Tag Results
11 posts tagged UWS
IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S BEACON THEATRE
Located at 2124 Broadway is a theater created as a smaller version of the former Roxy Theater—the Beacon Theatre. Its similarities derive largely from the fact that the designer for both theaters was the same, Chicago architect Walter Ahlschlager. This building was originally slated to open in 1929 as the Roxy Midway Theater, however, it never happened. The theater was sold before it even opened and was unveiled as Warner’s Beacon Theatre to show Warner Brothers films.
Today the theater is more commonly used for concerts and also hosted the 2011 Tony Awards. Popular acts which have performed at the 2,600 seat theater have included Michael Jackson, Jerry Garcia, Queen, Aerosmith, Radiohead, the Rolling Stones (who performed for Bill Clinton’s 50th birthday party in 2006) and the Allman Brothers, who have performed here every year since 1989. Every spring the Allman Brothers conduct a series of sold out shows promoted as “The Beacon Run” here. To-date they have performed close to two hundred shows at the Beacon.
Website: http://www.beacontheatre.com/
Address: 2124 Broadway, New York City, NY
Cost: Free to view. For ticket prices to events, please view the website listed above.
IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Upper West Side. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)
IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S FORMER CLAREMONT RIDING ACADEMY
Located at the address of 175 West 89thStreet is what was until 2007 the oldest stable in New York City—The Claremont Riding Academy. The Claremont began providing riding lessons in 1889 before moving to this location which was designed by Frank A. Rooke and constructed in 1892. It operated for over a century here before officially closing its doors on April 29, 2007.
In its “hay” day, this four-story brick building was known for renting horses for individuals to ride in nearby Central Park. It had a prestigious list of former students including a number of the Kennedys. Inside the horses were maintained in stalls located on the first and second floors. Riders could then practice their skills within the building by navigating through a series of interconnecting ramps into a somewhat cramped twenty square meter ring. Rider’s skills would further be tested via the support beams which were also said to be located within the ring.
Prior to its official closure in 2007 the Claremont had been riding on borrowed time for some time. The property was actually condemned by the city in 1961 and the former riding academy was actually living month-to-month the remainder of its years.
In 2008 the 1892 structure was begun to be converted into high-end condominiums after it was sold for $14 million. The new owners immediately began renovating the historic property into a series of nine units. The former carriage life is now being converted into an elevator for vehicles to access to the underground parking garage. While the owner has acknowledged attempting to preserve as much of the history associated with the locale as possible, they admit that some of it will have to just be gutted because as they eloquently put it, “Horses and wood…you just can’t get the smell out.”
In reference to the former four-legged tenants, per the Claremont’s website it appears that each has been found a new home. A majority of the horses have been relocated to the 60-acre Potomac Horse Center in western Maryland. In addition, a handful of horses have found new homes as part of the Yale University equestrian program.
Website: http://www.potomachorse.com/clarmont.htm
Address: 175 West 89th Street, New York City
Cost: Free.
IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Upper West Side (Free Bonus Edition). (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)
IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN
The Museum of Arts and Design moved to this location in 2008. It was begun in 1956 by Aileen Osborn Webb and since then has undergone a series of names changes including the Museum of Contemporary Craft and the American Crafts Museum before settling on its most recent selection. The Museum hosts four floors of exhibits across 54,000 square feet and is open Tuesday through Sunday 11am-6pm and Thursdays 11am-9pm. Admission is $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors.
Now the Museum of Arts and Design is a nice little museum but what I really wanted to explore on this site is the history of the buildings which previously and currently reside here. The earliest structure was actually a brownstone with mansard roof hotel called the Pabst Grand Circle Hotel which made its home here from 1874-1960. It was the hotel’s replacement where our interest lies.
In 1964 “The Lollipop Building” was erected in its place—a name given via a scathing review of its architectural stylings. This modernist structure was built to house the art collection for Huntington Hartford, the heir to the A&P Supermarkets, who decorated the auditorium in the colors of his supermarkets (red and orange) which they still remain to this day. The building was most recognized for its 12-story white marble façade with round holes perforating its south side. It was designed by Edward Durell Stone who also was responsible for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C.
