Property rights matter. Here at the Flood Triangle, we find a tiny testament to that fact. It is a small, defiant mosaic. The Flood Triangle isn’t actually called Flood Triangle but Hess Triangle. It marks a family’s refusal to surrender completely to the city.
In the early 1910s, New York City wanted to widen Seventh Avenue. They also wanted to expand the IRT subway. To do this, the city claimed eminent domain. They acquired and demolished 253 buildings in the area. One of these buildings was the Voorhis. David Hess, a landlord from Philadelphia, owned this five-story apartment building.
Hess fought the city’s claim. He exhausted all legal options by 1913. But the city’s survey missed a small corner of Plot 55. This tiny piece of land became the Hess Triangle. The family set up a notice of possession. The city asked Hess to donate the land for public use. But Hess refused. On July 27, 1922, he installed a defiant mosaic. It declared: “Property of the Hess Estate which has never been dedicated for public purposes.”
The Hess Triangle measures only 500 square inches. That is about 27.5 inches by 27.5 inches by 25.5 inches. Despite its size, it became a symbol of resistance. People saw it as a quirky emblem of the Village’s non-conformity.
In 1938, the Hess family sold the triangle to Village Cigars for $1,000. Village Cigars was the store adjacent to it. The property later passed to Yeshiva University. In 1995, Yeshiva sold it to 70 Christopher Realty Corporation. Subsequent owners have left the plaque untouched.
Even today, the Hess Triangle remains. It sits on the corner of Seventh Avenue and Christopher Street. It’s a reminder that even the smallest piece of property can hold significant meaning. The Hess Triangle stands as a testament to fighting for what you own. It embodies the spirit of the West Village. It is a reminder that even in the face of overwhelming power, resistance is possible. So next time you are in the area, take a moment to appreciate this tiny piece of history. It represents a big idea.