| 81 Willoughby Street | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Alternative names | New York and New Jersey Telephone and Telegraph Building |
| General information | |
| Type | Commercial |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts and Renaissance Revival |
| Location | 81 Willoughby Street, Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40°41′32″N 73°59′10″W / 40.6923°N 73.9861°W |
| Construction started | 1896 |
| Completed | 1898 |
| Owner | 81 Willoughby LLC[1] |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 8 |
| Floor area | 73,860 sq ft (6,862 m2)[1] |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Rudolphe L. Daus |
| Designated | June 29, 2004 |
| Reference no. | 2156[2] |
81 Willoughby Street (formerly the New York and New Jersey Telephone and Telegraph Building) is a commercial building in the Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood of New York City. Built from 1896 to 1898 as the headquarters for the New York and New Jersey Telephone and Telegraph Company (later the New York Telephone Company), it is located at the northeast corner of Willoughby and Lawrence Streets. The building is eight stories tall and was designed by Rudolphe L. Daus in a mixture of the Beaux-Arts and Renaissance Revival styles.
The facade is largely clad with limestone on its bottom four stories, as well as brick and terracotta on its top four stories. The Willoughby and Lawrence Street elevations are each divided vertically into three bays and are highly similar in design. The main entrance is through an ornamental arch on Willoughby Street, at the southeast corner of the building. The remainder of the building contains ornamental details such as a curved corner with an oculus window, as well as a deep cornice on the upper stories. The building measures eight stories high with a basement and was largely constructed with a steel frame. When the building was constructed, the entire structure contained various departments, with a telephone exchange on the top floor.
The New York and New Jersey Telephone Company constructed 81 Willoughby Street in 1896 in response to increased business. Plans for the new structure were filed in May 1896, and the building was occupied by early 1898. The company's business grew so rapidly that it moved some operations to another building in 1904 and constructed a six-story annex at 360 Bridge Street between 1922 and 1923. New York Telephone acquired 81 Willoughby Street in 1929 and retained central office equipment there after a new telephone building opened in 1931 at 101 Willoughby Street. In 1943, the company sold off the building, which has remained a commercial structure ever since, accommodating offices, laboratories, and educational institutions. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the building as a city landmark in 2004.