A Guide to Historic New York City Neighborhoods Park Avenue Manhattan The Historic Districts Council is New York’s citywide advocate for historic buildings and neighborhoods. The Six to Celebrate program annually identifies six historic New York City neighborhoods that merit preservation as priorities for HDC’s advocacy and consultation over a yearlong period. The six, chosen from applications submitted by community organizations, are selected on the basis of the architectural and historic merit of the area, the level of threat to the neighborhood, the strength and willingness of the local advocates, and the potential for HDC’s preservation support to be meaningful. HDC works with these neighborhood partners to set and reach preservation goals through strategic planning, advocacy, outreach, programs and publicity. The core belief of the Historic Districts Council is that preservation and enhancement of New York City’s historic resources—its neighborhoods, buildings, parks and public spaces— are central to the continued success of the city. The Historic Districts Council works to ensure the preservation of these resources and uphold the New York City Landmarks Law and to further the preservation ethic. This mission is accomplished through ongoing programs of assistance to more than 500 community and neighborhood groups and through public- policy initiatives, publications, educational outreach and sponsorship of community events. Support is provided in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Additional support is provided by City Councilmembers Margaret Chin, Inez Dickens, Matthieu Eugene, Daniel Garodnick, Vincent Gentile, Corey Johnson, Ben Kallos, Stephen Levin, Mark Levine, and Rosie Mendez. 232 East 11th Street, New York, NY 10003 tel 212-614-9107 fax 212-614-9127 e-mail [email protected] www.hdc.org 6tocelebrate.org Copyright © 2015 by Historic Districts Council Park Avenue Park Avenue, today a coveted address, was once neglected. In 1831, the New York and Harlem Railroad was granted use of what was then known as Fourth Avenue for its train tracks. Steam locomotives were introduced in 1837, and the avenue was widened from 100 to 140 feet. Just after the construction of the Grand Central Depot on 42nd Street (the first of three stations to be called Grand Central), legislation in 1872 mandated that train tracks be below ground, which led to construction of a railroad tunnel between 56th and 96th Streets. Known as the “Fourth Avenue Improvement,” this partially covered tunnel funneled pollutants and noise up to the street through vents in the center of Fourth Avenue. As a result, residential development stalled in the 1870s and 80s, even as the wealthy were building extravagant mansions on Fifth and Madison Avenues and associated carriage houses and stables east of Fourth Avenue. A transitional place, Fourth Avenue’s first buildings included an assortment of rowhouses, tenements and institutions. The latter category included the German Hospital (later Lenox Hill Hospital) and the Seventh Regiment Armory (site #7). In 1887, the Board of Alderman voted to rename the blocks north of 42nd Street Park Avenue, but “Fourth Avenue” was widely used until the early 20th century. After a major rail accident in 1902, the New York State Legislature banned steam locomotives in Manhattan, requiring train lines to be electrified. This precipitated the construction of a new Grand Central Terminal and drastically increased Park Avenue’s real estate value. The central vents were converted into landscaped malls. In 1928-29, to facilitate the widening of the avenue for vehicular traffic, the malls and sidewalks were narrowed and buildings’ areaways were removed. Regardless of their diminution in size, the malls (site #1) are still a highlight of Park Avenue. Perhaps the most important contributor to Park Avenue’s special character is its apartment buildings, whose largely uniform heights form continuous street walls. After World War I, apartment living became fashionable for the wealthy, and Park Avenue experienced a building boom in the 1910s and 20s. Apartment buildings were designed to emulate the elegance of the townhouses they were replacing. In addition to spacious lobbies, uniformed doormen, elevators and large apartments (with as many as 18 rooms), the buildings were designed by respected architects in popular styles, including: Gothic Revival, Renaissance Revival and Art Deco. Among the notable architects were: George and Edward Blum, Rosario Candela, J. E. R. Carpenter, George F. Pelham and Emery Roth. These buildings continued to be built on Park Avenue after World War II and up until the present, signaling its constant desirability over time. Park Avenue also boasts a number of graceful townhouses and religious institutions, as well as several new buildings completed in the early 2000s (site # 16). Residential Park Avenue is largely protected by landmark designation. The Upper East Side Historic District, designated in 1981, includes the blocks between East 61st and 79th Streets. The Park Avenue Historic District, designated in 2014, includes the blocks between East 79th and 91st Streets. The Expanded Carnegie Hill Historic District, designated in 1993, includes the blocks between East 91st and halfway between 93rd and 94th Streets. The avenue also includes a number of individually designated landmarks. 1 — Historic Districts Council — Park Avenue 1 PARK AVENUE MAllS Park Avenue’s iconic malls were born in the mid-1870s, when the railroad vents were covered with shrubs and surrounded by simple iron fences. In 1894, residents formed the Park Avenue Association, which, by the 1920s, had the vents fully covered over. Private donations in 1929 and 1931 led to the planting of roughly 7,000 trees from 34th to 96th Streets. Another private donation in 1946 introduced flowering varieties. In 1969-70, the malls and fences were redesigned by Clara Coffey. The Park Avenue Malls Planting Project Committee formed in 1980 to establish and maintain a uniform planting plan. Today, planting, maintenance and the annual holiday tree lighting (since 1945), is funded and performed by the Carnegie Hill Neighbors and the Fund for Park Avenue. Park Avenue has two of the city’s 2a early private clubhouses, both designed by Delano & Aldrich. The COLONY CLUB Colony Club, which still operates, was 564 Park Avenue the first women’s group in the city to erect a clubhouse, though this neo- (Delano & Aldrich, Georgian building is the club’s second 1914-16) – NYC HD home. Its first home at 129 Madison 2b Avenue is an Individual Landmark. The Union Club was established in UNION CLUB OF THE 1836, making it the oldest private CITY OF NEW YORK club in the city and the third oldest 701 Park Avenue in the country. This Renaissance Revival structure is its sixth home, (Delano & Aldrich, which includes card and backgammon 1930-31) – NYC HD rooms and squash courts. LEGEND OF DESIGNATIONS National Historic Landmark: NHL National Register of Historic Places—District: NR-D National Register of Historic Places —Property: NR-P New York City Historic District: NYC HD New York City Individual Landmark: NYC IL New York City Interior Landmark: NYC INL 2 — Historic Districts Council — Park Avenue 3a THIRD CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST 583 Park Avenue Two contiguously constructed churches stand on this (Delano & Aldrich, 1922-24) block. The Third Church of Christ Scientist is a lovely – NYC HD example of the neo-Georgian style, its red brick façades b graced with a grand columned portico and its central 3 dome crowned by a balustrade and cupola. In 2006, the CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN pews were removed from the interior so the space could CHURCH also be used for events. The construction of the Central 593 Park Avenue Presbyterian Church building was partly funded by the Rockefellers. Its Gothic Revival style is evidenced by (Henry C. Pelton and Allen & its rough granite cladding, a large pointed arch window Collens,1920-22) – NYC HD and intricately carved octagonal tower. Across the c street, note the stylized colonnade formed by a series of 3 pilasters at the base of 580 Park Avenue, which occupies 580 PARK AVENUE the entire blockfront. (J. E. R. Carpenter, 1923) – NYC HD 4 600 PARK AVENUE (James Gamble Rogers, 1910-11) – NYC HD Across the street from one another are two grand 601 PARK AVENUE mansions. 600 Park Avenue was built for businessman (Walter Jonathan Bulkley and his wife Sarah Tod. After their Lund & Julius F. Gayler, deaths in 1939 and 1943, the Renaissance Revival 1919-20) mansion sat empty until 1946, when the Swedish – NYC HD Government purchased it as its Consul General’s residence. In 2009, the house became the residence of the Swedish Ambassador to the United Nations. 601 Park Avenue, a neo-Federal mansion with 100 feet of Park Avenue frontage, was built for sugar wholesaler Thomas A. Howell. A long, half-elliptical stair hall occupies the center of the house and all of its rooms face the avenue. Interestingly, this house was left on the market for almost two decades, unable to find a buyer from 1989 to 2008. 3 — Historic Districts Council — Park Avenue The Seventh Regiment was formed in 1806 from 5 four volunteer militia companies, and served in the War of 1812, the Civil War and both World SEVENTH REGIMENT ARMORY Wars, as well as aided in subduing numerous civilian 643 Park Avenue disorders. In 1880, after years of using various buildings, its own grand armory, designed in the (Charles W. Clinton, 1877-79) style of a fortified castle, opened to much fanfare. – NYC HD, NYC IL, NYC INL, Often referred to as the “silk stocking regiment,” NR-P its members were socially prominent.