Blight on the Upper West Side? The Daily News Exposes a Neglected Landmark

 As reported by intern Melissa Doherty

 

On Sunday, June 9^th, the New York Daily News released an article about 118 West 76^th street, a historic brownstone that has been vacant and neglected for years by its owner, Board of Elections official Diane Haslett-Rudiano. LANDMARK WEST! alerted the Daily News, whose article exposed the appalling truth about the landmark, although many neighbors and other citizens had already taken notice.

The structure was built in 1890, in the Renaissance Revival style, by the firm Thom and Wilson, and was designated as a NYC landmark in 1990. The property was acquired by Diane Haslett-Rudiano’s late husband, Jean, in 1976 for $5,000. In the article, Haslett-Rudiano stated, “A lot of my husband’s dreams are wrapped up in that building ... but you have to be realistic, and the thing to do is to let someone else enjoy it.” Although it is a tragedy whenever a landmark is neglected or forsaken, it is shocking that such a derelict landowner is in a political position of power.

In January, it was listed as one of the West Side Spirit’s Ugliest Buildings of the Upper West Side, described as an “eyesore from hell.” Despite being officially declared unsafe by the NYC Department of Buildings, the 20 buildings department violations and the $12,000 in back taxes, Haslett-Rudiano has taken no action and has been unresponsive to these viable concerns.

It is such a shame that this building, which possesses 123 years of history and so much potential, has been unappreciated because the owner fails to take responsibility. If the owner has such strong emotional ties to the property, why would she let it deteriorate and descend into disrepair, as it has?

Meet the Newest Addition to LW!

My name is Melissa Doherty and I just completed my sophomore year at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA. I am currently an Art Major and I have a great passion for architectural preservation and architectural history.

I grew up visiting Manhattan on a regular basis and its historic sites have always intrigued me. I was fascinated, early on, by structures in my own hometown of Roslyn, NY, that date back to the seventeenth and eighteenth century.

I have completed courses in Islamic Art & Architecture, Architecture of Lancaster and Architectural Design. The course I completed on the architecture of Lancaster, PA truly sparked my interest of architectural history and helped me develop an enthusiasm for landmarks. Through this, I began to understand the critical nature of preservation as a means to maintain the character of a neighborhood.

I came upon LANDMARK WEST! in my research of the field of architectural preservation and it seemed like the perfect way to further explore this captivating subject. I am very excited to learn more about the historic structures of the Upper West Side and the vital advocacy process.

Grand Central Terminal Tour Recap

 

Last Saturday, January 26th, LANDMARK WEST! and friends joined noted guide Justin Ferate for an engaging tour of one of New York's most majestic and welcoming buildings, Grand Central Terminal.

Beginning the tour across Park Avenue and gradually making our way inside, Justin highlighted small yet significant aspects of the building that create a sense of grandeur for visitors. Sets of doors in the entryway, which no longer exist, used to hide the view of the main hall so visitors would be held in suspense about the interior until experiencing it for themselves.

One of the especially delightful aspects of Grand Central is its monumental scale, with classically-inspired ornamentation, that exists alongside many features designed at a human scale. Justin explained this in his engaging and enthusiastic style by demonstrating that the length of each floor tile is the same as a human leg, with the width equal to one step.

       

The tour featured additional treasures of Grand Central, including a remnant of the old yellow bricks that used to pave Park Avenue leading up to Grand Central, which still exists in the parking garage of the old Biltmore Hotel, and of course the whispering gallery beneath an impressive Guastavino tiled ceiling.

LW! thanks Justin Ferate for leading a fascinating tour in anticipation of Grand Central's centennial celebrations later this week.

LANDMARK WEST! on Roosevelt Island

LANDMARK WEST’s First Roosevelt Island Visit: FDR Four Freedoms Memorial Park



Kyle Johnson leading LW! and friends beneath the

Queensboro Bridge, en route to the Memorial

You read correctly…on Nov. 14th, 2012 LANDMARK WEST! left the Upper West Side for a sunny afternoon with friends to explore the new FDR Memorial on Roosevelt Island. Kyle Johnson, Co-Chair of the AIA NY Chapter's Architecture Tour Committee & Vice President of DOCOMOMO US-New York/Tri-State led LW! and friends via the Tram from Manhattan to Louis Kahn's only work in NYC.

 

In 1973 Mayor John Lindsay announced that a memorial park at the southern tip of Roosevelt Island for Franklin D. Roosevelt. Louis Kahn was selected as the architect and plans were completed. However, Kahn's sudden death in 1974 followed by NYC's fiscal crises of the 1970s diminished the priority of Four Freedoms Park. On October 24, 2012, the FDR Four Freedoms Park opened to the public; a project which began forty years ago.  



