This week's historic New York City photo prompted two new commenters to try their luck, and one of them was right. Lawface correctly identified the now-bland building as the F & M Schaefer Brewery. Owned by Prussian immigrant brothers Frederick and Maximilian, it was the "longest operating brewery in New York City, last operating brewery in New York City [as of 1976], and America's oldest lager beer brewing company," according to BeerHistory.com. Though they started out in Midtown East, the brothers moved operations across the river to Kent Avenue and South 9th Street in 1916. The South Williamsburg site, now called Schaefer Landing, is home to an apartment building designed by everyone's favorite architect: the anti-historic Karl Fischer. There's also a synagogue-slash-school next door.
On the religious building, notes Forgotten New York, there remains a carving of a hand holding a glass surrounded by hops plants.
Turns out the building served as the brewery's office until its closure in 1976.
· Hint: This Business Moved From Manhattan 100 Years Ago [Curbed]
· Cornerspotter archives [Curbed]