A Morning at Play

The first official day of the Fall season may not be until tomorrow, but this morning's beautiful weather tempted us to celebrate a day early.  With blue skies on our side, we took a mid-morning romp through the Adventure Playground, located just a stone's throw from the LW! office, inside Central Park (at West 67th Street).

Tree houses in the Adventure Playground, Central Park.

It's no secret that the Adventure Playground, designed by Richard Dattner in 1967, has a special place in the hearts of West Siders.  We encourage you to swing by, kids in tow, and see for yourself how engaging and aesthetically this playground truly is.  Consider it your excuse to be a kid again!

Central Park is home to a collection of adventure-style playgrounds; take a tour via our Summer 2011 blog post, here. 

Hear (from Richard Dattner himself!) about the history of the Adventure Playground; just click on the image below:

Love Your Landmark #1 - Bashed Trumpet Bench

"Bashed Trumpet Bench"

West 100th Street

We love our "landmark" benches on West 100th Street!  Our beautiful "Bashed Trumpet" was commissioned by the Block Association over a decade ago to provide respite for the young, old and in-between who live on and visit our monumental block. Linus Coraggio, the metal sculptor who created this bench, was raised on this block and still lives in his apartment of origin.

Here are Block Association members and other bench lovers.

Love, 

100th Street Block Association 

"Love Your Landmarks" All Year Long!

For the past three years -- starting in 2010 -- LW! has spent the month of February showing our love for the Upper West Side's much-loved landmarks...

...Who's to say we can't show our love for landmarks all year long?!

With the Landmarks Preservation Commission's recent designation of the Riverside-West End Historic District Extension I (at public meeting of June 26, 2012), the family of West Side landmarks continues to grow.  That's something to celebrate; Do it with "Love Your Landmarks"!

While you're picnicking in the park, bike riding along the Hudson, or sipping a cold drink at your favorite sidewalk cafe -- take this moment to tell everyone, "I Love this Landmark!" Join us as we call out the landmarks that make the Upper West Side so lovable! All it takes is a digital camera and your own inspiration

Head to the LW! blog now to see which buildings and sites people shared in 2010 and 2011!

So what's a "landmark"?

"Landmark" can mean different things to different people.  It could mean the Dakota Apartments, an Upper West Side icon and Individual Landmark.  Or, it might be something more personal: your family's favorite restaurant, the street corner where you pick up your newspaper every morning, your child's playground or park, or even the elementary school you attended.

If it's a landmark to you, we want to know!

Join in this love-filled landmarks fest!  It's this easy: 

(1)  Download and print an "I [heart] this landmark" sign*.  Both black and white or color are 

       perfectly fine! 

(2)  Visit your landmarks and take a picture of you with your "I Love this Landmark" sign.
 

(3)  Email your photos to LANDMARK WEST!.  Make sure to tell us what about the building or 

       site is special to you.  Also, please include the address or location of the building when 

       available. 

*If you have any trouble or aren't able to print a sign, no worries!  A photo of you and  

the object of your architectural affection is still welcomed!   

What happens to your photo?

Your photos--take as many as you can!--will be added to the LW! blog.  There, other West Siders and landmark enthusiasts will see what buildings and places have special meaning to us all. 

Get Out There And "Love Your Landmarks!"

On the Upper West Side, Love is in the Air

Cupid, you have competition this Valentine's Day!

Don your angel wings. Ready your quiver and bow. Grab your camera. This is your chance to tell everyone, "I Love this Landmark!" 

Starting today, LW! is asking you to join us in playing cupid as we identify the landmarks that make the Upper West Side so lovable! All it takes is a digital camera and your own inspiration.

Joining in on the Love Your Landmarks fun is easy -- get step-by-step instructions in our latest email. Check back here throughout the remainder of February to see what Upper West Side landmarks friends just can't get enough of.  Use the "LYL" label here on the blog to look back at submissions from 2011 and 2010, like the one from the Cafe 82 "Breakfast Club", or the outstanding Ansonia Hotel.  

Email your photo(s) to landmarkwest@landmarkwest.org.  Now get out there and show us your love!

Ye Olde Upper West Side

Monday is all about looking forward.  What meetings do we have this week?  What public hearings are scheduled?  What progress are we hoping to make on any particular project?  But this week, why not kick things off with a look back? To the Upper West Side of days past!

Columbus Circle in 1892.
Caption by NYTimes; Photo by Museum of the City of New York.

