Monday, March 23, 2009

St. Michael's Church (Episcopal)


225 West 99th Street, on Amsterdam Avenue. Designed by Robert W. Gibson and constructed in 1891. The AIA guide doesn't have much to say except for noting its somber-ness and the fact that there are mosaics and Tiffany glass windows inside. This building was heard at the Landmarks Preservation Commission to have it designated as an individual landmark about a year ago and no decision has been made yet. (That was drawn from my own knowledge, not that of the AIA guide. More of their stuff on page 353.)

HOW TO GET THERE: Take the 1, 2, or 3 to 96th Street. Walk north three blocks and east one block.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Bowery Savings Bank


130 Bowery, between Grand and Broome Streets. Constructed 1893-1895, and designed by McKim, Mead & White. The AIA guide says it's right on the edge of Little Italy, but I think it may now be in the heart of Chinatown. The AIA also says it's "one of the great spaces of New York" and that you should "go in." Whoops? More on page 85.

HOW TO GET THERE: Take the J or M to Bowery and walk west or take the B or D to Grant Street and walk north.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Flatiron Building



Located at 175 Fifth Avenue, East 22nd Street to East 23rd Street. Originally called the Fuller Building, designed by Daniel H. Burnham & Co, and constructed 1901-1903. The facade was restored in 1991 by Hurley & Farinella. I don't find any of the other information interesting enough to sum up, so you'll have to go to page 197 of your AIA guide.

HOW TO GET THERE: Take the R, W, or 6 train to 23rd Street. Have a burger at the Shake Shack while you're near Madison Square Park.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Brooklyn Borough Hall


Formerly Brooklyn City Hall. Located at 209 Joralemon Street, at Cadman Plaza West and Court Street. Designed by Vincent C. Griffith and Stoughton & Stoughton, and constructed 1845-1848. Cupola was designed by Gamaliel King and constructed in 1898.

Greek Revival building with a Victorian cupola (crazy!). The design was originally intended to mimic New York's City Hall, but preferences changed as a lot of time elapsed between the original idea and actually starting to get things done. More on pages 638-639.

HOW TO GET THERE: Take the 2, 3, 4, 5, N, M, or R to Court Street and/or Borough Hall.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

First Church of Christ, Scientist


1 West 96th Street. Constructed in 1903, and designed by Carrère & Hastings (you may know them as Those Guys Who Designed The New York Public Library). The AIA guide describes this structure as "Exciting." Yes, exciting is its own sentence. And it's bold. Cute. More on page 366.

HOW TO GET THERE: Take A (late night only), C, B to 96th Street & Central Park West. Or take the 1, 2, 3 to 96th Street and walk east.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Brooklyn General Post Office

Let's take a break from the South Street Seaport and head to another borough, eh? This is a photo of the Brooklyn General Post Office, located at 271 Cadman Plaza E., as well as the statue of Henry Ward Beecher. The Post Office building was originally constructed between 1885 and 1891 and designed by Mifflin E. Bell and William A. Freret. The north half was done by James Wetmore in 1933.

The statue guy, Henry Ward Beecher, was apparently a preacher and brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe. It was originally in front of Borough Hall but was moved to the new Cadman Plaza for decoration. More on page 640.

HOW TO GET THERE: Take the 2, 3, 4, 5, N, M, or R to Court Street and/or Borough Hall. Walk a little bit west.

21-23 Peck Slip and 251 Water Street


On the left is 21-23 Peck Slip, which was designed by Richard Morris Hunt and constructed in 1873. The insides were originally intended to be lofts for the trustees of the Roosevelt Hospital. On the right side is 251 Water Street, which was designed by Carl F. Eisenbach in 1888. This entire series of building is now a Best Western. More info on Page 37 of your AIA guide.

HOW TO GET THERE: Take the A, C, J, M, Z, 2, 3, 4, or 5 to Fulton Street, walk east until you see the South Street Seaport (the pedestrian mall portion), and then walk north two blocks.