Phase 1A Archaeological Documentary Study Seward Park Mixed Use Development Project Block 346, Lot 40; Block 347, Lot 71; Block 352, Lots 1 and 28; Block 353, Lot 44; Block 354, Lots 1 and 12; Block 409, Lot 56; and Block 410, Lot 38 Lower East Side, New York, New York Prepared for: The New York City Economic Development Corporation 110 William Street New York, New York 10038 Prepared by: AKRF, Inc. 440 Park Avenue South New York, New York 10016 December 2011 Table of Contents Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................................... i List of Figures .............................................................................................................................................. ii List of Photographs ..................................................................................................................................... ii List of Tables .............................................................................................................................................. iii 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 A. Project Overview ............................................................................................................................. 1 B. Research Goals and Methodology ................................................................................................... 2 C. Previous Archaeological work in the area ....................................................................................... 3 2: Environmental and Physical Settings ................................................................................................... 5 A. Geology and Topography ................................................................................................................ 5 B. Hydrology ........................................................................................................................................ 6 C. Soils ................................................................................................................................................. 6 D. Paleoenvironment ............................................................................................................................ 6 E. Current Conditions ........................................................................................................................... 6 3: Precontact Period ................................................................................................................................... 8 A. Precontact Context ........................................................................................................................... 8 B. Previously Identified Native American Archaeological Sites ......................................................... 9 4: The Historic Period .............................................................................................................................. 11 A. The Early History of The Project site ............................................................................................ 11 B. Rising Tensions During the Revolution ......................................................................................... 12 C. 19th Century Site History .............................................................................................................. 13 D. 20th Century Site History .............................................................................................................. 15 E. Subsurface Infrastructure in the Vicinity of the Project Sites ........................................................ 16 F. Historic lots within Site 2 .............................................................................................................. 17 G. Historic lots within Site 3 .............................................................................................................. 20 H. Historic lots within Site 4 .............................................................................................................. 24 I. Historic lots within Site 5 .............................................................................................................. 28 J. Historic lots within Site 6 .............................................................................................................. 35 5: Conclusions and Recommendations .................................................................................................... 38 A. Conclusions .................................................................................................................................... 38 B. Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 39 References .................................................................................................................................................. 40 i List of Figures Figure 1: Project location and Location of Previously Identified Precontact Archaeological Sites. USGS Map, Brooklyn and Jersey City Quadrangles. Figure 2: Project Site Boundaries. Sanborn Insurance Map, 2007. Figure 3: Sanitary and Topographical Map of the City and Island of New York. E. Viele, 1865. Figure 4: The Taylor-Roberts Plan, 1797. Figure 5: Maps of the City of New York. W. Perris, 1857. Figure 6: Sanborn Map, 1905. Figure 7: Sanborn Map, 1922. Figure 8: Sanborn Map, 1951. List of Photographs See Figure 2 for Camera Angles Photograph 1: View southwest towards the parking lot situated on Site 2 from the intersection of Norfolk and Delancey Streets. Photograph 2: Looking northwest from the intersection of Suffolk and Broome Streets at the parking lot located on Site 3. Photograph 3: The southwestern corner of the parking lot on Site 4, looking northeast from the intersection of Suffolk and Broome Streets. Photograph 4: The existing structure along the northern side of Site 5. Photograph 5: Existing structures at 400 and 402 Grand Street along the southern side of Site 5. Photograph 6: Looking northeast at the parking lot on Site 5 from the intersection of Grand and Suffolk Streets. Photograph 7: Looking southeast at the parking lot on Site 5 from the intersection of Broome and Suffolk Streets. Photograph 8: The parking lot on Site 6, looking northeast from the intersection of Broome and Clinton Streets. Photograph 9: Aerial photograph of the project site. ii List of Tables Table 1: Previously Identified Archaeological Sites Within One Mile of the Project Area ............................... 4 Table 2: Street Elevation Changes .............................................................................................................. 6 Table 3: Previously Identified Native American Archaeological Sites .......................................................... 10 Table 4: Summary of Historic Properties Included within Site 2 (Modern Block 352, Lot 28) ........................ 18 Table 5: Summary of Historic Properties Included within Site 3 (Modern Block 346, Lot 40 [part]) ............... 21 Table 6: Summary of Historic Properties Included within Site 4 (Modern Block 346, Lot 40 [part]) ............... 26 Table 7: Summary of Historic Properties Included within Site 5 (Modern Block 346, Lot 40 [part]) ............... 30 Table 8: Summary of Historic Properties Included within Site 6 (Modern Block 347, Lot 71) ........................ 36 TOC-iii Chapter 1: Introduction A. PROJECT OVERVIEW The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development (ODMED), in coordination with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), proposes multiple discretionary actions to allow the implementation of an approximately 1.7 million-gross-square-foot mixed-use development on 10 City- owned sites. The 10 proposed development sites are located in Manhattan Community District 3 generally along Delancey and Essex Streets on the Lower East Side (see Figure 1). The project site also includes demapped sections of Broome and Suffolk Streets that would be mapped as City streets, and sections of Clinton and Delancey Streets that would be demapped. The approximately 6.6-acre project site is primarily composed of the following City-owned parcels (see Figure 2) Site 1: Block 409, Lot 56; Site 2: Block 352, Lots 1 and 28; Site 3: Block 346, Lot 40; Site 4: Block 346, Lot 40; Site 5: Block 346, Lot 40; Site 6: Block 347, Lot 71; Site 7: Block 410, Lot 38; this site will not be redeveloped under the proposed actions; Site 8: Block 354, Lot 1; Site 9: Block 353, Lot 44; and Site 10: Block 354, Lot 12. To facilitate the redevelopment project, a number of discretionary actions would be required. Adoption of proposed Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) actions would involve public review by a number of entities, which include, depending on the action, Manhattan Community Board 3, the Manhattan Borough President, the New York City Planning Commission, and the New York City Council. These actions include zoning map changes and zoning text amendments, zoning special permits, City map amendment, the disposition of City-owned property, and approval of Urban Development Action Area Project(s) (UDAAP). Mayoral and Borough Board approval of the business terms with