What was interesting about this building was the love-hate relationship the city had with it. Despite its continued mocking in the press, a significant preservation effort was started up when rumors of alterations to the structure began in 2003. The New York City Landmarks Commission, however, refused to provide a public hearing on behalf of the building and in 2008 alterations to the exterior began. The result is the current 22,000 glazed tile structure.
A lot was made about why a hearing never occurred, but to understand the decision you really need go no further than the numbers. The Landmarks Commission reportedly receives approximately 8000 applications a year for review and this number continues to grow every year. These applications may range from most minor of modifications such as a door or window to complete renovations or replacements. So, on one hand you have a significant workload which is not equally balanced by their budget which is said to be the smallest of any agency. So, with that background, it hopefully provides a bit of perspective when you hear about any sort of call to action by local preservationists.
Website: http://www.madmuseum.org/
Address: 2 Columbus Circle, New York City, NY
Cost: Adults $15; Senior and Student $12
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 11am-6pm; Thursday 11am-9pm
IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Upper West Side. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)
IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S CRIMES-HAUNTS – DEATH OF JOHN LENNON
The Upper West Side has the unique ability to lay claim to both the alleged site of the birth of rock ‘n’ roll and perhaps the death of it. On Monday, December 8, 1980, John Lennon was finishing some sessions in relation to a new album to be titled, Milk and Honey. He had just recently released his first new album in six years, Double Fantasy, which featured the hits, “(Just Like) Starting Over,” “Woman,” and “Watching the Wheels.”
The evening began in relative tranquility. John and Yoko left the Dakota at 5 p.m. headed to the nearby Record Plant Studios to mix a new track titled “Walking on Thin Ice.” The usual cluster of fans had gathered outside of the Dakota to greet the couple as they walked towards their awaiting limo. Amongst the crowd was a twenty-five year man named Mark David Chapman who had actually come to New York a few year earlier to attempt to assassinate John Lennon but then unexpectedly changed his mind. This time, unfortunately, his conscious did not prevent him from his dastardly deed.
Chapman approached Lennon with a copy of Double Fantasy clutched in his hand. Lennon nonchalantly signed the album and then turned to Chapman and asked the man, “Is this all you want?” Chapman nodded while an on-looking photographer captured an image of the two parties together in the briefest of conversations.
After John and Yoko drove away, Chapman stayed near the Dakota not wanting to miss another opportunity. A born-again Christian, Chapman had a long brewing hatred towards the former Beatle which reportedly went back to Lennon’s infamous comment that during their peak the Beatles were “bigger than Jesus.” Chapman even took to singing Lennon’s single Imaginewith his own creepy version of the lyrics, “Imagine John Lennon’s dead.”
John and Yoko finally returned from the studios at 10:50pm and were just approaching the entrance to the Dakota when a man stepped out of the shadows and shot John Lennon. In all, Chapman fired five shots, two of which struck Lennon in his back before the doorman was able to knock the weapon from Chapman’s hand. While people began to frantically attend to John, Chapman calmly removed his coat and sat down on the sidewalk to await the police in anticipation of his arrest. When someone shouted to Chapman asking if he realized what he had just done Chapman responded, “Yes, I just shot John Lennon.”
When police arrived they found Chapman still sitting on the sidewalk clutching a copy of the J.D. Salinder novel Catcher in the Rye. Chapman claimed the book provided parallels to his own life and even had inscribed a message on the insider cover to note as such. It read, “To Holden Caulfield. From Holden Caulfield. This is my statement.”
Lennon was pronounced dead on arrival to nearby Roosevelt Hospital. The world would first be notified via Monday Night Football when a choked up Howard Cosell announced, “Remember this is just a football game, no matter who wins or loses. An unspeakable tragedy, confirmed to us by ABC News in New York City. John Lennon, outside of his apartment building on the west side of New York City, the most famous of perhaps all of the Beatles, shot twice in the back, rushed to Roosevelt Hospital…dead on arrival.”
One week later over 225,000 people would gather across the street in Central Park and pay tribute to John via a 10-minute vigil of silence as requested by Yoko Ono. In 1985, a section of Central Park was dedicated to Lennon and appropriately titledStrawberry Field in honor of the former Beatle’s song. Within Strawberry Fields resides a tributary mosaic with the words, “Imagine” in the middle. Imagine, indeed. John Lennon, we miss you.
