Tag: Carnegie Hill

Historic districts of the Upper East Side

Published on by juliebrannanLeave a comment

In 1964, the original ornate Pennsylvania Station building was torn down to create Madison Square Garden (the fourth version of MSG, the first two being close to Madison Square Park, and the third on Eighth at 50th Street).  The loss of the building created an immediate outcry. (Architectural historian Vincent Scully noted: “One entered the city like a god. One scuttles in now as a rat.”) The next year the Landmarks Preservation Commission was created to prevent the continual loss of buildings of historical significance. Since then, many individual buildings have been landmarked, as well as entire sections of the city that have historical or architectural significance. The Upper East Side has several historic districts, some of which would surprise few (Metropolitan Museum Historic District) and some that are virtually secret to most not living there (Treadwell Farm Historic District, anyone?). I took a walk around these districts, taking photos and imagining what it would be like to live there! Later I will touch on what living in a historic district means to those owning a home there, as well as why even those not living in a historic district might be interested in knowing the boundaries.

Upper East Side Historic District

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This is the area most people would think about if asked about a Historic District on the Upper East Side. It covers all of Fifth Avenue between East 59th and East 78th Streets, and extends out from there in an irregular pattern – as far east as almost to Third Avenue between East 70th and East 75th Street, very close to Fifth from East 59th to East 61st, and somewhere between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue for most of the area. See below for a map of this district:

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On Fifth Avenue, there are a lot of stately limestone coop apartment buildings, and in the side streets, many lovely townhouse blocks.

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This district also has many buildings that would be landmarked as single entities if not part of the larger historic district, like Temple Emanu-El or the Frick Mansion.

For a district to be considered worthy of landmarking, it must represent at least one historic period or architectural style, have a distinct “sense of place” and a “coherent streetscape.” Fifth Avenue is a good example of why this does not mean that every single building within the district would be individually worthy of landmarking. I find that in general the Upper West Side has a more consistent look and feel than the Upper East Side (and I will do a blog post on the Upper West Side historic districts at some point soon).

Metropolitan Museum Historic District

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Not surprisingly, this district lies in close proximity to the Metropolitan Museum, Fifth Avenue from East 87th to East 86th Street and most – but not all – of the blocks between Fifth and Madison on this stretch of Fifth.

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It has always bothered me that one of the buildings has a fake facade at the top where the supports can clearly be seen if looking from the side rather than from Central Park (see below):

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Carnegie Hill Historic District

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Named for the mansion Andrew Carnegie built at Fifth and East 91st (which had the first residential elevator, and now holds the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum), Carnegie Hill is a charming residential neighborhood. The historic district covers Fifth Avenue from East 86th to East 98th, and for some streets goes as far east as Lexington Avenue (see below):

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This district encompasses Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum (where the architecture of the building is arguably the more important work showcased despite steep competition), the Jewish Museum, and buildings ranging from brick and brownstone townhouses to mansions, most constructed between the 1870s and the 1930s. I have a particular fondness for the townhouse blocks, many of which decorate elaborately for Halloween.

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Hardenbergh/Rhinelander Historic District

On Lexington between East 89th and 90th Streets, and part of the block between Lexington and Park on East 89th, there are seven houses all constructed in 1889 for William C. Rhinelander (a real estate developer!). The same architect who designed the Plaza Hotel and the Dakota apartment building on Central Park West, Henry Hardenbergh, is responsible for these houses.

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Treadwell Farm Historic District

Even people who live near this historic district, two short sections of blocks between Third and Second Avenues, and East 60th and East 62nd, may not know this exists. These Italianate row houses date between 1868 and 1875, and the region was named for the Treadwell family, who were landowners here between 1815 and the 1860s.

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Henderson Place Historic District

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I have such a soft spot for the houses on Henderson Place, East End Avenue between E. 86th and E. 87th. When my daughters were going to a nearby school, I would walk them past these charming three story Queen Anne townhouses and dream of being able to live in one of them! That never happened, but I still contend these blocks are some of the most uniquely romantic and lovely in all of the city. They are across East End Avenue from Carl Schurz Park, the peaceful environment adding to the quiet magic of these homes. I mean, just look at them! (*swoon*) I once wrote a love letter to this part of town after a snowstorm (see here).

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Landmarks outside of Historic Districts

You might be surprised at how many individually landmarked buildings there are on the Upper East Side apart from these districts – currently, there are 48! Invididual landmarks are judged by age, integrity, and significance. These range from apartment buildings like Manhattan House (200 E. 66th), the Bohemian National Hall (321 E. 73rd Street), the Astor House (now home to the Junior League, 130 E. 80th Street, see photo below), or individual townhomes like 160 East 92nd Street.

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So if you live in a historic district, what is the impact on your home? Data suggest that landmarked districts offer higher property values over time, insulation from extreme economic fluctuations, stabilization of residence, more community involvement, and possibly increased connections among neighbors. There are some restrictions as well – for instance, you need permission to do any exterior work on a building in a landmarked district, and to show that you are not changing the exterior in a way that negatively affects the overall look of the district. However, renovating a home in a historic district can make you eligible for a significant New York State Homeowner Tax Credit.

Even if you don’t live in a historic district, if you live near one (or near a landmark outside a historic district), it can be useful to know the restrictions. For instance, if you are near the Treadwell Farm Historic District in one of the highrise buildings with an eastern exposure, it is good to know that it is highly unlikely that anything will be built that will block your eastern light.

