Did you know that Steinway & Sons was once located on the Lower East Side?
Though German immigrant Heinrich Steinway founded in the iconic company 1853 out of a small shop at 75 Varick Street, his sons opened an upscale showroom at 107-109 E. 14th Street in 1864.
In 1866, they opened Steinway Hall in the rear of the showrooms, which quickly became the center of New York City’s cultural elite. The concert hall hosted the New York Philharmonic for a quarter of a century, until they moved to the newer Carnegie Hall in 1891.
(Images: left, Steinway ad from 1907; right, a photo of 107-109 E. 14th Street from 1892).
Walk this history: the streets in this article are on the route of our 1,000 Years of New York City History Walking Tour, a private walking tour led by historians and lifelong locals. Private tours run daily on request — $150 for one hour / $300 for two hours per group. To book, visit leshp.org or call (347) 465-7767.
Eric is a 4th generation Lower East Sider, professional NYC history author, movie & TV consultant, and founder of Lower East Side History Project.
See the Lower East Side for yourself
The Lower East Side History Project leads private walking tours led by native New Yorker historians — just your group, at your pace.
- Mafia Walking Tour
- Jewish Lower East Side Walking Tour
- Jewish Mob Walking Tour
- 1,000 Years of NYC History Walking Tour
- Five Points, Chinatown & Little Italy Walking Tour
Private tours: 1 hour $150 / 2 hours $300 per group. Call (347) 465-7767 or contact us to book.