For more information on the former residence of John Lennon and Yoko One, you may read here.
Website: http://www.centralpark.com/guide/attractions/strawberry-fields.html
Address: 1 West 72nd Street, New York City, NY
Cost: Free.
IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Upper West Side. (Download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)
IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S THE LANGHAM
Built within the shadows of the infamous Dakota, the Langham knew it had a lot to live up to. The land on which the Langham was actually built was formerly owned by the same man responsible for the Dakota, developer Edward Clarke. In trying to protect his investment, Clarke placed rigorous restrictions on any development on the space, most notorious of which was a height restriction preventing any building from being higher than the Dakota. This deterrence kept investors at bay for approximately fifteen years before the property was finally sold 1904 to an Abraham Boehm and Lewis Coon.
The Langham opened for business as an apartment in 1907 with rents of $500 per month. At thirteen stories, its developers had been successful in building a structure taller than the nine story Dakota. After challenging Clarke’s original height restriction, the final sale deed removed any potential clause and was eventually released with only prohibitions on the creation or addition of billboards and horse stables.
To describe the existing structure it is a light and dark toned brown brick building that is designed in the French Second Empire style. It was designed by the firm of Clinton and Russell and is topped via a series of elaborate dormers. When it opened in 1907 it featured many of the latest innovations of the time including a mail delivery conveyer system.
Notable tenants of the Langham have included or currently include James Taylor, Carly Simon, Merv Griffin and Mia Farrow. Ms. Farrow was the subject of a rent dispute with the Langham after they attempted to significantly raise her $2,300 per month rent following the success of Woody Allen’s film Hannah and Her Sisters which was actually filmed in Ms. Farrow’s 11-room apartment. The dispute was ultimately resolved when Ms. Farrow just decided to walk away and left the Langham for other quarters.
Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Langham
Address: 135 Central Park West, New York City, NY
Cost: Free.
IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Upper West Side. (Purchase/download the MP3 tour here. iPhone application tour is available here. Please note, all NYC tours are now available as in-app purchases upon download of our FREE NYC Lite application, which includes a free 1.5 hour tour of a portion of the Upper West Side.)
IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S THE ANSONIA
The Ansonia was conceptualized and developed by William Earle Stokes who was largely responsible for developing much of the Upper West Side especially along Riverside Drive. Much of his wealth had derived as being the heir to the Phelps-Dodge Corporation which was an American mining company.
In 1899, Stokes hired European architect Paul Duboy to design what he envisioned as the largest and grandest hotel in all of New York. Duboy is probably best known for having designed much of the ornamentation on the nearby Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Stokes oversaw much of the designs himself and some believe he forced Duboy out of the equation and even took credit for his work. What is known is that upon completion of the designs Stokes paid Duboy a lump sump of $5,000 for services rendered and sent him back on his merry way to Paris. Duboy attempted to sue Stokes later in 1907 but the incident had left Duboy in a fragile mental state which Stokes used to his advantage in easily defending versus the suit.
While constructing the Ansonia from 1899 to 1903, Stokes spared no expense in ensuring it was indeed the most elaborate hotel in the city. Stokes had the Beaux Arts building designed with rounded towers, a two-story Parisian style mansard roof, and covered the façade with various metal ornamentation (much of which was unfortunately melted for scrap during World War II). One bit of constraint Stokes did demonstrate was in determining the building’s final height. He had originally envisioned a much taller structure but upon completion of the building’s 17th floor he decided that this was the ideal height which offered the optimal view. He thus capped off his construction at this level.
Atop this capped level Stokes added one of a handful of unique attributes for this hotel. On the roof Stokes opened a small farm complete with 500 chickens, ducks and a goat. The farm fresh eggs were dispersed each morning to the hotel’s guests until 1907, that is, when the Department of Health intervened and closed the farm due to health concerns.
Other features unique for this period introduced when the Ansonia first opened included rooms with air conditioning, electric stoves and pneumatic tube systems so guests could send message amongst themselves. Complete kitchens were located on each floor to service guests. And in the lobby guests were welcomed via a fountain in the entryway complete with live seals and a caged bear on occasion.
