165 Duane (block 143/Lot 1) known as the Schepp Building, was designed by Stephen Decatur Hatch. Schepp used it as an office, a warehouse, and for processing coconut fiber. Schepp had a rags to riches life story, leaving behind a charitable foundation to help similar boys find their way up to entrepreneurship. The building suffered through a hodge-podge of manufacturing tenants before Jeffrey Lamb bought it and converted in to residential use in 1981.
The style is Romanesque Revival with neo-Grecian elements. Note the incredible bays! It once had a partial mansard roof, but that burned down long ago. From the Landmarks designation report (and other sources) it is clear that this remarkable 10 story building has many notable features, among them the deep, granite arcaded, defensive bays and the lovely variations on the arched and decorative windows as the building rises. Martin Scorcese and Isabella Rossellini once lived here. The day of this photo, Taste of Tribeca is setting up for their big event.
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