Two years ago the architects opened a new office in a two-story, block-long retail building on North Main Street.

Gradually the group remodeled and occupied the four floors of a block-long building, which they named the National Center for the Blind.

The sprawling block-long building will soon become home to more than 100 low-income families as well as a training center for child-care and catering industry jobs.

On the other two sides of the square are the Pontalba Buildings, matching red-brick, block-long 4-story buildings built in the 1840s.

The block-long building was actually built in two sections - the 39th Street corner in 1903-1905, and the 40th Street corner in 1917-1919.

The block-long building at 1100 Raymond Boulevard is owned by the Newark Center Building Company, a group of New York investors.

Directly north of it was the Harrison Stores (1893-94), a block-long commercial building and warehouse.

He admitted that the block-long building has little architectural character, but added, "We're giving it for its culture and history, because how much more splendid a name could you get than Tiffany?"

With three potential exits, the media contingent was forced to jog around the block-long building like participants in a game of musical chairs.

The block-long building is one of several properties gutted and renovated by Leonard Udolf, a local real estate operator.