Such luxuries obviously drew a rather prestigious clientele and the Ansonia has continued to draw in the likes of the rich and famous. Past and present tenants have included Eric McCormack, Jack Dempsey, Natalie Portman, Angelina Jolie, and Babe Ruth, who took residence here immediately after moving to New York from Boston in his infamous trade.
During his residency the Babe tested other guests’ patience in numerous fashions. He was said to be seen chasing women around the hotel and when in the confines of his room began to take up the saxophone. Luckily for the Babe’s neighbors, the Ansonia had been designed with 3-foot thick soundproof walls. My favorite story around the Babe though was that he supposedly had a full-time employee who was designated for opening and managing his fan mail. The Babe’s instructions? “”Keep the dough and the pictures of the broads, and throw the rest out.”
One less esteemed baseball player stayed here the early 20th century, Arnold “Chick” Gandil. Gandil, is you are unfamiliar, was the first baseman for the infamous Chicago White Sox (Black Sox later known) who threw the 1919 World Series. It is here at the Ansonia that Gandil organized the first meetings amongst eight team members to propose intentionally losing the series. A series which they did end up losing five games to three versus the Cincinnati Reds. Upon uncovering the scandal all eight of the White Sox players received a lifetime ban from the sport.
Another famous tenant which occupied the entire basement from 1968-1977 was the Continental Baths. The Baths were a luxury gay spa complete with orgy room and a K-Y jelly dispensing candy machine. For a period guests were entertained by “Bathhouse Betty,” aka Bette Midler, who sang along with her piano player Barry Manilow. The Baths were eventually replaced by a swingers club called Plato’s Retreat that was actually shown in the 1999 Spike Lee movie, Summer of Sam. Plato’s Retreat, however like its predecessor, has since gone by the wayside.
Since 1992 the Ansonia has actually been a condominium as opposed to a hotel. It was also in 1992 that the film Single White Female was based inside the Ansonia. While the movie was set to occur here, in actuality only exterior and stairwell shots were filmed inside the Ansonia.
Website: http://www.ansoniarealty.com/
Address: 2109 Broadway, New York City, NY
Cost: Free.
IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Upper West Side
IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S VERDI SQUARE
Verdi Square has actually been a formal park in the Upper West Side since 1887. In the early 20th century it was a popular hangout for musicians and in 1906 it received its trademark statue near the center of the park.
The monument dedicated to Giuseppe Verdi, the famous opera composer, was unveiled on Columbus Day, October 12, 1906. The Carrara marble statue was a gift from the Verdi Monument Committee which was chaired by the same individual who helped erect the Columbus Circle Monument, Carlo Barsotti. Situated directly below the Verdi are a series of four smaller statues which represent his most famous characters—Aida, Otello, Falstaff, and Leonora of La forze del destino). Despite Verdi’s statue being the centerpiece of this small park space since 1906, the name of Verdi Square was not officially introduced until 1921.
In the 1960 and 1970s the park took a bit of a dark turn as it became a hot bed for drugs and even earned it the nickname of “Needle Park.” This image was reinforced in people’s mind via the 1971 Al Pacino film titled Panic in Needle Park.
Obviously the park has long since been cleaned up and is currently a popular lunch time destination for locals to kick up their heels before returning to the hustle and bustle of work.
Website: http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/M097/
Address: Intersection of Broadway / West 72nd Street, New York City, NY
Cost: Free.
IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Upper West Side
IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S THE BERESFORD
The upscale Beresford apartments were designed by architect Emery Roth and constructed in 1929. It replaced the former 6-story Hotel Beresford which resided here and had been designed by Alva Walker. The existing Italian Renaissance structure is a 23-story co-operative (as it has been since 1962) with 175 units. The first three-floors are decorated with a limestone base before giving way to a beige brick exterior the remainder of the way up. The exterior is most recognized for its three octagonal towers atop it which light up each evening. The towers are situated on each corner of the building less the northwest corner. One of these towers actually acts as a clever cover for the apartment’s water supply.