LW! upon arrival to the FDR Memorial

 

 "Surely, in the light of history, it is more intelligent to hope rather than to fear, to try rather than not to try. For one thing we know beyond all doubt. Nothing has ever been achieved by the person who says, 'It can't be done.'" - Eleanor Roosevelt, 1960 

The Upper West Side Roosevelt connection is the Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial. The First Lady's statue rests adjacent to the Hudson River and 72^nd Street. Eleanor was a founder of the United Nations, served as head of the United Nations Human Rights Commission and helped to draft the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. FDR’s Four Freedoms speech, etched in Mount Airy Granite, faces the United Nations across the East River.




Franklin D. Roosevelt's Four Freedoms Speech, January 6, 1941

An Unexpected Find On West 70th Street

A guest post by IHDF Intern Jonathan Ortiz

Last week, I went out looking at buildings, searching for something that caught my eye. As I was walking, I decided to give myself a challenge: try to find a unique row house. 

I walked past so many of them but I was having trouble finding something that really stood out. Right when I was about to start looking for another kind of building, I noticed something on a row house bay window -- a very elaborate ornament. It was a very impressive piece of work, with an elegant flower design surrounding a crest right in the middle. 

Amazed by my find, I looked at the building next to it and, sure enough, it was the same type of ornament, but with a slightly different design. This went on for about six more buildings, all with elaborate designs. 

The ones that I favor are 27, 31, 33, 37, and 41 on West 70th Street. They were designed by architect Gilbert A. Schellenger and built in 1892. If you are ever taking a stroll on this street or just have some free time, I strongly suggest you go pay these buildings a visit.

Search more buildings by architect Gilbert A. Schellenger in the LW! Online Buildings Database! 

640 West End Avenue: A Neighborhood Favorite!

A guest post by IHDF intern Jonathan Ortiz

My favorite building on the Upper West Side is 640 West End Avenue, at West 91st Street. It is my favorite because it stands out from a mile away. One side of the building is almost completely covered in ivy, which in my opinion gives it a very good, mesmerizing look. I mainly like it because it doesn't follow the standard look of buildings in the area, it has its own identity.

Because this building captured my attention, I did some research. here are some things I found interesting: The building was designed by the architecture firm Townsend, Steinle & Haskell in 1912. It has a three-story rusticated limestone base with the rest of the building being grey brick. The entrance does not have a canopy, but instead two polished granite columns and a broken pediment reveal on the second floor window above the entrance. And here's a fun fact - 640 West End Avenue was used in an episode of Seinfeld as the exterior of Mr. Pitt's apartment building.

West End Presbyterian: An intricate marvel

A guest blog by WHSAD intern Jahmauny Monds 

When I walked up to the West End Presbyterian Church, it was clear to me that this building is definitely a proud work of art.

It is detailed terrifically and precisely. I took great notice of its bold symmetrical design. I was stunned by the arch engraving. The building is absolutely impressive, with its unique brick patterns (bonds). The dazzling circle window above the arches has details that are simply exceptional. I think the aesthetics on this building are amazing; a fine church indeed.

Scenes from a Slide Lecture: From up in the air down to our blog

From "New York from the Air", by John Tauranac, a view of Central Park.

Yesterday, LW! gathered with friends and neighbors as John Tauranac shared with us a view of New York rarely seen by the average individual: New York from the air.  Images from Mr. Tauranac's book of the same name (photographed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand) raised us up off the sidewalks and into the sky, if only for the evening.  What a treat, to see our city from this new perspective!

Architectural historian Tony Robins welcomed our guests to the Macaulay Honors College (our generous hosts for the evening) and introduced John Tauranac, first, by way of his leadership in designing the 1979 New York City subway map.  As Mr. Robins mused:

"... that brings us to tonight’s talk, and John’s current venture.  Having largely exhausted the possibilities of charting the city’s pathways below ground with his subway maps, and at street level with his bus and block-by-block maps, John had only one way to grow: Upwards.  And so tonight we will sit back while John guides us on an aerial expedition floating above the tops of skyscrapers, as illustrated in his wonderful book, 'New York from the Air.'”

To read Tony Robins' full introduction, click here

And with that, we were airborne!  Throughout the slide lecture, we tweeted some of our favorite images.  Head to our feed now to check them out; a selection are shared here, too.  For copies of "New York from the Air", visit John Tauranac's website.

At the intersection of Court and Livington Streets in Brooklyn, Art Deco stonework
enlivens an apartment building.

Getting closer to our Upper West Side neighborhood, the Symphony House apartment building.

As soon as the Beresford Apartments flicked up onto the screen, our thoughts turned to
2011's inaugural Landmark Feast, for which the handsome building served as inspiring backdrop.

