What They're Saying about West 72nd Street and RAP


Long's Love Letter - This letter comes from Long's Bedding & Interiors, a family-owned business located at 121 West 72nd Street for over 60 years


Dear Landmark West!                              August 19, 1998

We wish to commend you and your committee for your outstanding work on restoring West 72nd Street (Broadway/Amsterdam to Columbus) to the beginnings of its former glory. In your unique, persistent way, you managed to get the job done properly.

When you first approached us about taking down our canopy and awning, we mistakenly thought the committee was another "ten minute wonder" that would create a lot of commotion and accomplish nothing, while burdening us with unneeded stress and costs. We thought West 72nd Street, committee or not, would remain an architectural nightmare of dirty, unsightly buildings, and that any improvements on our part would be a waste of time and money. We felt the removal of our canopy and awning was unfairly being forced upon us.

The turning point for us came the day you brought in some beautiful, historical photographs, showing West 72nd Street in the early 20th century. We were impressed with the overall elegance of the block and the purity of the architecture at the time. After you left, we looked outside our door and realized how the block had been tastelessly changed into an ugly commercial strip, and how restoration to the feeling of a bygone era might restore some of the block's former elegance. We fully understood your vision, and realized LW's intentions were the best and that restoration was not only a possibility but a probability.

We have completely reversed our thinking and happily support LW's good work. In support and agreement, we have voluntarily removed our canopy and plan to continue with the removal of our awning in the near future. They will be replaced by a roll down awning conforming to Landmark's standards. A new sign is being ordered to be placed in the front window of the store. We have abandoned the idea of erecting a sign, lighted or otherwise, on the exterior of the building, since we feel it will detract from the outside appearance of the building. We are even making improvements to the interior of our store, to continue the positive feelings inside as well as outside.

We are delighted with the work completed so far. The new sidewalks, granite curbs, lampposts and muni-meters have greatly improved the appearance of the block and seem to be attracting more pedestrian traffic.

Again, our compliments on a job well done. We look forward to the continuance of improvements, by LW!, local merchants and building owners.

Sincerely,

Robert and Judith Long
Long's Bedding & Interiors, Inc.

"RAP has transformed 72nd Street between Columbus Avenue and Broadway from a tawdry bazaar of loud commercialism to a picturesque pedestrian walkway of shops and restaurants beneath newly designed, understated and retractable awnings."

Joel Rosenblatt, The Westsider, October 8-14, 1998

"Landmark West! is transforming 72nd Street between Broadway and Columbus Avenue. It's not just a matter of repaving the sidewalk and replanting the trees closer together, but of acknowledging that it is now commercial space and it takes away from public space when a canopy goes all the way out to the street. ...There's an effort to not make everything too neat and tidy, so you feel you're in New York, not in a theme park. Here you have a privately-funded group talking to every shopkeeper on the street. [Shopkeepers] thank LW! for widening the street when all that was done was to repave it."

Thomas Mellins, Oculus, December 1998