If you are in the market for an apartment in price range of $2.5 to $31 million (mind you with a maximum allowable financing of 50%), you can live amongst the likes of famous former and current residents. These include the ranks of Rock Hudson, Diane Sawyer, Calvin Klein, Diana Ross, Tony Randall, John McEnroe, Glenn Close (who was reportedly trying to sell her apartment in late 2010), and her neighbor, Jerry Seinfeld.
Mr. Seinfeld is noted within the Beresford as having his own regulation named after him, dubiously titled the “Seinfeld Rule.” After undergoing lengthy alterations of his 1998 2,000 square foot duplex which he had acquired for $4.35 million, the co-op’s board elected to require owners to pay a fine of $500 per day that construction went passed its scheduled deadline. In reference to Mr. Seinfeld’s alterations, I was unable to find the specific period over which they occurred but I found multiple references to the term “multiple years.” One last tid bit about Jerry if you’re interested is that he also owns a townhouse just around the corner on West 82nd Street. This is where he supposedly stores approximately 20 of the nearly 50 Porsches from his collection.
Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beresford
Address: 211 Central Park West, New York City, NY
Cost: Free.
IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Upper West Side
IWALKED NEW YORK CITY’S CLIFF DWELLERS’ APARTMENTS
The Cliff Dwellers’ Apartments is best known for its unique façade which is decorated in a series of southwestern motifs. This magnificent façade is one in which the AIA in their fantastic guide books dryly coin as “an underrated façade.”
Let’s start first though by exploring the name—the Cliff Dwellers. This was a name traditionally given to Native Americans who formerly resided within the carved out spaces of cliffs in areas such as Arizona. The name was at first mockingly given to Manhattanites, and later embraced, to describe the lifestyle of apartment living today. A famous painting by artist George Bellows in 1913 depicts such lifestyle in New York in his work titled, Cliff Dwellers.
The yellow-brick 12-story Cliff Dwellers Apartment was constructed in 1914 based upon the designs of American architect Herman Lee Meador. Meador was a bit of an eccentric individual who was known for throwing some rather interesting parties at his Waldorf-Astoria penthouse. He would invite an artistic crowd of painters, writers, and musicians to watch as he would hold snake fights for their party entertainment.
Now because of its narrow wedge-like shape, the building only holds about 43 units. It was originally designed to hold 5 units per floor with 1-2 bedrooms each but many of those have begun to be combined. Because of the cramped space, the apartment has a unique selling provision in that other tenants have the first right of purchase if anyone decides to sell. This has, again, allowed the current roster of tenants to expand their living quarters as such opportunity provides itself.
The southwestern motifs which adorn the façade of the Cliff Dwellers Apartments may be best explored on the western side of the building along Riverside Drive. Here, by glancing between the 2nd and 3rd levels, you can get a fantastic view of these limestone friezes. Glancing across the trim you can see rattlesnakes, mountain lions, masks and buffalo skulls.
Reportedly the interior also maintains a southwestern décor with a lobby decorated in red, green and black tiles and double-headed snakes.
Website: http://www.thecityreview.com/uws/riverside/riv243.html
Address: 243 Riverside Drive, New York City
Cost: Free.
IWalked Audio Tours To See This Site: New York City’s Upper West Side (Free Bonus Edition)
Henry Hale Bliss (June 13, 1830 – September 14, 1899) was the first person killed by a motor vehicle accident in the United States, and the first known in the Americas.[1] On September 13, 1899 he was disembarking from astreetcar at West 74th Street and Central Park West in New York City, when an electric-powered taxicab(Automobile No. 43) struck him and crushed his head and chest. He died from his injuries the next morning.
A plaque was dedicated at the site on September 13, 1999, to commemorate this event, it reads:
Here at West 74th Street and Central Park West, Henry H. Bliss dismounted from a streetcar and was struck and knocked unconscious by an automobile on the evening of September 13, 1899. When Mr. Bliss, a New York real estateReal estate
Real estate is a law term that encompasses land along with anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings, specifically property that is fixed in location. man, died the next morning from his injuries, he became the first recorded motor vehicle fatality in the Western HemisphereWestern Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere, also Western hemisphere or western hemisphere, is a geography term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian , the other half being the Eastern Hemisphere…..
This sign was erected to remember Mr. Bliss on the centennial of his untimely death and to promote safety on our streets and highways.
