Henry Janeway Hardenbergh

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Henry Janeway Hardenbergh Template:Post-nominals (February 6, 1847 – March 13, 1918) was an American architect, best known for his hotels and apartment buildings, and as a "master of a new building form — the skyscraper."<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> He worked three times with Edward Clark, the wealthy owner of the Singer Sewing Machine Company and real estate developer: The Singer company's first tower in New York City, the Dakota Apartments, and its precursor, the Van Corlear.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He is best known for building apartment dwellings and luxury hotels.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Life and career

Hardenbergh was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, of a Dutch family, and attended the Hasbrouck Institute in Jersey City. He apprenticed in New York from 1865 to 1870 under Detlef Lienau, and, in 1870, opened his own practice there.<ref name=lmdesrep>Pierson, Majorie (ed.) et al. "Ladies' Mile Historic District Designation Report v.2" Template:Webarchive New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (May 2, 1989)</ref>

He obtained his first contracts for three buildings at Rutgers College in New Brunswick, New Jersey—the expansion of Alexander Johnston Hall (1871), designing and building Geology Hall (1872) and the Kirkpatrick Chapel (1873)—through family connections. Hardenbergh's great-great grandfather, the Reverend Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh, had been the first president of Rutgers College from 1785 to 1790, when it was still called "Queen's College".

He then got the contract to design the "Vancorlear" on West 55th Street, the first apartment hotel in New York City, in 1879.<ref name=nytobit /> The following year, he was commissioned by Edward S. Clark, then head of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, to build a housing development. As part of this work, he designed the pioneering Dakota Apartments<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> on Central Park West, novel in its location, very far north of the center of the city.

Subsequently, Hardenbergh received commissions to build the Waldorf Hotel (1893) and the adjoining Astoria Hotel (1897) hotels for William Waldorf Astor and Mrs. Astor, respectively. The two competing hotels were later joined together as the Waldorf-Astoria, which was demolished in 1929 for the construction of the Empire State Building.

Hardenbergh lived for some time in Bernardsville, New Jersey,<ref>Gray, Christopher. "Streetscapes/Henry Janeway Hardenbergh; An Architect Who Left an Indelible Imprint", The New York Times, May 7, 2000. Accessed March 21, 2011. "He alternated living in New York and New Jersey, at first at 121 West 73rd Street, in Jersey City and Bernardsville, and in a big town house of his own design at 12 East 56th Street."</ref> where he designed the building for the school house built with funds donated by Frederic P. Olcott.<ref name=":0" /> The school house is in Hardenberghs architectural style and is a landmark in the town.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hardenbergh died at his home in Manhattan, New York City on March 13, 1918.<ref name=nytobit>Staff. (March 14, 1918) "H.J. Hardenbergh, Architect, Is Dead" The New York Times</ref> He is buried in Woodland Cemetery, in Stamford, Connecticut.

Organizations

Hardenbergh was elected to the American Institute of Architects in 1867, and was made a Fellow in 1877. He was president of the Architectural League of New York from 1901 to 1902, and was an associate of the National Academy of Design. Hardenbergh was one of the founders of the American Fine Arts Society as well as the Municipal Art Society.<ref name=lmdesrep /> He was also a member of the Sculpture Society and the Century, Riding, Grolier and Church Clubs.<ref name=nytobit />

Buildings

See also

References

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