Love Your Landmark #16 - New York Society for Ethical Culture

New York Society for Ethical Culture

2 West 64th Street

The New York Society for Ethical Culture buildings are some of my favorites along Central Park West. I can't help but love such a beautiful school building!

Love,

Debi Germann

Landmark West! Director of Education

P.S. Learn more about the Ethical Culture buildings and other Upper West Side landmarks here!

Love Your Landmark #15 - Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

51-53 Central Park West

The Holy Trinity Lutheran Church is a very good example of preservation and restoration in action. In my lifetime, I've seen it go from being absolutely filthy to being covered in scaffolding to emerging as this gem that is as close to its original state as possible. I admire the beautiful rusticated stonework, and I love the contrast of the bright, detailed stone with the slender steeple!

Love,

Max Yeston

Architectural Enthusiast

P.S. Want more information? Read about the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and other great buildings on the LW! database here!

Love Your Landmark #14 - Dakota Apartments

Dakota Apartments

1 West 72nd Street

The Dakota is wonderful for two reasons: the building itself and the people that live there! Not only is the Dakota one of the most important buildings to the history of the Upper West Side, but its residents are some of the most dedicated! Inside out, attention is paid to every detail. From the care they show their building to their involvement with the preservation of the Upper West Side, it's obvious that these people really love their landmarks!

Love,

Arlene Simon

President, Landmark West!

Love Your Landmark #13 - Central Park West Skyline

Central Park West Skyline
Central Park West, as seen from Central Park

It's impossible not to love the Central Park West skyline! It's as iconic an image of New York City as Grand Central Station or the Statue of Liberty. Made up of such landmarks as the Dakota Apartments, the American Museum of Natural History, and the soaring twin-towered apartment buildings of the 1920s and 1930s, the Central Park West skyline showcases some of the best architecture in the city, and is one of its most breathtaking sights. 

Love, 

Polly F.
West Sider and lover of landmarks

P.S. Click here to read about Landmark West!'s efforts to preserve the amazing Central Park West skyline!  New York without the Central Park West skyline? Not if we can help it! 

Love Your Landmark #12 - IRT Powerhouse

IRT/ConEd Powerhouse

840 12th Avenue at 59th Street

It's hard to not feel awestruck by the IRT/ConEd Powerhouse. The scale, the architecture, the history- it's tremendous!

Love,

Kate Wood

Landmark West! Executive Director

P.S. Not close enough to see the Powerhouse in person? Not a problem! Take a virtual tour of the Powerhouse and see what Kate is talking about for yourself!

Love Your Landmark #11- Public School 166

Public School 166, The Richard Rodgers School of Arts & Technology 

132 West 89th Street

Landmark love begins early on the Upper West Side!  Here, first graders from P.S. 166 gather to show their affection for their historic school (designated a NYC Individual Landmark in 2000).  It's not hard to see the appeal--who wouldn't love learning in this castle-like gem!  These youngsters prove that age is nothing but a number when it comes to loving your landmarks! 

Love, 

First Graders at P.S. 166

Students/Landmark Aficionados-in-Training

Love Your Landmark #10 - Cafe 82

Cafe 82

Broadway at 82nd Street

Few could be more loved than Cafe 82! As many as 20 of us have breakfast there every single morning and socialize, going from table to table to talk about the latest opera or movie we've seen, the most interesting New York Times stories of the day, and myriad other topics that, simply by sharing, keep us sane!

Here are just a few of us with Cafe 82's owner, Luka Luka! 

Love,

Cafe 82 "Breakfast Club" 

Left to right: Front row: Anita Kasen, Sherrie Murphy, Rene Suarez-Barrio, Luka Luka (Cafe 82 owner); Back row: Bob Briggs, John McIntosh, Kalia Doner.

Love Your Landmark #9 - Pioneer Supermarket

Pioneer Supermarket

Columbus Avenue between 73rd and 74th Streets

Between the tenaciously old-school facade and the rotating selection of Russian beers served in large plastic bottles, the Pioneer gives me hope for a Columbus Avenue increasingly dominated by cupcakes and couture.

Love,

B. Rooney Shera

Urbanist

iPhone App :: The Sequel? The Next Generation? Whatever it is, let's do it!

In December 2010, LW! launched the FIRST EVER iPhone app walking tour of Manhattan’s Upper West Side.  We zeroed in on the area around the Dakota Apartments on West 72nd St. and Central Park West, educating “tour goers” on architectural styles, neighborhood history, and lesser known “fun facts”. 

DID YOU KNOW? The Aylsmere Apartments were so named to evoke an Olde English lineage, but it appears no such place actually exists in England!

The app has been a hit!  From the good ol’ USA to Italy, from Norway to Canada, from Australia to Belgium, from Malaysia to France, from India to Japan, people are exploring the Upper West Side with LW’s iPhone walking tour app.  So guess what … we’re ready to do it all again!  But this time, you get to help decide where our tour takes us!

DID YOU KNOW? The statue of composer Verdi in his eponymous Square is surrounded by four figures, each representing a character from one of his operas.

We want to hear from you!  What would you like to see in a second app from LW!?  Have a hankering for more information on the area highlighted in our first app?  Is there another West Side enclave that you’re dying to learn more about?  Tell us what you think!  

Post it to our Kickstarter project page!

Tell us via Tweet (@landmarkwest)!

Comment on this blog post!

We're listening ...

Love Your Landmark #8 - St. Michael's Church

Little Vivian has competition!

Last week, Love Your Landmark received its first hand-drawn submission from pint-sized preservationist Vivian.  It appears she's inspired another artistically inclined lover of landmarks to put pencil to paper and capture a beloved piece of Upper West Side architecture.  Spot on depiction, Julia!

St. Michael's Church

Amsterdam Avenue at 99th Street

My favorite hoped-to-be landmark on the West Side is St. Michael's Church.  I love the large tower, which seems to dominate the street grandly.  I also really like the design of the repeated arches, which makes the structure look open and airy.  I like the colors of the church, too.  The palate is nice and simple, but also noticeable. 

Love,

Julia H.

12 years old, admirer of architecture, Jersey gal (we won't hold it against her)

P.S. St. Michael's is on LW's "Wish List"!  Learn more about its history, and how you can become more involved!