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Landmarks
104 West 40th St. – Springs Mills Building, proposed designation
WHEREAS, The Springs Mills Building, 104 West 40th Street, constructed in 1962, was designed by the prominent New York architectural firm, Harrison & Abramowitz, who collaborated on many significant mid-20th Century projects in New York, including structures at Rockefeller Center, the United Nations, Lincoln Center, Columbia University and the State Capital of New York at Albany; and
WHEREAS, The building is located on an L-shaped lot that extends from West 40th Street through to West 39th Street with an intimate plaza on the south side of West 40th Street; and
WHEREAS, The building has a slender 22-story tower that rises from a recessed entrance and is wider at the center than at either end, and the tower's unique configuration permits natural light to reach what would have ordinarily been lot line windows; and
WHEREAS, Springs Cotton Mills was formed in 1914 when Lancaster Cotton mills, founded by Leroy Springs in South Carolina, assumed control of the Fort Mill Manufacturing company, established in 1887 by Samuel Elliott White; and
WHEREAS, The company grew from six cotton mills in the 1930's with 5,000 employees to a publicly traded company in 1966 with nineteen plants and 18,000 employees; and
WHEREAS, The company was renamed Springs Industries in 1982 and is now known as Springs Global, with brands such as Wamsutta and Springmaid, and still maintains its corporate headquarters in the same building; and
WHEREAS, This building embraces principles of European modernism with minimalist sculptural design, tapered tower and sleek green glass panels and thin aluminum mullion cladding; and
WHEREAS, It is considered one of the Garment District's most striking structures and serves as a prominent backdrop to Bryant Park; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the designation of the Springs Mills Building, 104 West 40th Street, as a New York City Landmark, based on its architectural, cultural and historic significance.
The above resolution passed by a vote of 40 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining.