Former Fire Engine Company No. 53 / Former 28th Police Precinct Station House
175 East 104th Street
Napoleon LeBrun & Sons, 1883-84 – NYCIL
177-179 East 104th Street
Nathaniel D. Bush, 1892-93 – NYCIL
These two structures, built roughly a decade apart, once functioned side-by-side as a fire station and a police station. The architects of both buildings were employed by their respective departments and were tasked with establishing a strong architectural presence and identity for each. The fire station was designed by the firm of Napoleon LeBrun & Sons, which served the Fire Department from 1879 to 1895. During this time, the firm designed more than 40 buildings that defined the department’s architectural presence in the city. This Queen Anne/Romanesque Revival style structure is considered a fine example of their work. The police station was designed by Nathaniel D. Bush, the Police Department’s architect from 1862 to 1895. It features elements of the Rundbogenstil, Renaissance Revival and neo-Grec styles. Both buildings were decommissioned in 1974.
Both the former Fire Engine Company No. 53 and the Former 28th Police Precinct Station House are designated New York City Individual Landmarks.