Daniel Arsham Is Selling His Historic Firehouse Home and Studio
By Min Chen
Like the Ghostbusters before him, Daniel Arsham has spent the past few years based out of a converted New York firehouse. Now, the artist is parting with the space he has called home and studio, listing it with Compass for $8.9 million.
The 19th-century, 2,800-square-foot structure on 185 Lafayette Street still boasts its original patterned brickwork exterior and cast-iron pillars, while its insides were handsomely renovated by Arsham when he purchased the landmarked property in 2022. Across its three stories, you can find the artist’s touches—from the custom built-in bookshelves on the ground floor to the building’s spiral staircase, painted in Arsham’s signature mint green. The ceilings soar and natural light abounds.
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Inside Daniel Arsham’s converted firehouse on 185 Lafayette Street. Photo: Gloria Kilbourne, courtesy of Compass.
One of the building’s defining features is its ground-floor garage, which first drew Arsham’s attention when he discovered the property. As he told Architectural Digest in 2023, he needed a secure space to park his Porsche 964 Carrera 2 (painted, of course, in green). He leaped at the chance to snap up the historic firehouse: “I’ve been around New York long enough to know that this was the spot for me.”
Arsham would go on to make the space his. Along the garage, shelves displayed his collection—from Bearbricks to Star Wars figurines. Up the spiral stairs, the primary floor held his well-appointed kitchen and living space. On the building’s roof, he installed a landscaped terrace, complete with lounge area and cabana.
Inside Daniel Arsham’s converted firehouse on 185 Lafayette Street. Photo: Gloria Kilbourne, courtesy of Compass.
Throughout, the home was decorated with pieces by the likes of KAWS and Josh Sperling, as well as the artist’s own works such as his eroded Venus de Milo sculpture sitting by a bathroom sink. (The artworks are not being sold with the property, natch.)
But Arsham is only the latest chapter in the building’s history. Constructed in 1887, the firehouse was designed by Napoleon LeBrun, official architect of the Fire Department of New York. One of more than 40 firehouses LeBrun oversaw, Engine Company No. 55 provided fire protection as the Soho neighborhood grew amid rapid industrialization in the late 19th century.
Exterior of Daniel Arsham’s converted firehouse on 185 Lafayette Street. Photo: Gloria Kilbourne, courtesy of Compass.
In 1898, Engine Company 55 moved out after the city widened Elm Street and folded it into Lafayette Street, giving the building its current address. The building’s top floor was then removed, and its cornices and terra cotta rosettes were lowered as part of the renovations.
For years, it would serve as the sleeping quarters for Deputy Fire Chief Thomas R. Langford, before being converted for business use in the early 20th century. An automotive repair shop took up the ground floor in 1923, then a surplus store.
In 2009, after being converted once more into a studio and residence, 185 Lafayette Street was acquired by photographer Terry Richardson for $3.3 million. He put it on the market for $5.5 million in 2022.
This article was originally published by Artnet News.