View of Pomander Walk from 95th Street and West End Avenue

Pomander Walk - A Storybook Community

April 17, 2020 by Pamela Ajhar in Streetscapes

Pomander Walk is a delightful re-creation of a Tudor Village that cuts through 94th and 95th Street and is bounded by Broadway and West End Avenue. Views from the street of an L-shaped lot reveal the bulk of the 27 unique buildings that make up this private residential complex and highlight the mish-mosh of materials including brick, gray ashlar stone, stucco, painted wood trim, half timbering, painted shutters and flower boxes used to construct them. What is not visible from the street and may only be admired through the holes of two locked gates on either side of the walk-way, is what will surely stop you in your tracks.

Through either entrance way (the one on 94th Street has a stone arch crowned by a quaint metal sign with a crowing rooster) and up a few flights of steps, lies a secluded pedestrian only street, lined on each side by eight two-story houses; each with its own unique façade. Two old style iron lampposts stand, like book ends, on each side and every building has a lovely garden out front. It’s like a scene straight out of a storybook.

Built in 1921, it was the brainchild of Thomas Healy, a local nightclub operator. Healy’s ultimate goal was to build a 16 story hotel, so Pomander Walk was only meant to be an interim improvement to the land which would be demolished once the final hotel plans were in place. He commissioned the architectural firm of King and Campbell to design a complex that would resemble a small London street. The inspiration was to come from the set of a popular play, “Pomander Walk”, by Lewis Parker, which opened on Broadway in 1910. Healy met an early death in 1927, so Pomander Walk remained.

By the 1970’s the neighborhood had changed dramatically and the Walk itself had become less magical and more run-down. Developers were beginning to eye the land, for redevelopment. Thanks to the Landmark Preservation Commission, Pomander Walk was successfully designated as an Individual Landmark in 1982. It was around this same time that the development was also converted to a co-op. Apartments range in size from small studios to large apartments which take up the entire building.

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share.
If you’d like to subscribe to my blog and receive notification of future posts, please select SUBSCRIBE from the pull-down menu above.
If you’d like to know more about me and my listings at Brown Harris Steven, please select REAL ESTATE from the pull-down above or CLICK HERE or Visit: https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/pamela-ajhar

Pamela Ajhar

Seeing Double on Broadway - 221 W 82nd & 222 W 83rd St

April 23, 2019 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

If you happened to be walking on Broadway between 82nd and 83rd Street and glance up at the two buildings on the east side of the street, you can rest assured that you are not seeing double. These buildings, 221 West 82nd Street and 222 West 83rd Street, are twin buildings.

222 West 83rd Street and 221 West 82nd Street - Looking East on Broadway

As the 1920’s brought a building boom to the Upper West Side, the developer Sam Minskoff, a former plumber, was on his way to becoming a prolific NYC developer. Architect, Emery Roth, whose very first building design, the Saxony, built in 1900 and located just down the street at 250 West 82nd, was also earning accolades for his work. Minskoff, having already worked with Roth, once again commissioned him to work on what would become the first of a two building project.

Similarities of the Front Entrances - 221 W. 82nd is a Condop and 222 W 83rd is a Rental Building

The first of the two, located on 82nd Street, was named the Myron Arms, and the second, built a year later on 83rd, was called Jerome Palace. Both were named after his sons. Myron, Jerome and a third son, Henry, would eventually take over the family business of Sam Minskoff and Sons and in the 1970’s would oversee the construction of what Broadway theater lovers would come to know as the Minskoff Theater.

Key features of the Italian Renaissance inspired designs of the two buildings include the use of granite, limestone, brick and terracotta. Each of the buildings are topped with a setback penthouse floor. There are some slight variations between the two, so the next time you are passing by, look up and see if you can detect the differences.

To learn more about how Sam Minskoff and Emery Roth began their working relationship read this: http://www.chestercourt.com/about-us

Pamela Ajhar

555 West End Avenue - St Agnes Reimagined

December 06, 2018 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

A striking collegiate gothic style red brick and limestone building sits gracefully on the southwest corner of West End Avenue and 87th Street. Located in what is now part of the Riverside West End Historic District, it was a parochial school for over 100 years. In January 2013, the New York Roman Catholic Archdiocese announced the closing of 22 elementary schools and 2 high schools and St. Agnes Boys’ High School was on that list. Shortly afterwards, the building was sold to architect/developer Cary Tamarkin and is now in the process of being transformed into luxury condominiums.

The history of 555 West End Avenue began in 1907-1908 when the New York Protestant Episcopal Public School Corporation commissioned architect William A. Boring to design the St. Agatha’s School for Girls (later sold to the Catholic Archdiocese). Mr. Boring began his career in the late 1800’s in California, later moved to New York City to attend Columbia University and after a brief stint at McKim, Mead and White, teamed up with architect Edward L. Tilton. Their first prominent work was the design of the buildings for the U.S. Immigration Service on Ellis Island (1897-1901, part of the Ellis Island Historic District) which received a Gold Medal at the Exposition Universelle of 1900. The formal partnership ended in 1904 and Boring went on to a solo career, designing many public buildings including St. Agatha. He became extremely active and influential in design and planning circles and worked on many important projects. One of my personal favorites is the American Seamen‘s Friend Society Sailors‘ Home and Institute, 505-507 West Street, now a designated New York City Landmark and currently operating as The Jane Hotel (www.thejanenyc.com). Boring left his full-time practice to join the faculty of Columbia University‘s School of Architecture, becoming a professor of design (1915), director (1919), and the first dean (1931) until his retirement in 1934.

Ellis Island Architects: William A. Boring and Edward L. Tilton

American Seamen‘s Friend Society Sailors‘ Home andInstitute, 505-507 West Street - Architect: William A. Boring — American Seamen‘s Friend Society Sailors‘ Home and
Institute, 505-507 West Street - Architect: William A. Boring

Without the constant comings and goings of students, Tamarkin is able to reimagine the interior space of this beautiful building, while still maintaining what remains of the grand exterior. One of the more notable, but not so recent changes was the removal of a giant cross that once sat prominently on the top of the building. Notable interior features will include towering ceiling heights, enormous windows, large room sizes and classic elements such as gracious entry foyers, walk-in pantries, eat-in-kitchens and staff rooms. While 555 West End Avenue is still under construction, sales of the 13 unique residences have already begun. I recently toured model residence # 3E, with interiors designed by Charlie Ferrer. Architectural Digest highlighted this project in a recent issue: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/charlie-ferrer-first-model-555-west-end-tamarkin

555 West End Avenue #3E Interiors by: Charlie Ferrer

My blogpost would not be complete without mentioning the piece de resistance, the Solarium Penthouse currently offered for $18,000,000. The centerpiece of this three-bedroom home is a breathtaking Great Room crafted from the immense vaulted and skylit volume of the original school gymnasium. Stunning in its scale and luminosity, the dramatic space soars to nearly 19-1/2 feet, with a floor-to-ceiling window-wall along its south façade that opens onto a private terrace. Here is a link to see more photos: https://555westendave.com/residences/the-solarium-penthouse/

555 West End Avenue: Rendering by Tamarkin

For more information regarding the conversion process visit: https://newyorkyimby.com/2015/05/landmarks-wants-less-visibility-on-555-west-end-avenue-rooftop-addition.html

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share.
If you’d like to subscribe to my blog and receive notification of future posts, please select SUBSCRIBE from the pull-down menu above.
If you’d like to know more about me and my listings at Brown Harris Steven, please select REAL ESTATE from the pull-down above of CLICK HERE or Visit: https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/pamela-ajhar

Pamela Ajhar

Detail above the door of the Grand Hall of Aaron Shikler's studio at 44 West 77th Street

44 West 77th Street - Facade Transformed

July 31, 2017 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

Aaron Shikler, the famed portrait artist resided at 44 West 77th Street for over 50 years, until his death in 2015 at age 93. It was here in his studio overlooking the American Museum of Natural History, that he painted one of his most notable works, the official White House portrait of John F. Kennedy. I recently had the pleasure of visiting this 11-room residence located on the 4th floor, which is currently on the market for $5,998,000. The original architectural details of several of the rooms are truly breathtaking, especially the Grand Hall, with its 14.5 foot ceiling and carved wood pilasters and Corinthian capitals. With 2 apartments per floor and a total of only 33 apartments, it is truly a treat to find an apartment with so much of the original decorative features.

This 14-story building, once called The Manhattan Square Apartments, was built in 1909. Walter Russell, who already had success commissioning several studio/ apartment cooperatives on West 67th Street, wanted to bring this same idea to 77th Street and hired the architectural firm of Harde and Short for the project. Herbert S. Harde and R. Thomas Short were already known for their distinctive designs, having earned critical recognition for the Elizabethian-styled five-story Red House at 350 West 85th Street in 1903, followed in 1906 and 1907, with the neo-French Renaissance Alwyn Court on West 58th Street and the neo-Gothic Park View on East 66th Street. But 44 West 77th Street, when completed, did not earn the same praise; the neo-Gothic facade covered in elaborate terra-cotta ornamentation and topped with a French Gothic Tower, led the critic of the Architectural Record to remark that it made him stare and gasp in astonishment. Architectural historian, Andrew Alpern, wrote in his book Luxury Apartment Houses of Manhattan that it was “encrusted with ornaments that appeared to have been squeezed out of a pastry tube”.

West 77th street by William Sanger 1907, from the collection of the museum of the city of New York

By the late 1930’s, pieces of terra-cotta began falling to the street. Poor installation, acidity in the atmosphere and pigeons who regularly visited the frontage of the building, caused further damage. In 1940, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company took over the building with a deed in lieu of foreclosure and in 1944, rather than taking on a costly restoration, the company’s architect made the decision to remove the bulk of the terra-cotta.

It is hard to imagine that the exterior of the building once looked so radically different. If you have the chance to peek into the lobby, you can still find all the details of a very dramatic gothic lobby complete with leaded glass windows, grand columns, groin-vaulted ceilings, pendant chandeliers and bronze statues.

To read more about the altered façade of 44 West 77th Street, read Christopher Gray’s article in the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/02/23/realestate/streetscapes-44-west-77th-street-restoration-of-an-altered-facade.html

To read more about the history of the building and it’s residents, visit Daytonian in Manahattan:
http://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-1909-manhattan-square-apts-no-44.html

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share it.
If you’d like to subscribe to my blog and receive notification of future posts, please select SUBSCRIBE from the pull-down menu above.
If you’d like to know more about me and my listings at Brown Harris Steven, please select REAL ESTATE from the pull-down above of CLICK HERE or Visit: https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/pamela-ajhar
Pamela Ajhar

Astor Court Apartments and the Copper Cornice

Astor Court's Grand Garden

April 12, 2017 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

John Jacob Astor amassed a huge fortune before perishing on the Titanic in 1912. His son, Vincent Astor, 20 years old at the time, was a student at Harvard. He inherited $87 million from his father’s estate and stepped into the sprawling family real estate business. His first project was the $1 million Astor Court apartments on Broadway that took up the entire block from 89th to 90th Street. Built in 1914, this 13 story
U-shaped brick building, has entrances on both 89th and 90th Street. It has a rather reserved red brick façade, topped with an exceptional great copper cornice that overhangs from the roof and projects out eight feet. Charles A. Platt, a skilled architect, landscape architect and artist, designed all aspects of the project.

However, one of the most distinguishing features of this building is not visible from the street. It is the gloriously landscaped outdoor garden court that sits between the two sides of the building. Buff color bricks cover the rear façade, helping to lighten up the space . There are many cozy places where residents can sit with friends and neighbors. Robert A. M Stern called Astor Court “perhaps the loveliest of all courtyard apartments built between 1900 and the First World War”.

Vincent Astor sold the building in 1922 and many of the original six-to nine room apartments were ultimately divided up, but some gracious layouts still remain. When the building converted to co-op in 1985, the garden was revitalized with flowering plants and mature shade trees, making this private outdoor space one of the true gems of the Upper West Side.

Astor Court in 1922

To learn more about the building, clink on the link below:
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/01/realestate/streetscapes-89th-street-broadway-1916-astor-building-private-garden-grows.html

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share it.
If you’d like to subscribe to my blog and receive notification of future posts, please select SUBSCRIBE from the pull-down menu above.
If you’d like to know more about me and my listings at Brown Harris Steven, please select REAL ESTATE from the pull-down above of CLICK HERE or Visit: https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/pamela-ajhar

Pamela Ajhar

101 West 78th Street aka The Evelyn

February 16, 2017 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

Over the years, the story has persisted that 101 West 78th Street, once known as The Evelyn, was named for Evelyn Nesbit. She was the 16-year-old mistress of the famed architect Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White. The same Evelyn Nesbit whose future husband, millionaire Harry Kendall Thaw, would ultimately shoot and kill Stanford White in 1906 in a fit of jealous rage. The problem with this story is that neither White, Nesbit nor Thaw ever had anything to do with this building and furthermore, Evelyn Nesbit was only a baby in 1885 when the building first earned its name.

As of this writing, the building has now shed this moniker and will now be known only as 101 West 78th Street. Located directly across the street from the Museum of Natural History, it is in the midst of a major renovation and condo conversion. The original construction of the striking red brick building began in 1882, when the intended design by architect, Emile Gruwe, was for an 8 story building with a mansard roof. The building rose up to the 5th floor and then the money dried up. Developers, Phineas Smith and Edward Milliken purchased the building after it went into foreclosure and hired new architects, Douglas and John Jardine, to complete it. If you look up at the now 7 story building, you will notice the change in the design form on the top two floors of the building.

The building is adorned with lovely terra cotta figures. In 1987, they were at risk of being removed, but fortunately, a group of Upper West Siders fought and ultimately won the battle to save them.

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share it.
If you’d like to subscribe to my blog and receive notification of future posts, please select SUBSCRIBE from the pull-down menu above.
If you’d like to know more about me and my listings at Brown Harris Steven, please select REAL ESTATE from the pull-down above of CLICK HERE or Visit: https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/pamela-ajhar
Pamela Ajhar

View of the Hearst Tower from Corner of 57th Street and Eighth Avenue

Old Meets New at the Hearst Tower

December 19, 2016 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

There is no finer example of “old meets new” in the world of New York City architecture than the Hearst Building on Eighth Avenue and 57th Street. In 1926, William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper publisher who was the model for “Citizen Kane” commissioned Joseph Urban to design a new Manhattan headquarters for his growing media empire. Urban, best known for his set designs for the Ziegfeld Follies, approached the project as if it were an elaborate theatrical extravaganza. A six-story cast-concrete base adorned with giant fluted columns and 8 allegorical statues representing Comedy, Tragedy, Music, Art, Industry, Sport, The Sciences and Printing was completed in 1929. The plan was to add a soaring tower on top of the base, but the Depression intervened, and the additional floors were never added.

Jump ahead to early 2000, the Hearst Corporation has expanded and their offices are now spread out across the city. The company, in desperate need of more space hires the Architect, Norman Foster, to come up with a plan to add a tower to the original base. A recipient of the Pritzker Architecture prize, Foster has recently completed a project at the British Museum where he has added a glass canopy with 1,656 uniquely shaped panes of glass above the Great Court, essentially melding the old with the new.

Mr. Foster presents his plans to the Hearst Corporation on the afternoon of September 11, 2001, while the fires are burning at the Trade Center downtown. It will be another four and half years before the project is completed. The exterior of the historical base, designated by the city as a landmark in 1988, must be preserved. It will be completely gutted and restored and Foster’s 46 stories of triangulated glass and steel will be placed on top. Construction of the diagrid structure, with its series of 4 story high interlocking triangles, which will support the tower, will begin to rise in 2004. Upon completion in 2006, a column in the New York Times Architectural Review, describes the new building as such: “Past and present don’t fit seamlessly together here; they collide with ferocious energy”. This new skyscraper has made a bold statement in the midtown skyline.

With a number of environmental considerations built into the plan, Hearst Tower becomes the very first green building completed in New York City, earning both LEED Gold and Platinum designations. The efficiency of the design reduced the amount of steel required for construction by about 20% and 80% of the steel that was used came from recycled material. The lower floors and lobby area, which form an open atrium, are paved with heat conductive limestone. Tubing beneath the floors are filled with circulating water used for cooling in the summer and heating in the winter and are supplied by a reclamation tank that can hold up to 14,000 gallons of rainwater collected from the roof. It also feeds an amazing 3 story high “Ice Fall” glass and water sculpture that greets you in the lobby. If you are passing the building, you can poke your head inside to see it.

For a spectacular drone tour of the building, check out this youtube video narrated by Norman Foster: Click Here

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share it.
If you’d like to subscribe to my blog and receive notification of future posts, please select SUBSCRIBE from the pull-down menu above.
If you’d like to know more about me and my listings at Brown Harris Steven, please select REAL ESTATE from the pull-down above of CLICK HERE or Visit: https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/pamela-ajhar
Pamela Ajhar

The Windermere is making a comeback

August 23, 2016 by Pamela Ajhar in New York City History

My weekly rambles have often taken me past a large red brick building called The Windermere that sits on the Southwest corner of 57th Street and Ninth Avenue. Boarded up with broken windows and covered with graffiti, it has sat derelict for many years. Despite its neglect, it remains a striking building, designed with an eclectic mix of styles that include elements found in Queen Anne, High Victorian Gothic and Romanesque architecture. Now completely covered in netting and scaffolding, the windows have recently been replaced and slow progress has been made to bring it back to life.

The Windermere in the 1940's under the El NEW YORK CITY MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES — The Windermere in the 1940's under the El
*NEW YORK CITY MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES*

To my surprise, I discovered it was built in 1880-1881 and is the oldest apartment building on the west side of Manhattan. Constructed as a complex of 3 adjoining seven story buildings; they each vary in size, width and apartment layouts, but are unified in the designs of their facades. The largest of the trio Is No. 400 West 57th Street, which sits on the corner and takes up 40 feet on 57th Street and the entire Ninth Avenue side of the building. Directly to the West is No. 402 West 57th, only 20 feet wide and the only one built without an elevator and the westernmost 404 West 57th is 30 feet in width. When first constructed, the three combined contained a total of 39 apartment units.

If the walls of the Windermere could talk, they would surely have tales to tell. Over the past 136 years, the building has had many transformations. Floor plans were originally designed to attract upper middle class residents. In an April 1881 profile by the New York Times, the Windermere was described as “first class in every particular” and in the first decade, tenants flocked to this new and unique complex. But the 1890’s brought construction of taller and grander buildings that began to siphon off a large portion of the clientele.

Group of women at the turn of the twentieth century

With the turn of the twentieth century came the birth of the “New Woman”, single and financially independent, with very few housing choices to speak of. Boarding homes were a common option, but they lacked privacy and were often run by charitable or religious organizations which imposed many lifestyle restrictions. At around this same time, a new superintendent named Henry Sterling Goodale was hired to run the complex. Himself, the father of two talented and artistic daughters, he recognized the opportunity to transform the building into a haven for bachelor women, who by the late 1890’s, accounted for about 80% of the 200 occupants.

Just a few years ago the Windermere looked like this

In 1899, a fire damaged portions of the building and shortly after, Goodale left New York for Amherst, Massachusetts. At around this time, the neighborhood began to lose its more affluent population due to growth in other areas of the city and the tenant profile began to change again. Jump ahead to the 1960’s and 70’s, when the surrounding area became known as Hell’s Kitchen, largely associated with hippies, drug users and prostitution, and many of the Windermere’s large apartments were converted to Single-Room-Occupancy (SRO). By the 1980’s, it was in serious disrepair and became the subject of a criminal investigation for violent tenant harassment which resulted in felony convictions and jail time for both the manager and landlord at the time.

The building has changed ownership twice since then and the new owner, Mark Tress of Windermere Properties LLC, has filed plans for a hotel. As part of a legal settlement incurred by previous ownership, he is required to provide 20 affordable housing units as set by the Clinton Cure for Legal Harassment. The timing for a complete renovation couldn’t be any better as the neighborhood has once again become a very desirable place to live. I can’t wait to see this beautiful building fully restored.

To learn more about the current renovations, click here.

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share it.
If you’d like to subscribe to my blog and receive notification of future posts, please select SUBSCRIBE from the pull-down menu above.
If you’d like to know more about me and my listings at Brown Harris Steven, please select REAL ESTATE from the pull-down above of CLICK HERE or Visit: https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/pamela-ajhar

Pamela Ajhar

The Chatsworth before the annex was built. The porte cochere has been removed. Photo: Museum of the City of New York

The Chatsworth -344 West 72nd Street

June 23, 2016 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

In the early 1900’s, the developer George F. Johnson, acquired a piece of property which sat at the southern end of Riverside Drive and 72nd Street overlooking Riverside Park and the Hudson River. The sweeping views of the 191 acre park and the winding shoreline of the river became the perfect location for an upscale apartment building that would successfully lure wealthy residents. A finely appointed residential building was designed by architect, John E. Scharsmith and came to be known as the Chatsworth. The 12 story red brick and limestone trim façade Beaux Art beauty, topped with a mansard roof, is lavishly adorned with an array of hand sculpted figures that feature cherubs, fruit and stags.

Original Kitchen Photo: Museum of the City of New York

When it opened in 1904, it had 66 “housekeeping units,” some as large as 15 rooms. Residents were offered a broad spectrum of services including a café, a barber shop and hair-dressing parlor, valet and tailor services and a billiard room. There was a sun parlor which ran across the entire top floor of the building. Scharsmith designed a smaller annex immediately adjacent to the building and it was added in 1906.

In later years, as was common for the neighborhood, the apartments were subdivided into smaller units, but it was always maintained as a rental building. Now it is undergoing a condo conversion. The entrance with its intricate metal work and ornate ceiling and the lobby’s skylight and hand carved walnut paneling have recently been restored. Many of the apartments have been re-combined to create large grand spaces and new amenities such as a lounge room, game room, children’s playroom and gym have been added. Here is a link to building website: http://thechatsworth.com/chatsworth/history/

Here is a link to building website: http://thechatsworth.com/chatsworth/history/

Pamela Ajhar

Advertisement for a brand new 380 Riverside Drive

The Hendrik Hudson - 380 Riverside Drive

May 20, 2016 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

There are many places throughout New York City and the surrounding area that are named after Henry Hudson including the Hudson River, the Hudson Bay, the Henry Hudson Parkway and the Town of Hudson located in the Hudson Valley in Columbia County. There is also, The Hendrik Hudson, also known as 380 Riverside Drive, a grand building which takes up the entire block between 110th and 111th Street along Riverside Drive. Architectural historian, Andrew Alpern, considered it so important that he featured it on the cover of his book “Luxury Apartment Houses of Manhattan”.

The Hendrik Hudson from the corner of Riverside Drive and 110th Street

Completed in 1907, when the area was comprised of mostly low rise buildings, the new IRT subway stop located a short block away on 110th (Cathedral Parkway) promised to bring new life to the neighborhood. William L. Rouse of Rouse & Sloan modeled the design after an imaginary grand Tuscan villa, with a two story rusticated limestone base which incorporated large arched windows and projected balconies of stone and terra cotta ornamentation on the top portion of the building. Standing 8 stories high, it was at the time, the biggest private building of the upper drive, even though it was well under the 12 floor legal limit. Originally topped by two large square towers, with open Palladian arches on all 4 side. The towers were connected by a promenade and while the south tower still remains, the walkway and north tower were long ago removed. The interiors and exteriors were elegantly designed with very large floor plans. Amenities included a billiard room, café and barber shop which along with its magnificent views of Riverside Park attracted many new tenants.

After the war, the neighborhood experienced an economic downturn and most of the large apartments were cut up into smaller units. In 1960, after years of neglect, new owners took possession of the building that had earned the nickname “Slum with a View” and invested close to a million dollars in renovations. Now considered one of the crown jewels of Morningside Heights, the building was converted to a coop in 1970. If Henry Hudson were around today, he would be proud to know this majestic building with its architectural symmetry, grand marble lobby and lovely apartments with exceptionally high ceilings was named after him.

Pamela Ajhar

The American Youth Hostels located at 891 Amsterdam Avenue opened in 1990

The Association Residence for the Respectable Aged Indigent Females aka The American Youth Hostel

May 03, 2016 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

From 1973 to 1989, this historic building was considered a community eyesore; boarded up and surrounded by chain link fences. Much of the original slate roof had been damaged by a fire set during the 1977 New York City blackout. Through the joint efforts of local historians, neighborhood activists and Columbia University students, the building was given landmark status in 1983 and is now the largest hostel in North America. With 670 beds, the American Youth Hostels building hosts visitors from all over the world offering dorm style rooms with modern amenities that include a large outdoor patio and green space, a game room, a café, an internet and television lounge and a large communal kitchen.

But what is most intriguing about this building is only briefly described on the plaque that sits at the main entrance. 891 Amsterdam Avenue, located on the corner of 103rd Street was once known as The Association Residence for Respectable Aged Indigent Females, a place for elderly woman to help them “avoid the degradation of the poorhouse”. It was constructed in 1881-83 by “The Association”, one of New York City’s most charitable organizations. The residence was open to “any respectable non-Roman Catholic gentlewoman over sixty years of age, on payment of $150 and the surrender of any property she possessed”. A subsequent gift of $250,000 funded an addition in 1908, extending the building to 104th street and included the installation of a gorgeous Tiffany window to the chapel, which is now housed in a museum in Winter Park Florida.

The design of the building is described as “a French-inspired style which recalls the Victorian Gothic” and was created by Richard Morris Hunt, one of the most sought after architects of the 19th century. Hunt, the first American Architect to attend the L’Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, is now best known as the architect of the lavish summer residences for the Vanderbilt family; the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina and The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island. He designed over 75 structures in New York City alone, including many large mansions for the wealthiest citizens of the gilded era. Of those, only 20 of his works in this city still stand. Amongst them, the base of the Statue of Liberty and the front façade of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We are fortunate that strong community involvement resulted in the preservation of this important landmark, which has also brought new life to the neighborhood.

If you enjoyed this blog post, please feel free to share it.
If you’d like to subscribe to my blog and receive notification of future posts, please select SUBSCRIBE from the pull-down menu above.
If you’d like to know more about me and my listings at Brown Harris Steven, please select REAL ESTATE from the pull-down above of CLICK HERE or Visit: https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/pamela-ajhar

Pamela Ajhar

A Gang of Gargoyles - 527 West 110th Street

April 26, 2016 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

Walk past the Britannia located at 527 West 110th Street and you will be greeted by the amusing faces of 8 grand grimacing gargoyles crouched just above the top of the first floor. They appear to be engaged in various forms of everyday life; eating, cooking, carrying a platter and writing with a quill pen. Step inside the unusually large 35-foot wide courtyard that joins the two separate wings of the building and chuckle at the two additional fellows who flank each side of the entranceway appearing to be yawning or possibly mocking those who enter the building. Completed in 1909, the developer, J. Charles Weschler, decided to buck the trend of the 12 story tall building, common in the day, and hired the firm of Waid & Willauer to design a more distinctive 9 floor “English” style structure.

Apartments ranged in size from five to nine rooms and rented for between $90 to $250. The Britannia is now a condominium and most of the apartments have been carved into smaller units. Christopher Gray elaborates on the history of the building in his 2009 New York Times column “Meet Me Under the Gobbling Gargoyles”. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/realestate/18scapes.html

Pamela Ajhar

Former Horn & Hardart Automat - Broadway and 104th St

April 20, 2016 by Pamela Ajhar in New York City History

If you have ever had the pleasure of visiting an Automat, you will appreciate this little slice of Horn and Hardart history. In 1902, Joseph Horn and Frank Hardart opened their first Horn and Hardart in Philadelphia, but it was not until 1912 that they got around to opening one in New York City. The first location, known as the centerpiece, was located at 1557 Broadway, between 46th and 47th Street, in the heart of Times Square. The idea quickly took hold and by 1922, they had added another 20 locations. The automats were known for their sleek art deco décor and reliable quality. The food was reasonably priced and was available for purchase from a glass and chrome coin operated dispenser. The chain appealed to a wide variety of clientele and remained profitable, even during the depression. Competition came and went, from businesses such as Chock Full O’Nuts, Nedicks, Longchamps, Schrafft’s, Child’s, Strewart’s and Bickford’s, but the Horn and Hardart’s chain kept on growing, reaching top earnings in 1958.

The business no longer exists as the last remaining location at 200 East 42nd Street on the corner of Third Avenue closed in 1991, But one former Upper West Side location, a 3 story, limestone clad art deco building designed by F.P. Platt Bros in 1930 can still be found on Broadway and 104th Street. It was known as the Horn & Hardart Automat-Cafeteria building until the restaurant closed in 1953. Many businesses have since operated there, currently a City MD is leasing the ground floor. But look up to the third floor and you will still find some original notable details, such as the glazed polychrome Art Deco style terra-cotta panels that feature stylized floral motifs and zig zag patterns in hues of green, blue, tan and gold. The building was designated a city landmark in 2007.

If you enjoyed this blogpost, please feel free to share
If you’d like to subscribe to my blog and receive notification of future posts, please select SUBSCRIBE from the pull-down menu above.
If you’d like to know more about me and my listings at Brown Harris Steven, please select REAL ESTATE from the pull-down above of CLICK HERE or Visit: https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/pamela-ajhar

Pamela Ajhar

The Manhasset Apartments - West 108th and 109th Street

April 13, 2016 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

What looks like one massive building occupying the entire hundred feet blockfront of Broadway between 108th Street and 109th Street is actually two buildings with separate limestone entryways on both streets. The buildings, known collectively as the Manhasset Apartments, were designed and constructed in two phases. The original plan was for two eight story brick buildings, but bankruptcy forced a sale before the buildings were completed. The new owner, Jacob Butler, who took possession in 1901 decided to take advantage of new construction laws that had just come into effect and added 3 additional floors to the plan. He also hired the team of Janes and Leo, who were at the time working on the grand Dorilton building at 71st Street. They made additional enhancements to this limestone, brick and terra-cotta Beaux-Arts style façade including the addition of the most prominent feature of a two story slate-covered mansard roof.

At the turn of the century, the neighborhood known then as Schulyer Square, was dominated by row houses but once the IRT subway was completed in 1904, developers began to construct large scale apartment buildings. When the Manhasset was completed in 1905, the luxurious six to nine room apartments were renting for $1,800 to $3,500 a year. In the 1930’s the building was once again foreclosed on and the new owners subdivided all the apartments and also redecorated the lobbies. The building was converted to condop in 1993 and was designated as a landmark by the City in 1996.

Pamela Ajhar

The First Battery Armory on West 66th Street

April 06, 2016 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

It was 1900 and The First Battery, a volunteer field artillery unit of the National Guard of the State of New York, was headquartered above a saloon on West 44th Street. The building was managed by their Captain, Louis Wendel. The First Battery was one of many militia groups throughout the country formed to help with domestic peacekeeping efforts during the post–Civil War era of labor-capital unrest. Captain Wendel, a colorful figure who would later be removed from office for bribery, graft and grand larceny, had connections in Tammany Hall political circles. So when the New York City Armory Board was created to establish a series of ten armories throughout the city, Wendel used his influence to secure a brand new headquarters for his regiment.

In 1901, construction began on The First Battery Armory, located on West 66th Street just west of Central Park. Despite some pushback from the representatives of the National Guard who wanted more control over the selection of the architects, the firm of Horgan and Slattery was chosen. This firm, heavily favored by Mayor Van Wyck and Tammany Hall, held a monopoly on most public projects. The New York Times having published an editorial the previous year questioning whether Horgan and Slattery even existed and if they did, what a coincidence that they seemed to have the expertise to handle every project commissioned by the city.

On February 3, 1904, the group of approximately 100 men composed of mostly German Americans moved in. The first floor housed a concrete drill room, a riding ring and offices. Below the street were stalls for 76 horses, a 50 yard rifle range and a 25 yard pistol range. The Captain’s apartment was located on the third floor. The building, with its castle-like features, consisted of a rectangular headhouse with a central tower for public entry and two end pavilions with “sally ports” to accommodate the horses. The entire block had once been part of the 18th century farm of John Somarindyn and was subdivided into lots for sale in 1852. By the time the Armory was built, the block was typical of the neighborhood being half built up, primarily with five story houses. Across the street was the St Nicholas Arena, the city’s first indoor skating rink built in 1896 (demolished in 1986) and the Durland Riding Academy which had recently opened in 1901.

In 1913, the First Battery was replaced with new tenants as the 102nd Medical Regiment moved in, serving as a medical unit during World War 1 and World War 2. They remained in this location until ABC acquired the building in 1976, transforming it into a sound stage for soap operas. Now one of 6 armories designated a New York City Landmark, the location now serves as offices for ESPN. Despite the building’s many different transformations, you can still find throw backs to the time when the First Battery of the National Guard inhabited the building. Above the first story are the letters N.G.S.N.Y. and at the top of the tower is the First Battery’s insignia carved in relief as a central shield with “1901”, N.G.N.Y. and “Semper Paratus” which means “always ready”.

Pamela Ajhar

The Sun Always Shines on 55 Central Park West

March 28, 2016 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

Bathed in sunlight, even on a dark and dreary day, that’s the illusion created by the color graded brick work of 55 Central Park West. Color was a tool increasingly used in the new modern designs of the 1920’s and the rich shades of purple brick which gradually change over to yellow-white give this building’s façade this unique distinction. This era brought the Art Deco movement and architects were already beginning to adopt the style in the design of office buildings, but several were also embracing it in their residential buildings as well. Schwartz and Gross filed their plans for 55 Central Park West in 1929. They were already working on another Art Deco beauty on the Avenue, located at 336 CPW and 93rd Street. In the coming years, Central Park West would become a display case for the movement. The IND subway line, which would soon open on Central Park West would help to bring a new surge of construction to the neighborhood.

Standing 19 stories high with bold fluted decorative features and multiple upper floor setbacks, apartment sizes range from three to nine rooms, all containing the innovation of a sunken living room. 55 Central Park West was included in the Central Park West Historic District in 1990. It earned the nickname of “The Ghostbusters Building” after the exteriors were used in the filming of movie in 1984.

http://www.scoutingny.com/new-york-youve-changed-ghostbusters-part-1/

Pamela Ajhar

Hotel Belleclaire - 250 West 77th Street

March 23, 2016 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

Emery Roth was one of New York City’s premier architects of the 20th century. One of his earliest designs, his second in fact, was the Hotel Belleclaire. A very distinctive building, which stands on the corner of 77th and Broadway. Designed in the Beaux Arts style, but heavily reliant on the influences of Art Nouveau and the Viennese Succession style, Emery Roth designed the Hotel Belleclaire in 1903 as a residence hotel for upper class families.

The hotel attracted many famous guests that included Maxim Gorky, Mark Twain and Babe Ruth. In 2008, the building was renovated into a 240 room affordable neighborhood hotel. Although some of the original architectural elements have since been removed, including a domed corner turret, this striking 10 story brick building with stone base and arches and decorated with Indian heads continues to attract the attention of passers-by.

For some really interesting stories about several former guests of the hotel visit:

http://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2012/04/1903-art-nouveau-hotel-belleclaire.html

Pamela Ajhar

The Red House (350 West 85th Street)

March 09, 2016 by Pamela Ajhar in Architecture

Photo by Frances Page

The Red House, completed in 1904, is located on West 85th Street between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive. The work of the architectural firm of Harde and Short, it is a distinctive six story red brick and white terra cotta building with bold multi-paneled black painted windows, adorned with dripping Gothic screens and a terra cotta salamander & crown cartouche. The center is recessed behind a triple arched entryway. The partnership of Herbert Spencer Harde and R. Thomas Short was formed in 1901. After the completion of the Red House, they went on to design several other notable buildings that include The Studio Apartments at 44 West 77th, The Alwyn Court Apartments on Broadway and 58th Street and 45 East 66th Street, at Madison Avenue. This rental building is composed primarily of studios and one bedrooms. The Red House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.