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The former Tammany Hall Building at the northeast corner of the square. The building is now occupied by the Union Square Theater and the New York File Academy, plus several storefront commercial establishments. It was built in 1928 in a Colonial Revival architectural style to mimic the original Federal Hall in Wall Street, where Washington took the oath of office. This was a deliberate attempt by the scandal-ridden political club Tammany Hall to "legitimize" its image. It didn't work, of course and the club died by the 1940's, at which time it was bought by the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union, reinforcing Union Square's historic role in the labor-union movement. The theatre company recently acquired the building, thereby hoping to return Union Square to another of its historic roles -- that of an entertainment center for the city.

The former Guardian Life Insurance Company Annex (can be seen in the above photo, on 17th street across  from Tammany Hall) in the mid-block on East 17th and 18th Streets between Park Avenue South and Irving Place. This modern building, low-rise in keeping with its neighbors, is considered by many to be a fine example of post-World War II architecture, by a famous architecture firm, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.  The building is currently leased by the Zurich Insurance firm. It qualifies for landmark designation because it is more than 30 years old, as any New York City building must be to be designated. It opened in 1961 as an extension to the Guardian Life Tower (pictured left) which USCC was instrumental in getting landmarked in 1988.

The former Baumann Brothers store on the south side of East 14th Street between University Place and Fifth Avenue. This is a superb example of the use of cast iron for building facades in the period between the Civil War and World War I. Its sign-cluttered ground floor is the product of recent "defacements" by Duane Reade and two smaller establishments, but the four upper floors are in are remarkably good original condition from 1881, when the building was constructed. It is owned by the New School of design which occupies most of the upper floors.

What you can do to speed the designation process:
Letters from the public at large, individually composed in support of landmark designation, are a key element in the Commission's consideration of any property for protected status.