Originally designed as a printing facility for tenant Puck Magazine, this Romanesque Revival building is easily identifiable by two Henry Baerer gilded statues of its Shakespearean namesake.
Its distinctive red-brick façade, rounded arches, and German-inspired Rundbogenstil/Romanesque Revival style made it one of the most striking buildings in New York’s former publishing and printing district. The building takes its name from Puck, a popular illustrated humor magazine founded by Joseph Keppler. Two gilded sculptures of Puck, the mischievous character from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, adorn the building and remain among its most recognizable features. Puck became an influential voice in American political and social satire, while the building housed the magazine and the J. Ottmann Lithographing Company, which produced its colorful cartoons and illustrations.
Over time, the Puck Building changed from a center of printing and publishing to a mixed-use landmark. After Puck ceased publication in 1918, the building continued to house printing-related businesses and other commercial uses. It was later rehabilitated, with its upper floors eventually converted to residential penthouses while preserving the historic street-facing architecture.
