Mount Morris Park Historic District Extension Designation Report
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Mount Morris Park Historic District Extension Designation Report September 2015 Cover Photograph: 133 to 143 West 122nd Street Christopher D. Brazee, September 2015 Mount Morris Park Historic District Extension Designation Report Essay Researched and Written by Theresa C. Noonan and Tara Harrison Building Profiles Prepared by Tara Harrison, Theresa C. Noonan, and Donald G. Presa Architects’ Appendix Researched and Written by Donald G. Presa Edited by Mary Beth Betts, Director of Research Photographs by Christopher D. Brazee Map by Daniel Heinz Watts Commissioners Meenakshi Srinivasan, Chair Frederick Bland John Gustafsson Diana Chapin Adi Shamir-Baron Wellington Chen Kim Vauss Michael Devonshire Roberta Washington Michael Goldblum Sarah Carroll, Executive Director Mark Silberman, Counsel Jared Knowles, Director of Preservation Lisa Kersavage, Director of Special Projects and Strategic Planning TABLE OF CONTENTS MOUNT MORRIS PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT EXTENSION MAP .................... AFTER CONTENTS TESTIMONY AT THE PUBLIC HEARING .............................................................................................. 1 MOUNT MORRIS PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT EXTENSION BOUNDARIES .................................... 1 SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................................. 3 THE HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE MOUNT MORRIS PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT EXTENSION Early History and Development of the Area ................................................................................. 5 Early Development of the Mount Morris Park Historic District Extension ................................. 8 Architectural Development of the Historic District ...................................................................... 9 French Flats and Apartment Houses .......................................................................................... 12 Historical Development of the Historic District ......................................................................... 13 Harlem Renaissance Era and the Great Depression .................................................................. 15 Later History............................................................................................................................... 16 Community Institutions and Famous Residents .......................................................................... 18 FINDINGS AND DESIGNATION ............................................................................................................ 21 BUILDING ENTRIES Fifth Avenue (odd numbers) ....................................................................................................... 25 Lenox Avenue (odd numbers) .................................................................................................... 25 West 118th Street (odd numbers) ................................................................................................ 27 West 118th Street (even numbers) ............................................................................................... 43 West 119th Street (odd numbers) ................................................................................................ 58 West 119th Street (even numbers) ............................................................................................... 75 West 120th Street (odd numbers) ................................................................................................ 98 West 120th Street (even numbers) ............................................................................................. 116 West 121st Street (odd numbers) ............................................................................................... 135 West 121st Street (even numbers) ............................................................................................. 140 West 122nd Street (odd numbers) .............................................................................................. 161 West 122nd Street (even numbers) ............................................................................................ 184 West 123rd Street (odd numbers) .............................................................................................. 189 West 123rd Street (even numbers) ............................................................................................. 192 ARCHITECTS’ APPENDIX .................................................................................................................... 211 ILLUSTRATIONS ................................................................................................................................... 223 Mount Morris Park Historic District Extension 5 5 Av W 124 St E 124 St W 123 St E 123 St Lenox Av Mt Morris Pk W W 122 St Marcus Garvey Park E 122 St W 121 St E 121 St Mount Morris Park Adam C Powell Bl Adam C Powell Bl Historic District Extension W 120 St E 120 St Mount Morris Park Historic District Mount Morris Park Historic W 119 St E 119 St District Extension (LP-2751) Borough of Manhattan 5 5 Av Calendared April 14, 2015 Lenox Av Public Hearing July 21, 2015 Designated September 22, 2015 Madison Av W 118 St Boundary ofE 118District St Existing Historic District Tax Lots in District Tax Lots in Existing Historic District 0.0 3 [ Miles Graphic Source: MapPLUTO, Edition 15v1, Author: New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, DHW, Date: 09.22.2015 Landmarks Preservation Commission September 22, 2015, Designation List 484 LP-2571 TESTIMONY AT THE PUBLIC HEARING On July 21, 2015, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing on the proposed designation of the Mount Morris Park Historic District Extension (Item No. 1). The hearing had been duly advertised in accordance with the provisions of law. 23 people spoke in favor of designation, including representatives of Congressman Charles B. Rangel, Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer, Community Board 10, the Historic Districts Council, the Landmarks Conservancy, Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association, Save Harlem Now, The Society for the Architecture of the City, Former Landmarks Preservation Commission Chair, Gene A. Norman, numerous home owners in the Mount Morris Park Historic District Extension, the Real Estate Board of New York, testified in support of designation, but questioned the inclusion of certain buildings, and the Commission received a letter City Council Member Inez E. Dickens, and statement of support from the New York City Parks Department. Two people spoke in opposition to designation. MOUNT MORRIS PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT EXTENSION BOUNDARIES Section 1 of the Mount Morris Park Historic District Extension consists of the property bounded by a line beginning at the intersection of the western curbline of Lenox Avenue and the northern curbline of West 118th Street, extending westerly along the northern curbline of West 118th Street to a point formed by its intersection with a line extending northerly from the eastern property line of 102 West 118th Street, southerly along said property line to the southern property line of 102 West 118th Street, westerly along said property line and along the southern property lines of 104 West 118th Street through 158 West 118th Street to the western property line of 158 West 118th Street, northerly along said property line to the southern curbline of West 118th Street, easterly along said property line to a point formed by its intersection with a line extending southerly from the western property line of 157 West 118th Street, northerly along said property line, the western property line of 158 West 119th Street, and across the roadbed to the northern curbline of West 119th Street, westerly along said curbline to a point formed by its intersection with a line extending southerly from the western property line of 157 West 119th Street, northerly along said property line to the southern property line of 166 West 120th Street, westerly along said property line to the western property line of 166 West 120th Street, northerly along said property line and across the roadbed to the northern curbline of West 120th Street, westerly along said curbline to a point formed by its intersection with a line extending southerly from the western property line of 159 West 120th Street, northerly along said property line and the western property line of 164 West 121st Street to the southern curbline of West 121st Street, easterly along said curbline to a point formed by its intersection with a line extending southerly from the western property line of 159 West 121st Street, across the roadbed and along said property line to the northern property line of 159 West 121st Street, easterly along said property line to the western property line of 164 West 122nd Street, northerly along said property line and across the roadbed to the northern curbline of West 122nd Street, westerly along said curbline to a point formed by its intersection with a line extending southerly from the western property line of 165 West 122nd Street, northerly along said property line and along the western property line of 168 West 123rd Street to the southern curbline of West 123rd Street, easterly along said curbline to a point formed by its intersection with a line extending southerly from the western property line of 111 West 123rd Street, northerly along said property line, easterly along the northern property lines of 111 through 107 West 123rd Street,