In the style of beaux-arts architecture, the Cockcroft Building (today known as the Croft Building) was built in 1905 as office space. Nassau Street was a central hub for major headquarters such as, the New York Times, Western Union Telegraphs and most notably as the “Stamp District”.  In the 1920s, stamp collecting became very popular and with dozens of stamp and coin dealers along its short length.  The book titled Nassau Street written in the 1960’s by Hermain Herst Jr. also describes the “golden age” of stamp collecting during this time. The building remained an office space until 2004 when the Financial District became a residential destination.  The building facade remained as originally built and the interior spaces were converted into lofts.

In comes Sarah Magness, the worldly interior designer behind the new Manhattan-based firm Magness Design. She and her husband, Rob Magness, designer and founder of Grown & Sewn, reside in this refurbished, light-filled space that they have appointed with a mix of modern furnishings and organic accessories. We love the subtle feminine touches like the white, lacy bedroom and delicate glass vases on the dining room table, juxtaposed with the industrial black column in the middle of the living room. The casually elegant space exemplifies nicely the livability of a commercial-to-residential conversion.