As we tweeted last night, we "cannot escape McKim Meade & White!".  Architects of
Low Library on Columbia University's campus were also the masters behind
the landmark-in-waiting IRT Powerhouse. 
Learn more about efforts to save the IRT Powerhouse here.

Preservation Across the Globe: Inspired reuse in Holland

Since LW's Program Coordinator Sarah Sher brought this to our attention, the ladies at LW! haven't been able to stop scrolling through the pictures and marveling in awe at this inspired adaptive reuse of a 13th-century church for a new bookstore.

Landmark-protected buildings are not frozen in amber, and the church-turned-bookstore, below, is a case in point.

From the blog My Modern Metropolis ...

Photo via

We've seen some breathtaking libraries in the past and this bookstore is no exception when it comes to innovative design.

Click here to read My Modern Metropolis' full post.

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!

This Holiday Season, Celebrate NYC Architecture

This year, LW! had made some terrific new friends.  One such comrade on the front lines of documenting and reporting West Side happenings, musing on architecture and urban planning in NYC (past and present!), and generally keeping  us engaged with their blog reporting is untapped cities.

They were with us at Landmark Feast in September, and we're looking forward to clacking our castanets together on January 19th for "La Noche Cubana"!  Our thanks to untapped founder and city enthusiast, Michelle Young, for taking a shine to LW! and sharing our work with the community!

We encourage you to check out untapped new york and any other corner of the world you want to explore through the lens of untapped's contributors.  We'll even get you started ...

Below are holiday greetings from untapped to LW! that we're sharing along to you!  These pieces by Downtown Doodler highlight some of our city's iconic architecture (I spy the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center!).  See more from Bernadette Moke, she of downtown doodling renown, on untapped (here!).

Original art by Bernadette Moke / Downtown Doodler

Original art by Bernadette Moke / Downtown Doodler

At the house of java, honoring the House of Wharton

Edith Wharton lives on!

Today, the Historic Districts Council and the Historic Landmarks Preservation Center honored the memory of celebrated author and New Yorker Edith Wharton with the installation of a commemorative cultural medallion at 14 West 23rd Street, Wharton's place of birth.  

14 West 23rd Street, birthplace of Edith Wharton.

Writes the HDC:

... a ceremony commemorating the life and work of Edith Wharton, author of “The House of Mirth” and “The Age of Innocence”. Born in 1862 at 14 West 23rd Street in the Ladies’ Mile Historic District, Wharton was a chronicler of New York City’s Gilded Age and trendsetter for her generation.

The plaque is part of the Historic Landmarks Preservation Center’s Cultural Medallion program. The Center, chaired by Dr. Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel (HDC’s 2011 Landmarks Lion), has installed almost 100 medallions around New York City to heighten public awareness of New York’s cultural and social history. Read more about this program and the plaque in the Wall Street Journal article “Addressing History”. 

Dr. Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, chair of
the Historic Landmarks Preservation Center.

Click on the image to read an enlarged
commemorative plaque.

The crowd gathers (and grows!) outside 14 West 23rd Street as the commemoration ceremony begins.

LW's Cristiana joined the crowded street before No. 14 along with dozens of "Whartonites" (think we just coined a term!) and curious passersby.  Now a Starbucks outpost, the present occupant of Wharton's birthplace shared in the celebration with free coffee for all!  

Cristiana celebrates Edith Wharton with a cup of java.

Help the Center to identify other cultural landmarks that you feel deserve recognition -- nominate a new cultural medallion!

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!

Landscape Architecture is "Designing Awesome"

Today via Twitter, LANDMARK WEST! learned about the American Society of Landscape Architects' (ASLA) pop-up signage project "Designed by a Landscape Architect".

Columbus Circle, NY. August 17, 2011.

The open, green spaces we enjoy--public plazas, college campuses, roof gardens, and more!--don't design themselves!  The pop-up signs, complete with QR codes to drive curious passersby to more info online, remind us of that.  LW's Cristiana and intern Kate G. scooted over to Columbus Circle this afternoon to check it out for themselves!

LW! has recently been at the front lines of advocating for the preservation and protection of a public concourse in Central Park, itself the product of thoughtful and successful landscape design: Cherry Hill.  As LW! and our preservation colleagues have testified before not one but two city agencies, Central Park--New York's first Scenic Landmark!--is all about layers! 

And the 1980s renovation and redesign of Cherry Hill by Gerald Allen (the paved concourse and fountain restoration) and Philip Winslow (the surrounding landscape) is a significant layer worthy of protection.  The 1980s is a momentous time in the life of Central Park as it was then that New York's urban oasis was rescued from its deleterious state and progressively restored to the urban green we know it to be today!

Kate G. uses her iPhone and the ASLA QR code to learn more.

LW! inspired someone else to check out the ASLA pop-up sign, too!

The northern edge of Columbus Circle.

