Brewing History: Zett Traces on Danforth and Lodi Streets

Syracuse, NY. 700 Danforth St., former Charles Frank House. Archimedes Russell, arch., 1899.  Photo: Samuel D. Gruber (2013)

Syracuse, NY. 700 Danforth St., former Charles Frank House. Carbon St. facade. Archimedes Russell, arch., 1899.  Photo: Samuel D. Gruber (2013)

Syracuse, NY. 700 Danforth St., former Charles Frank House. Releif affixed to Carbon St. facade. Archimedes Russell, arch., 1899.  Photo: Samuel D. Gruber (2013)

Syracuse, NY. 702 Danforth St., former George Zett House. Archimedes Russell, arch., 1899.  Photo: Samuel D. Gruber (2013)

Brewing History: Zett Traces on Danforth and Lodi Streets
by Samuel D. Gruber

I have recently posted about the neglect of important North Side houses, including the Catherine Murray House on Danforth Street.  There are, however, many bright spots in the neighborhood, especially a few blocks up Danforth Street where two impressive houses designed by Archimedes Russell for local brewer George Zett still stand in excellent condition.  In addition to their architectural merit, these houses are important markers of German history in Syracuse, and of the history of local beer brewing.  They are among the best of Archimedes Russell's surveying residential structures - of which there were once many more in the city - and show Russell at the top of his game - with a good site, big budget and successively adapting to the new Classically inspired style.

Syracuse brewing activity peaked in the 1880s with approximately 40 operating breweries, many located on the Northside and run by and serving the large German immigrant community. In 1890, nearly one third of Syracuse residents – approximately 30,000 people – identified themselves as having German ancestry.  In 1896 Syracuse breweries employed about 400 workers.  George Zett was one of the city's most successful brewers in the two decade before Prohibition killed off the industry.  A portion of the old Zett brewery still stands in ruined condition at the corner of Court and Lodi Streets.

Syracuse, NY. George Zett Brewery letterhead showing plant at corner of Court and Lodi Streets. from the collection of Richard N. Alonso, courtesy of Richard Alonso. See more Syracuse brewery letterheads at www.syracusebreweriana.weebly.com.

Syracuse, NY. Remains of former Zett Brewery, corner of Court and Lodi Streets.  Photo: Samuel D. Gruber (July 2013)

You can view more photos of the former brewery here.

Xavier Zett (1822-1881) established a brewery and malt house at the corner of Lodi and North State Streets. According to the website http://trayman.net/Brewery/Syracuse.htm,  the brewery went through several name changes between 1858 and 1937; Xavier Zett (1858-1877), Xavier Zett & Son (1879-1882), George Zett (1882-1898), George Zett Brewing Co. (1898-1902), George Zett Brewery (1902-1920), George Zett Brewery, Inc. (1933-34), and Syracuse Brewery, Inc. (affiliated with Genesee) (1934-1937) 

Xavier's son George Zett (1843-1911) he inherited the brewery after his father's death.  In 1908 Zett was offering "quality brews" including lager, ales and porter from their plant. Prohibition, however, forced the brewery to switch to the production of soft drinks. The main building was destroyed by fire in 1943, and only the annex (designed by Louis Lohman, 1887) remained and in recent years most of this has been demolished, too. 

Syracuse, NY. George Zett Brewery label from the collection of Richard N. Alonso, courtesy of Richard Alonso. See more Syracuse brewery labels at www.syracusebreweriana.weebly.com.

Syracuse, NY. 702 Danforth St., former George Zett House. Archimedes Russell, arch., 1899.  Photo: Samuel D. Gruber (2013)

George Zett had his house and that of his daughter designed and built by architect Archimedes Russell at 700 and 702 Danforth Street in 1899. These two houses are still in good condition and well maintained.  Zett built 702 for himself. It is one of Archimedes' finest surviving houses. Stylistically, it is transitional between Queen Anne and Colonial Revival.  It has a rusticated base and big round corner tower with a conical roof, typical of the late Queen Anne houses of the time (see the Babcock-Shattuck House, for example), as well as a high thin chimney. The Roman brick work and many classical details, however, are more in tune with the developing Colonial and classical motifs which grew in popularity after the Chicago Exposition of 1893 and cam to dominate residential architecture in the first decade of the 20^th century.  The house is owned, occupied (still?) and well maintained by the Sisters of St. Francis Franciscan order of the Catholic Church.  A modern addition it on the rear.

Next door, on the corner site, Zett had Russell design a house for his daughter and her husband, Charles Frank. This house is a better example of Russell's take on the Colonial Revival style, popular in 1899. It is built of Roman hydraulic brick with a base of blue Warsaw stone. The the use of brick and the gambrel roof, vaguely suggests the Dutch Colonial style, and the roof is covered with Spanish tiles.

Evamaria Hardin described the building thus in 1980: “The main facade is symmetrical with a slightly projecting central part, vertically combining a semicircular entrance porch supported by paired columns, a Palladian window, and a classical pediment. Heavy quoins emphasize the corners. Stained glass windows were imported from Germany; bathroom tiles have eighteen carat gold decorations; there is finely carved woodwork on balusters and newel posts and an oval painting on the ceiling of the stairhall. Mosaic tiles form the initial “F” on the floor of the entrance way.” [Archimedes Russell: Upstate Architect (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1980)].