As we reported in November, 2011 marked 200 years of life on the NYC grid.  Last week, the New York Times ran a great piece, complemented by wonderful historic images, of the development of our city's underlying grid.  The Times' article announces a exhibition put on by the Museum of the City of New York entitled "The Greatest Grid: The Master Plan of Manhattan, 1811-2011".

Where once were farmhouses now automobiles reign supreme and apartment blocks tower over sidewalks.  Most interesting for this West Side office were the images of Columbus Circle (above) and Riverside Drive (below).  It's hard to believe there was a time when the Circle was not a gilded homage to all things Trump and a destination of hyper commerce!  And as for Riverside Drive ... farmland and Hudson River views for miles and miles!

Houses at Riverside Drive and 94th Street in 1890.
Caption by NYTimes; Photo by the Museum of the City of New York.

Happy Monday to all!

Deck Your Halls with Gifts from LANDMARK WEST!

For gift giving inspiration this holiday season, you need look no further than LANDMARK WEST's booth at this weekend's GreenFlea Market (entrance to the yard is free)! Come with your pocket book at the ready and leave with the perfect gifts for your nearest and dearest.

    WHEN: This Sunday, December 4th
                 10AM to 5:30PM
  WHERE: Schoolyard on Columbus Ave.
                  between 76th and 77th Streets
                       Click here view the location on Google maps
 

What's for sale, you ask? The items below, and so much more!

 

"Vintage" prints, photos and postcards galore! We've dug deep into our archives and will be bringing some wonderful treasures that are sure to bring joy to whomever receives them. Most items are "one of a kind", so come early and have your pick from our collection, featuring fantastic historic maps of Manhattan, whimsical articles and illustrations from Harper's Weekly, stunning turn-of-the-century panoramas of Fifth Avenue, and so much more!

We last opened our print and photograph vault in September for the Columbus Avenue Street Festival. With almost each purchase we were told "These maps are terrific! You should really consider selling them at the GreenFlea market." You shared your suggestion; we listened! 

We hope you'll stop by this Sunday!

Third Time's a Charm :: Recap of final public hearing at LPC for West End Avenue

Last Tuesday, October 25th, LANDMARK WEST! joined with fellow West Siders, elected officials, preservation colleagues, and lovers of landmarks to show our continued support for the proposed historic district extensions anchored by West End Avenue.

Convened by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), this was the last in a series of three public hearings to seriously consider historic district extensions to two existing districts: the Riverside - West End Historic District, and the West End - Collegiate Historic District.

This spring marked the first public hearing (for the Riverside - West End Historic District Extension I on March 22th, 2011); later this summer, on June 28th, the LPC opened the record to discuss the West End - Collegiate Historic District Extension.  And the fall season set the seen for discussion of the Riverside - West End Historic District Extension II, on Oct. 25th.

Click the arrow above to visit LW's Flickr page and experience West End Avenue,
Riverside Drive, Broadway, and the streets between.

To all of our friends and neighbors who came to the LPC; who took to the podium to testify; who sat as "silent supporters" of the West End Avenue proposal; who wrote emails and letters in absentia; and who helped spread the word about yesterday's public hearing far and wide ...  THANK YOU!

Our favorite quote from the hearing has to be the testimony of West Sider (and member of Three Parks Independent Democrats, who hosted the October 12th pre-public hearing info session about the landmark designation process) Steve Max:

The journey is far from over! The public record on the proposed Riverside - West End Historic District Extension II remains open--there's till time to add more emails and letters of support to those recorded at the Oct. 25th public hearing! Use this quick "how to", and share it with your friends.  And if you haven't already, please SIGN THE PETITION!  Add your name to the list of those who support the West End Avenue historic district extensions.

Couldn't make the public hearing? Stay tuned to our YouTube channel for video of the public testimony and, for photos, to our Flickr photostream.

"Look Up": Architectural photography student shares photos

Photo by Gotham Girl

It's not just the devil that's in the details.  There's beauty in cornices, lampposts and dormer windows!  

Earlier this month, photographer John Hart led a small group of folks on an architectural photography walking tour of the Upper West Side.  With his guidance, they learned to train their eyes on the details hidden within the buildings surrounding us.  

One member of the tour, blogger Gotham Girl, shared her photos.  We're no experts, but we'd say she was a quick study on how the camera brings out the unexpected beauty of our bricks-and-mortar resources.  In the photo at right -- the landmark-in-waiting Level Club, 253 West 73rd Street -- we adore how the metal tracery atop the sculpted column plays on the soft beige brick.

Thank you, Gotham Girl, for sharing your individual perspective on the West Side!

A Feast for the Eyes :: More photos from Sunday's event

Sincere thanks to photographer Henrik Olund for capturing the truly magical spirit of Landmark Feast.  More photos to come!

Scenes from the Feast :: Celebrating life's essentials on the Upper West Side

Yesterday marked the inaugural Landmark Feast, an Upper West Side dining event like none other.  Gathering with hundreds of our friends, new and old, LW! toasted and tasted on the Arthur Ross Terrace at the American Museum of Natural History as the sun set over the landmark Beresford Apartments nearby.  Then, against the illuminated backdrop of the Museum's planetarium, we, along with co-sponsors Friends of Roosevelt Park and our evening's hosts Outstanding in the Field, dined on the epicurean creations of some of the West Side's most talented chefs.  This was Landmark Feast!

From the event's launch at 4PM until the last guest departed the Terrace, LW's Cristiana Peña and a host of event attendees documented the festivities via Twitter.  Sharing pictures and musings alike, their tweeting opened Landmark Feast to all who followed the #LandmarkFeast hashtag.  Below are photos of the evening shared by participating chefs (Damian Sansonetti of Bar Boulud and Johnny Iuzzini of Jean-Georges), fellow West Side neighborhood organizations (Columbus Avenue BID), event supporters (67 Wine & Spirits), and more.  Enjoy!  And if you have more photos to share, send them in to cristianapena@landmarkwest.org.  We'll add them to the album!

"Getting ready for tonight's event with Landmark West and Outstanding in the Field"
via @DSansonetti

Outside the Museum's Powerhouse, site of our pre-dinner cocktails and tastings
via @UntappedAlley and @untappedcities

The planetarium beside the Arthur Ross Terrace as backdrop for Landmark Feast
via @UntappedAlley and @untappedcities

"Looks amazing; this picture doesn't do it justice"
via @eecookiesny

Inside the Museum's Powerhouse, where guests enjoy the cocktails and seasonal samplings
via @UntappedAlley and @untappedcities

via @wkoellhoffer

“Recipe serving up jersey corn soup with crab and New York cheddar muffins"
via @melissa_ful of @67Wine

"It's heirlooms galore! Tuscan Panzanella Salad from Cesca Enoteca"
via @NewTasteUWS

“The all-star local spirits for cocktails at Landmark Feast!” 
via @melissa_ful of @67Wine

Heirloom tomato frozen custard with sweet corn syrup from Shake Shack
via @westsiderag

Nice Matin serves lamb sausage
via @westsiderag

“Incredible how this works for cocktail hour:
Tortellini in Brodo by Caffe Storico - New-York Historical Society"
via @melissa_ful of @67Wine

"If Mondrian made pancetta; @Gastroarte is rockin'!"
via @NewTasteUWS

Gastroarte's Chef Jesus Nuñez
via @westsiderag

"What 62 lbs of avocado look like; about to be Guacamole en Molcajete"
via @NewTasteUWS

"You thought it couldn't get any better? Pumpkin whoopie pie dipped in dark Godiva"
via @eecookiesny

300 guests + 1 long table = Landmark Feast magic
via @UntappedAlley and @untappedcities

"Getting ready for tonites event with Landmark West and Outstanding in the Field"
via @DSansonetti

"Pre-dinner excitement. Love how we can 'walk-through' the outdoor kitchen"
via @melissa_ful of @67Wine

"Dinner placement. Lovely sage"
via @melissa_ful of @67Wine

"Landmark Feast with 67 Wine and Fox Run Vineyards"
via @1Grl2WneGlasses

Behind the scenes in the outdoor kitchen: "Plate up, Dovetail"
via @DSansonetti

"Unbelievable night! Can't wait until next year"
via @billtelepan

Bar Boulud lamb dinner
via @DSansonetti

"Dry Riesling 2010 pairing perfectly with salad Nicoise"
via @1Grl2WneGlasses

Jean-Georges pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini's creations await delivery to the dinner table
via @Johnny_Iuzzini

History to Hang on Your Wall

This weekend, let's make a deal!

This Sunday, September 18th, is the annual Columbus Avenue Festival, sponsored by the West Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.  LANDMARK WEST! will be there!  The street fair is a great opportunity for us to share information about our historic neighborhood, make new friends, and hear -- directly from you -- just what you LOVE about the West Side.

                 WHEN:  Sunday, Sept. 18th, 12PM/noon to ... whenever!
               WHERE:  Northeast corner of Columbus Avenue at West 67th Street
                                  (if for any reason we have to relocate,
                                   just look for us as you stroll the Avenue!)

And this year, we're adding something new to our traditional roster of street fair assignments.  In addition to handing out copies of our latest Map Newsletter and helping folks sign up for our informative emails, we've got stuff to sell!

What kind of stuff, you ask?  All manner of "vintage" prints and photos!  For a modest contribution -- four dollars, twenty five cents, make us an offer! -- you can walk away the proud new owner of images like this one:

That's just the beginning.  We asked our summer interns Ingrid and Zack to help us give the blogosphere a sneak peek at the not-at-all-particular collection of images that awaits ...

We have to agree with the interns, the image on the left is TOO GOOD.  What are they looking at?  What's happening behind the camera?!?!  Tell us what you think at the street fair!

And these are only the beginning.  We'll post a few more samples before Sunday, but they'll hardly be a dent in terms of our large collection.  So meander along Columbus Avenue this Sunday and visit us at West 67th Street!

Playtime in Central Park :: Twilight reservoir run

Power to the tweeters!

Since announcing the launch of our "Playtime in Central Park" photo series (three weeks ago yesterday!) we've been delighted to see our friends and followers on Twitter (and their friends and followers in turn!) share photos and encourage others to contribute. 

You can imagine our delight when we saw a photo recommendation of the Central Park West skyline, so near and dear to our hearts, from former LW! intern and Pratt Institute HP grad Will Vogel (via Twitter).

Thanks, MacLovinNYC, for this beautiful shot of the skyline, reflected in the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.  Two skylines are better than one!

The blog series continues.  Check out our submissions to date and send in your own photo(s).  New or old, all are welcome!

Playtime in Central Park :: Work & Play

Only at a playground is work synonymous with play! 

This pair of circa 1972 photos come to us from a mother who said of her tyke and his friends, as they made like monkeys, climbing up trees: "Being a kid is their job, to have fun!"  We have the same mantra at LANDMARK WEST!, as some of our recent holiday antics (here and here) prove evident.

Seeing the results of our blog readers digging deep into their photo archives is too fun!  Thank you, all!

What are YOU waiting for?  Join the fun!  Send in your photos today!

Playtime in Central Park :: What goes up ...

... must come down, right lil' Charles S.?  Adventure Playground, just inside Central Park at West 67th Street, has gotten a good amount of bloglove during the photo series, and why shouldn't it!  As architect Richard Dattner's first adventure-style playground for Central Park, it kicked off a trend that would later include the Ancient Playground north of the Metropolitan Museum.

That equipment in the background look familiar?  We love seeing how the design of Central Park's playscapes continues to entertain young New Yorkers year after year, decade to decade.  We've seen Adventure Playground in the 70s, the 80s ... let's see it today!  Send your photo of this--or any!--Central Park play area and we'll add it to the series. 

Playtime in Central Park :: Friday Fun, Part II

Rollerskating at the Naumburg Bandshell

Located just a stone's throw south of Bethesda Terrace is the mecca of roller and in-line skating: the Bandshell.  It seems fitting that the Park's principal formal element--the rectilinear promenade that is The Mall and Literary Walk, which the Bandshell connects with--would be the site of some of its most free-spirited recreation!

And for those seeking aural relaxation, catch one of the season's Naumburg Orchestral Concerts!  See?  Something for everybody. 

What are you favorite playtime memories in Central Park?  Tell us!  Join in the fun of sharing your photos, new and "vintage" alike!

Playtime in Central Park :: Friday Fun, Part I

Bethesda Terrace

From the formality of pony prancing c. 1930s (thanks again, Bruce S.!), we move on to the short-shorts and tall socks of the 1970s at Bethesda Terrace!

Featuring Bethesda Terrace today is serendipitous, as the site has been at the front of our minds while LW! prepares for Monday morning's Design Commission review of Cherry Hill.  The 1980s renovation of the Cherry Hill Concourse was directly influenced by the style of nearby Bethesda Terrace.  Read more about Cherry Hill in our May blog post, and stay tuned for updates post-Design Commission!

Visit Bethesda Terrace or one of the other great Central Park locales featured thus far in this blog photo series!  Snap a photo and submit it to see yourself on the blog, too.  Fame and fortune are sure to follow ...

