8 5 6 ▁until ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁O wn ed ▁by ▁Matth ias ▁H affen , ▁( 1 8 1 4 – 1 8 9 1 ), ▁who ▁came ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁from ▁Bav aria ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 1 , ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁" land mark " ▁on ▁old ▁Mel rose ▁Avenue ▁between ▁ 1 5 1 st ▁Street ▁and ▁ 1 5 2 nd ▁Street . ▁The ▁H affen ▁Building , ▁a ▁seven - story ▁Be aux - Ar ts ▁architecture ▁style ▁office ▁building ▁by ▁architect ▁Michael ▁J . ▁Gar vin ▁was ▁built ▁for ▁him ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁He ▁married ▁Catherine ▁( H ays ) ▁H affen ▁( 1 8 2 3 – 1 8 8 8 ), ▁an ▁em igr ant ▁from ▁L imer ick , ▁Ireland , ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 0 . ▁They ▁had ▁six ▁children . ▁ ▁Matth ias ' s ▁German - I r ish ▁sons ▁included ▁John ▁H affen ▁( 1 8 4 7 – 1 9 1 0 ), ▁two ▁term ▁Bron x ▁Bor ough ▁President ▁Louis ▁F . ▁H affen ▁and ▁Henry ▁( 1 8 5 2 – 1 9 3 2 ), ▁who ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Board ▁of ▁Ald erm en . ▁John ▁H affen ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁bre wer y ▁and ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁bank ing , ▁including ▁as ▁a ▁found ing ▁of ▁D ollar ▁Sav ings ▁Bank . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁involved