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In 1923, Manhattanville's newest factory shipped out one of the most expensive luxury products of the time. The Studebaker family founded the company in 1852 and originally produced wagons out of Indiana for miners and the military. By 1902, the horseless carriage was invented, and the company moved forward with the times, eventually establishing a finishing factory in Manhattanville with another factory in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. As the Great Depression hit the city in the 1930's, the building was sold and became a dairy plant for Borden. More recently, the Madame Alexander Doll Factory and the Studebaker Cafe have taken up root along with several floors of office space for Columbia University. The Studebaker Building will be spared the wrecking ball since Columbia has stated they do not intend to demolish this building once they start constructing in the area. The top photo shows the building in the 1930's, and the small line of low buildings in the foreground (especially the one with the arched gable) are all still there. To get to this area of Manhattanville, take the 1 train to the 125th Street stop and walk to 131st Street. This is the tallest central building in the manufacturing area, so it can be easily located at all angles.
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