NYC Facades

From 86th and Amsterdam Ave

Western face

Southern face

According to Essential New York,

The Village of Bloomingdale was centered at Eighty-sixth Street and Broadway, and by the 1880s it was in the throes of urbanization. Streets were displacing paths, row houses were displacing farms, and congregations that had been gathering since the 1850s were becoming scattered. The Reverend Anson P. Atterbury wanted to keep his flock together, and, with an eye to the future, he hoped to attract new parishioners. In 1884 the chapel in the east end of this grouping was dedicated (architect unknown), and six years later this rough-hewn giant of a church was built.

It really is a beautiful giant in many ways.

Miscellaneous: see this article from 1911 which mentions a related “West Presbyterian” church torn down on 42nd Street, and the establishment of a new branch on 175th Street. It is also being considered for landmark status, and may otherwise be demolished!

As isolated as the Dakota

This building is notable for its style — the same as West Park Presbyterian — and its similarity in origins to the Dakota.

Full facade

Upper story detail

This building is quite a trip. The monstrous white pilasters and corbels are in contrast to jet-black  oriel windows and an otherwise completely undecorated facade (although that generally implies the facade was redone and the decoration removed). A mansard and hood arches, mullions and dormer windows. A long balcony and ornamentation. Is there anything this building doesn’t have?

Ornate entranceway

The enoromous relief in this entranceway make it a visual playground. See also this site for additional history.

An upscale take on the tenement

While i have nothing against this building, its narrow airshafts have become the defining features of the new-law tenements. I do wonder why the stonework in the corners gives way to less attractive brickwork above the 3rd floor.

A short, unassuming building defaced.

The corbels and pilasters make this building, as well as the unusual window spandrels; what are those little things? Indian shields?

Gothic entryway

One of the best features of gothic architecture is its fractal nature; it has an overall design, but it is somehow self-referential with the vertical motif. The motley brick selection and original entranceway (a rarety) make this rather interesting.

An architecturally confused building

This building evokes the cast-iron lofts of soho, with its, well, cast-iron center, yet it retains the brick structure. I love the composition, with the “picture” and “frame,” including the unassuming lintel centered across the top.

Unalignment

Tiny colonnade

This collection originally caught my eye for its lack of alignment between related buildings, however I have come to accept that some streets are hilly enough to throw off that plan (with a few percent grade, one would expect the base of the buildings to be offset). I really love the little Greek temple on the side for (what I suspect is) the bathroom.

Can you spot the addition?

This bland addition was completed in the last year or so. There is little to recommend it, except to remind us of the style now lost in modern construction. They didn’t even bother to add all the lines of windows the whole way up.