Jefferson Market Prison

Jefferson Market Prison was a striking thirteen-story Art Deco building at the corner of 10 Greenwich Avenue, featuring narrow windows and thick stone walls that caught the eye. The structure dominated its location and served as a visible part of the neighborhood's layout for decades.

The building was constructed in 1932 to replace an older Victorian-era prison that had occupied the site. It operated until 1974, when it was demolished to make way for a different use of the land.

The prison walls were part of everyday life in Greenwich Village, and the memory of the place still shapes how people understand this neighborhood. Today visitors encounter a garden where a building once stood that defined the area for many years.

The site is easily accessible today as it sits in a busy neighborhood with good public transportation connections. Visitors should allow time to explore the historical markers and the garden that now occupy the space.

This was the first prison to fully employ Art Deco design principles, setting it apart from all other prison buildings of its era. This architectural innovation made it a notable example of how modern design was applied even to institutional structures.