20 Jul 2026 exterior-detail photographic survey of adolph zucker and john edelmann decker or union commerical building (1892–93)
July 20, 2026
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2026 exterior-detail photographic survey of adolph zucker and john edelmann decker or union commerical building (1892–93), located at 33 union square west, new york city, ny.
john herman edelmann was an important mentor and colleague to louis sullivan. a skilled architect and draftsman, he introduced sullivan to william le baron jenney in 1873 and later to dankmar adler, helping set the stage for the renowned adler & sullivan partnership.
edelmann’s rich, organic ornamentation also shaped sullivan’s developing approach to intricate, nature-inspired architectural decoration. sullivan worked for edelmann as a draftsman and apprentice, absorbing his design ideas and drafting methods.
after adler hired edelmann as office foreman, edelmann encouraged him to employ sullivan and later introduced the two directly. sullivan praised edelmann in the autobiography of an idea as a philosopher and mentor, though he minimized the extent of his formal apprenticeship in edelmann’s office.
the decker building, also known as the union building, is a commercial building at 33 union square west in manhattan, new york city. designed by john h. edelmann for the decker brothers piano company, it was completed in 1892. from 1968 to 1973, it housed artist andy warhol’s studio, the factory. the building was designated a new york city landmark in 1988 and listed on the national register of historic places in 2003.
the building is only 33 feet wide and 138 feet deep, on a lot extending 150 feet. a rear right-of-way connects it to 16th street. its façade combines venetian and islamic influences and preserves many terra-cotta details. a rooftop minaret once topped the building but had disappeared before world war ii.
completed in 1892 for the decker brothers piano company, the building was designed by radical anarchist architect john h. edelmann, who worked from alfred zucker’s offices. it replaced an earlier decker building on the same lot, designed by leopold eidlitz and completed in 1869.
on november 25, 1950, 27-year-old abraham yeager was killed when a one-ton section of cornice fell from the decker building onto the sidewalk where he was walking.
in 1968, pop artist andy warhol moved the factory from 231 east 47th street after that building was slated for demolition. he rented the decker building’s entire sixth floor, including a small balcony overlooking union square, then a declining area, after office manager paul morrissey found the space. warhol was drawn to its proximity to max’s kansas city, a favorite gathering place. during the move, jed johnson, a young western union messenger, delivered a telegram to the factory and was hired by morrissey to help renovate the space. johnson moved in with warhol later that year and became his longtime partner.
on june 3, 1968, radical feminist valerie solanas shot and seriously wounded warhol, also injuring curator mario amaya. at the time, the factory had an open-door policy that allowed unrestricted access. afterward, johnson added security by installing a dutch door and enclosing the elevator behind a wall so visitors had to buzz for entry.
in the early 1970s, warhol had assistants videotape visitors and record daily studio activity. in 1974, he moved the factory to nearby 860 broadway and, during the relocation, began assembling what became the warhol time capsules.