Generally speaking, I am a fan of New York City’s constant desire to change, and am more accepting of the constantly evolving skyline than some (see a previous blog post about this here). That being said, our city would be lessened without these (as Landmarks Preservation describes them) “areas of the city that possess architectural and historical significance and a distinct ‘sense of place.’” New York City is enriched by the old-world charm of Greenwich Village, the residential tranquillity of Park Slope, and the majestic towers of Central Park West – but also (at least in my opinion) by such new developments as Hudson Yards, Waterline Square, and the revitalized area around One World Trade. Just as our city populace is strengthened by all our differences, the architecture of our city is strengthened by our commitment to protect historic districts of importance while still encouraging new development and new opportunities.

A walk around Carnegie Hill

Published on by juliebrannan5 Comments

For today’s dérive (an unplanned journey through an urban environment; see my previous posts), you are in another sub-neighborhood of the Upper East Side in Manhattan – Carnegie Hill. Yes, this area is named after Andrew Carnegie of Carnegie Hall fame, whose former mansion now houses the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum (part of the Smithsonian). The rough outlines of this neighborhood are E. 86th Street to the south, Third Avenue to the east, Fifth Avenue to the west, and E. 96th to the north (although with recent gentrification of the area near the park north of E. 96th, some call that area Upper Carnegie Hill rather than East Harlem).

Standing on the south side of 86th and Fifth, the imposing bulk of the Metropolitan Museum is still visible a few blocks behind, but the smaller, elegant, Neue Galerie (dedicated to early 20th Century German and Austrian art) sits on the corner, signaling a change from grand to more intimate. Walking north on Fifth, Central Park is an overwhelming presence to your left, but I will leave a dérive in Central Park for later in the spring, when it is a riot of color with seas of sunny daffodils and explosions of pink and white blossoms from the flowering fruit trees (although the Park has its own special beauty covered in snow, this particular winter has left me longing for spring).

At Fifth and 88th, it is impossible to miss the Guggenheim Museum, whose most impressive work is the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright building itself. Built in 1959, it was intended to be a “temple of the spirit,” and the museum is known for using its innovative space creatively to showcase exhibitions. The Maurizio Cattalan exhibition in 2011, “All,” hung over 100 of the artist’s works from the ceiling, and the observer experienced the pieces from different perspectives while moving around in the museum’s circular ramps. The museum also hosts special events during the year, including an excellent “Works & Progress” series that shows the creative process behind developing works in dance, music, or drama.

Once you have passed the Guggenheim, the quiet nature of this neighborhood truly reveals itself; other than the museums, it is primarily a residential neighborhood. In fact, until the Church of the Heavenly Rest opened its “Heavenly Rest Stop” on Fifth between 89th and 90th Streets, there were few places to get a quick bite to eat or a cup of coffee unless venturing to the east to Madison. On Fifth between 90th and 91st, there is the namesake of the neighborhood, Andrew Carnegie’s mansion, now the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum (currently closed for renovations but due to reopen later in 2014).  It’s hard to imagine, but this 64-room mansion was once the home of Carnegie, his wife, and their daughter! It was the first home in the United States to have a structural steel frame, the first in New York City to have an Otis elevator, had heat and central air conditioning (certainly unusual for the turn of the 20th century) and the conservatory was made entirely of Tiffany glass.

Continuing north on Fifth, on the corner of 92nd is the Jewish Museum, which recently held a wonderful retrospective of Art Spiegelman’s work (most notably, Maus). Like the Cooper-Hewitt, the Jewish Museum also occupies a former family mansion, that of the Warburgs.

Turning east on 92nd, one is struck by the quiet elegance of these off-avenue blocks, dotted with townhouses. When I first visited the Pimlico neighborhood in London, it reminded me of Carnegie Hill, edged by the Thames rather than Central Park, but with the same peaceful quiet on side streets. The northwest corner of 92nd and Madison houses Ciao Bella, a New York City local gelateria with intense flavors as varied as blood orange and malted milk ball.

On Madison Avenue in Carnegie Hill, there is an abundance of shops, many one of a kind, and casually refined restaurants where it is unlikely to be too noisy to hear your companion’s conversation.  Sarabeth’s, on Madison between 92nd and 93rd on the east side of the street, is a neighborhood staple, and getting a table for brunch can involve a bit of patience if you didn’t have the foresight to make a reservation (they are on OpenTable).

Continuing east on 92nd, you cross Park Avenue – be sure to look south and appreciate the expansive view all the way to the MetLife building above Grand Central. The buildings along Park Avenue provide financial support to maintain the malls in the middle of the divided street. In the spring, there are carpets of tulips, and the holiday season brings a forest of evergreen trees lit with tiny white lights (started in 1945 to honor those who died fighting in World War II).

At Lexington and 92nd Street, this dérive will end at the 92nd Street Y, a cultural and community center serving the neighborhood since 1874. In addition to the classes and sports club offered on the site, it regularly hosts concerts, lectures by notables, dance performances, and film screenings.

The Carnegie Hill Historic District was created in 1974 to preserve the unique environment of much of this neighborhood, ensuring that Carnegie Hill retains the quiet understated elegance that makes this an inviting place to walk through or live in.Image