At the southwest corner of Christopher Street as well as Seventh Avenue , inwards front end of the entrance to the Village Cigars shop , there's a modest triangular mosaic laid upwards into the sidewalk which reads "Property of the Hess Estate Which Has Never Been Dedicated for Public Purpose".
The solid soil where the 500-square-inch mosaic lies was business office of a larger belongings belonging to David Hess , where in 1 lawsuit stood a five-story residential edifice called the Voorhis Apartment. In 1910 , the metropolis decided to build a novel subway draw of piece of employment as well as widen the streets , which meant demolishing close 300 buildings inwards the area. Voorhis Apartment was with the buildings slated for demolition.
Photo credit: Jason Eppink/Flickr
After the wrecking ball had done its chore , David Hess institute himself inwards possession of a tiny bundle of solid soil —a triangle , mensuration 65 cm on the base of operations as well as seventy cm on both sides— that the metropolis missed due to a surveying error. When the metropolis realized its error , it sent a detect to Hess to mitt over the remaining belongings , precisely Mr. Hess resisted. In social club to brand his intentions clear , inwards 1922 , Hess had the tiny belongings tiled over with dark as well as xanthous tiles bearing the inscription that you lot come across today.
In 1938 the belongings was sold to the following Village Cigars shop for $1 ,000. It’s withal reported to hold upwards the smallest plot inwards New York City.
Photo credit: chriswhong.com
Sources: Wikipedia / Roadside America / Gothamist