Celebrating Community at Amsterdam Houses Family Day

REPORT from the FIELD
By intern Kate G. 

This past Saturday, August 15, proved to be a beautiful day for Amsterdam Houses' annual celebration of family and fun: Family Day 2011! Neighbors mingled and danced to the festive music, kids enthusiastically lined up for face painting, and young and old alike flocked to the cotton candy!

LW!'s intern Kate Gilmore, Dir. of Ed. Debi Germann, and
Dir. of Preservation Cristiana Peña manning the table!

LW!'s contributions to the day: historic photos from the construction of Amsterdam Houses (an LW! Wish List site!), in the late 1940s. The images brought back fond memories, and we spoke with many residents that shared their stories of growing up in the community. 

Sharing historic images of Amsterdam Houses with Family Day celebrants.

Featuring images of Amsterdam Houses' construction, LW's photo board
sparked many-a reminiscence among Family Day attendees!

Cristiana learns from a life-long resident of Amsterdam Houses
how the area has changed over the decades.

It’s the community members that make our historic buildings such valued treasures! No one knows this better than Margarita Curet, a 2011 "Unsung Hero", who has work tirelessly as the President of the Resident Association. Luckily, she was able to share Family Day with her own family, too! 

Resident Assoc. President Margarita Curet (center, blue) introduces LW!
to her mother (center, seated).

Volunteers from Fordham University engage with Amsterdam Houses youth.
Face painting for everyone!

We'll see you next year for Amsterdam Houses Family Day 2012!

Playtime in Central Park :: Wanna go for a ride?

Rachel H., you've been bested.  Little Lila and Isabella, while your lakeside hideaway is enviable, the cuteness factor here is just undeniable.

It's refreshing to know that even as technology advances and child's play looks more and more like a feat of engineering excellence, the simple joy of mounting a pony in Central Park and going for a trot is timeless.

Our thanks to Bruce S. for digging deep into his photo albums for this gem.  It's a nostalgia trifecta: vintage fashion (riding pants! sailor collars!), old-style accordion camera, a landmark (not then, but now!) backdrop of Central Park and Fifth Avenue beyond.

What are you waiting for?  Join with others, like Robert I. and Robin C., and send in your photo(s) of playtime in Central Park!  Our playground map can guide you to new adventures, just waiting to be captured on film.  Submitting is easy, so get out there and play!

Preservation in the Press :: West 83rd Street project in print, on the air

The diminutive row house at 51 West 83rd Street is making a splash.  Or at least the owners would like for it to.

At a recent public hearing of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, a proposal was reviewed for substantial modifications to this understated row house: (1) a three story, full-width rear yard addition, (2) a rooftop addition, and (3) the excavation of the rear yard to accommodate an indoor/outdoor pool.

While the latter of the proposals elements--the pool--seems to be attracting the most press mentions, it is the cumulative impact of all these proposed interventions to a historic row house that is most concerning to LANDMARK WEST!  At the LPC public hearing on July 19th, we presented a statement that relates our position on excessive bulk, contemporary design in historic districts, the value of historic rear yards, and more.  For our full statement, click here.

Following a piece by the New York Post, the story has quickly been picked up by other news outlets:

And just this afternoon, LW!'s Director of Preservation, Cristiana Peña, met with a news team from Fox 5 News, along with oft-quoted neighbor of No. 51, Jonathan Stuart.  Photos of the taping are below. 

Tune in to Fox 5 News at approximately 6:15PM to watch the piece air.  Then, tell us what you think!  Use the "Comments" link below to weigh in on what responsible landmark stewardship means to you!

LW's Cristiana Peña, far right, speaks with Fox 5 News in front of 51 West 83rd Street.

Cristiana touches upon issues of overall bulk, design appropriateness and
the importance of protecting historic row house rear yards.

Jonathan Stuart speaks to the impact of the proposed modifications to neighbors.

Jonathan Stuart shows the Fox 5 News team the rear yard environment
of the West 83rd/West 84th Street yards.

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!

Playtime in Central Park :: Simple pleasures in the Sheep Meadow

Blogger and Upper West Sider Robin C., for her response to our call for submissions, features one of the Park's most popular destinations for recreation: the Sheep Meadow!  And to think, this used to be a common site!

"These three photos capture the simplicity of fun on a beautiful Easter day afternoon ..."   ~~ Robin C.

And in an act of shameless self-promotion may we add a final note from Robin C.:

"As a new resident of the Upper West Side, I so enjoy following Landmark West!"

Aw, we're blushing ...  Don't forget to check out photos from Rachel H. and Howard S. (not to mention Lila and Isabella!), too.  Then, it's your turn!  Forward your photos to lwlargefiles@gmail.com.  Be sure to include:

• Your name
• Location where the photo was taken
• Year of the photo, if known
• A brief caption of the memory the photo captures