done by artist Jim Powers.  And a striking ironwork archway was installed, reportedly the work of Linus Coraggio.

photograph by Anthony Bellov

many thanks to historian Anthony Bellov for suggesting this post