Playtime in Central Park :: Splish, splash at Levin Playground

What's a toddler to do when the temperature hits triple digits?  Cool off in one of Central Park's playground fountains!  West Sider Robert I. captured this tot doing just that.

"I took this in the summer of 2007 in the playground to the north of the sail boat pond along 5th Avenue." ~~ Robert I.

The whimsical Sophie Loeb Fountain is the perfect backdrop for a bit of fun in Central Park.  Dedicated "In the Memory of Sophie Irene Loeb, Lover of Children--A Home for Every Child", the fountain features carvings of characters from the classic story "Alice in Wonderland".  A New York Times article covering the ribbon-cutting in 1936 described the fountain: "the King, the Queen, the Duchess, the Mad Hatter, Father William, the Pig Baby and the Frog Butler, and, of course, Alice, gaze down upon spouting water flowing from the mouths of minor 'Alice' characters into the large bowl."

Discover the Loeb Fountain for yourself!  The fountain, in the Levin Playground, is located at East 77th Street.  While you're out, use our playgrounds map to explore more of Central Park's play destinations.  And don't forget to snap a photo while you're there and send it in!

(Re)Discover Riverside Drive :: Slide lecture on August 18th

LOST RIVERSIDE DRIVE

A History in Postcard Images
Slide Lecture and Book Signing

 

There was much hope and hype in the 1870s and 1880s that the Upper West Side would surpass Fifth Avenue in attracting the well-to-do in the area. A winding boulevard with vistas stretching for miles up and down the river, it was to become home to some of the private residences in New York City. This plan, however, was short lived, as aristocratic New Yorkers did not budge from their mansions on the East Side. Within a generation, the fancy homes and institutions built on Riverside Drive were engulfed in a dramatic redevelopment of the boulevard.

Please join LW! and vintage postcard collector Michael V. Susi (author of the Postcard History Series' The Upper West Side [2009], and Columbia University and Morningside Heights [2007] from Arcadia Publishing) for a rare glimpse into his personal collection depicting the majestic Riverside Drive.

Thursday, August 18th, 2011 at 6:00PM
Macaulay Honors College
35 West 67th Street

**SPACE IS LIMITED**
Tickets are $25
Reservations are Required

Call 212-496-8110 or email landmarkwest@landmarkwest.org

A Month of Landmark Love

More Than Just Slush and Cold:  Keeping Cozy with Landmark Love!

(Cupid comes from supercoloring.com; UWS from multifamilyinvestor.com)

Well my darlings, another February has come and gone, and we here at LANDMARK WEST! are so excited about the outpouring of love we saw for all of your favorite Upper West Side places and spaces (and those beyond!)! 

Your submissions ranged from some of New York's most iconic buildings to the local haunts that have become an inextricable part of our neighborhood's landscape, showing off not only the richness of the area's architectural character but also a deep appreciation for all the places that make the Upper West Side so unique. We've said it before and we'll say it again: There's a lot to love here!
 

This month has been a swoon-worthy tour of some of the most loved places in our little corner of the borough, with submissions from sweethearts cuddling in Central Park to precocious New Jersey natives getting creative to groups of friends showing their favorite neighborhood cafe some love. The age-old New York-Chicago rivalry was reignited in the name of landmark love, with a little friendly competition (thanks to the good folks at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, and their enviable Twitter following [@chiarchitecture]), bringing submissions to celebrate the best of both cities.  We, the LW! staff, couldn't help but get in on the action ourselves, showing our love for local favorites like the Ansonia, IRT Powerhouse, and Broadway Fashion Building, among others. 

Of course, the love doesn't end now that February is over. We would argue that New York in the spring is perhaps even more lovable than New York in the winter, so why not take some time to see the city with fresh eyes? Take a stroll, have a picnic, go to a museum, get involved- you might see something you never noticed before, and you just might find yourself falling in love all over again.

It's been beautiful to see all your favorite spaces! Thanks for submitting, and let's make sure to keep our community wonderful for years to come! 

Love, 

Mary N. (intern, graduate student) and all the folks at LANDMARK WEST!

Love Your Landmark #18 - West-Park Presbyterian Church

 

West-Park Presbyterian Church

165 West 86th Street at Amsterdam Avenue

From Rev. Bob Brashear and the congregants of West-Park, some landmark love! 

To learn more about the congregation, visit their blog, the West-Park Press.

To learn more about the 2010 designation of the church, click here.