243-245 W 30th St
1925, Arthur P. Hess

This 12-story structure is an example of a loft factory, a typology that appeared in the early 1910s as a response to the ban on tenement production. Their design considered adequate lighting and ventilation, therefore providing better working conditions. These buildings began to appear near the mansions and high-end clothing stores that lined Fifth Avenue, sparking opposition from residents. The design by Arthur P. Hess features a two-story base clad in terra cotta and carved panels. The main entrance is framed by a Roman arch with a carved keystone, and a large storefront with glass panels originally occupied the rest of the façade. Not much is known about Hess, except that he was born in Mobile, Alabama, and moved to Manhattan around 1910 with his parents. In 1925, he and architect J. Laying Mills entered the competition for the Bergen Branch of the Jersey City Free Public Library, but were not selected. He was active at least until the 1950s.