Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Landmarked Bowery Mansion On The Market
By
Jen Carlson
Published Aug 7, 2014
Modified Aug 7, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Aug 7, 2014
Modified Aug 7, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Even if the address "190 Bowery" doesn't ring a bell, you have most likely stopped and noticed the building at some point—it's the one with all that graffiti on the corner of Spring Street. Its exterior has remained somewhat of a tribute to the Bowery as it was decades ago. There's no boutique hotel inside, no Starbucks on the ground floor, and it has pretty much looked abandoned for years. And now for the first time in five decades, it appears to be on the market.
What started as a Germania Bank in the 1890s became home to photographer Jay Maisel in the 1960s—he also houses a gallery for his own works inside. Ever since he purchased it for $102,000 he has kept the entire 72-room place to himself and his family. At one point, however, Roy Lichtenstein rented out a studio space there.
Crain's reported yesterday that the six-story building popped up quietly on RFR Realty's website, but no one's talking—"RFR declined to comment and the photographer, Jay Maisel, did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the fate of the ornate six-story, granite and brick building."
Its fate seems to be similar to other Bowery buildings, as it's being marketed for commercial use. The listing reads: "The limestone building is 6 stories, with a basement and roof terrace. Floors measure approximately 6,260 SF each and have 11-foot ceiling heights. The ground and second floors have 18-foot ceiling heights and are ideal for retail use."
(Photo via mgchan's flickr
In 2008, New York magazine got a rare look inside the mysterious building, calling it "a graffiti-covered Gilded Age relic, with a beat-up wooden door that looks like it hasn’t been opened since La Guardia was mayor."
Tagged
190 bowery
bowery
jay maisel
real estate
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 16, 2026
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .