LANDMARK WEST! is pleased to present THE BOULEVARD with our partners at the WEST END PRESERVATION SOCIETY.
The Boulevard
Following the approval of Central Park, the Board of Commissioners revisited the design of streets on the Upper West Side, ultimately widening what was formerly the Bloomingdale Road. Formally redesigned in 1869 as “The Boulevard” planners foresaw a stately residential street marked by double rows of elm trees viewed from 15-foot wide sidewalks and accented by 30-foot wide planted zones to green the thoroughfare.
From getting paved in asphalt in 1890 to dug up in 1904 for the IRT and relandscaped during the Depression under Parks Commissioner Robert Moses, join us curb-to-curb as we explore this renowned corridor first traversed by New York’s indigenous peoples.
Find out more about the rich history of Broadway. Scroll through the map below and click on any highlighted area. Want to dive deeper? Click “Read More” from the pop up window. Interested in a particular address? Click on the corresponding icon below the map to get right to the full story.
The Dorilton Who said too much was ever enough? The Dorilton would challenge them--and win. An architectural confection, this building will surely ruin your teeth! The Newsreel Theatre or the Hotel St. Andrew? What was once a hotel became a theatre but now there is nothing to "see" here. The Sherman Square Station There are injustices every day in the subway, and there were even in the early 1900's during the nascent days of the system. Despite the ubiquity of advertising today, there was a time when censorship reigned but determined suffragists would not have it! The Wood, Dolson & Co. Building A multi-faceted building intended to harmonize with the adjacent church holds its own ground and shares in the responsibility of improving the lives of citizens...even if that is just their economic citizenry. The Ansonia After creating an initial riot, the ceremonies for the Upper West Side's "Wedding Cake" quieted with years of neglect but $100M later, the pizzazz is back! The Beacon of Broadway A Roxy Theatre Circuit flagship was "Midway" but could not remain silent. Reborn with a voice by Warner Brothers, the Beacon went live in 1976, and was restored to life in 2009. The Schrafft's Restaurant Building Taking "take this to go" to a new level, Schrafft's took “all of the wall paneling, the electric fixtures, the cooling and ventilating system.” The Central Savings Bank Building To put it simply, "The massive limestone blocks provided the impenetrable impression necessary in a banking institution; while the grand arched openings at the lower levels, and the more delicate two-story openings at the upper floors provided a sense of elegance. The Jones Speedometer Building Do you have a need, a need for speed? If so you may also have a need for a Joseph W. Jones Speedometer, and we've got just the place for you! The Manhattan Towers Hotel Divine intervention turned this thriving congregation into a Skyscraper Church, but the stock market crash lead the hotel to default and the bank repossess the site. A Mormon Church, Navy housing, and hotel later, today's Opera has cleaned up the reputation of a building with a colorful past. Conjoined Buildings for Condensed Milk A stable became a warehouse depot, became a garage, became apartments and is about to become out of existence. The Hotel Belleclaire A breakthrough project for Emery Roth, The Hotel Belleclaire leaned into the Art Nouveau and the Viennese Secession styles. Providing elegance for human and lions alike--check out who checked in. The De Soto Largely refined and dignified residents inhabited the De Soto...just ignore the woman who couldn't stand to breathe the same air as her husband. The Metro (Midtown) Theatre Seeing double? Catch a double feature or just do a double take--this deco beauty was split in two at least twice and claims two names. The Hotel Marseilles Press is press, right? In a pre-Yelp world, the Hotel Marseilles couldn't catch a break in avoiding negative headlines, but this French-inspired treat has served well to those in need of its shelter. The Horn & Hardart Building Forget your two-cents, Horn and Hardart wanted your five cents--and did into the 1950's. Just watch out for the nickel-throwers... The Manhasset Apartments Why leave well enough alone? Three architects combine to complicate this block long pair of matching buildings for Schuyler Square. The Cornwall "Lusty Art Nouveau motifs" define the architecture but lead footed fiends once defined the residents of the Cornwall who had a need for speed. Astor Court Deja Vu? If you think you've see this one before, you may well have! New York City's second "Astor Court" this one is replete with the founders of Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and the Fox Film Corporation. Hotel Bretton Hall Used as a safe house for a child in hiding as well as home to the bodyguard of the Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, aka "the Blind Sheikh"...one could say these walls saw their fair share of history. First Baptist Church Happily the subway didn't ruin this landmark as they feared, but the stained glass skylights nearly did. The Astor Apartments Speeding drivers and quick party escapes define this building’s history whose own renovation went slowly. The Apthorp Named for the 18th century estate of Charles Ward Apthorp, The Apthorp maintained an air of sophistication. But some of its residents? They 'just wanna have fun'! The Hotel Emerson/The Calvin Apartments Arguably one of the top social landmarks in the neighborhood if not the city, Zabar's has been a consistent presence on the block since 1934. Keith's 81st Street Theatre The initial plan was vaudeville, with "photo-plays" and went feature pictures before becoming a television studio. It's "second act" is retail. The West Side Republican Club With so many facade changes and storefront revisions, which would you vote for? The Broadway Fashion Building Of course Broadway has always been fashionable but this building went so far as to claim it! After years of neglect, this building is back in style. Bloomingdale Square / Straus Park A small park for a humble couple with a big impact on NYC and American history. Verdi Square A determined Charles Barsotti would not let improbability, doubting press or harassing patrolmen stop him from honoring composer Giuseppe Verdi. The Colonial Club This out-of-place Club that was too-far west, and too-far north broke the rules, admitting women, shunning its younger members, and before very long broke itself. The well-heeled could not keep it afloat yet the structure stood for over a century. There is no mention if the developers who replaced it recovered the cornerstone which held a copper box containing "club manuals and documents, a photograph of General Sherman’s funeral passing Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street, a Civil War badge of the Grand Army of the Republic, copies of various newspapers and poems written by member William M. Kerr to “Our Children’s Children’s Children.” The Admaston Servants in the Admaston tended to "help themselves" while a dancer proved just how painless keeping house could be. The Spreter Department Store A tax payer with a long history in retail, this corner has witnessed an array of retail tenants and still serves its original purpose. The Belnord Not really any “Murders in the Building” but for a time, failing plumbing and electrical systems and an epic landlord-tenant battle!
The Broadway Studio Building The "reds" the Feds were concerned about were not coming from the Parsons School of Design, but the building's later tenants, the Stevenson School. The Amidon Divorces can get messy, but to have a spouse committed for mental evaluation just to break it off? That's an extreme measure, but hey, all is fair in love and war, right? The Unter den Linden Flowing drinks and loud music whether you were at the Unter den Linden beer garden, or just a neighbor... The Grimm Building Despite its name, this building was more jovial on account of the foamy libations introduced by the Doelger's. The Trafalgar Towers Wood Venetian blinds and metal clothes hampers would hardly be deemed amenities worth listing today but mediums are also less common now... Broadway View Hotel Intended as a skyscraper church, this wholly unholy construction is known for its skilled canaries and craftspeople. The Allenhurst Bertram I. Rich lived up to his name..."His chief occupation since the time he inherited the million left by his father...has been to keep money in circulation." The Sanford and The Rexford Apartments Jewelry had a habit of disappearing at these twin apartments. Whether trusted to a physician, a travelling son or retrieved by an uninvited acquaintance, these accessories were in high demand. The Trouville Apartments The chances are that you'll find what you are looking for at the Trouville. From artificial logs to fake fish, there were lots of phonies here. St. James Court The delivery boy was looking for a tip, and he got one: don't wake a sleeping boxer or his convalescing child. The Versailles Music celebrity resounded through the halls of the Versailles and water through its walls. Euclid Hall Deep light courts accentuated the massing of Euclid Hall where apartments were designed to be large enough to host large dances...one hopes the floors were soundproofed. 936 West End Avenue, aka 2753 Broadway 936 West End Avenue? 2753 Broadway? The Lancaster? Multiple addresses, multiple names and multiple personalities filled this landmark and its history. 2508 Broadway Life imitates art at the Narragansett Hotel. From the rags to riches of a hotel employee to the riches to rags of a popular playwright recluse. 2276 Broadway Some like it hot. While diners at Childs' Restaurant came for the food, Nellie Gutosky aka Norma Parker came for the cash register. 2780 Broadway When Sava Seyaha turned from stocks to real estate, he likely thought it was a safe bet. It wasn't. 2270-2272 Broadway The police stationed them selves here for, but so would you, if you were in the know. 2758 Broadway Once home to the Friends of the Irish Republic, then a Communist and Socialist meeting hall, and then the Riverside Democratic Club...what next? The Westbourne Clarence Eddy made beautiful music...just not with his wife. Augusto Cuartas did too as Augie's Jazz Bar, but that went up in SMOKE. The Cleburne Try this for "A Wrinkle in Time": Mrs. Cheatham lived up to her name, was convicted of shoplifting, faked a suicide, was presumed drowned yet turned up in Chicago... The Grafton One wonders what ever happened to the Humphreys--and their marriage. Oliver happened to stab himself near the heart while cutting bread, but his helpful wife had full explanations for the police. 2680-2684 Broadway Read All About It: The New York Times gets swindled by its staff accountant...who bears the accountability? 215 West 75th Street An exuberant terra cotta topper caped this building brimming with stories including the UWS's most famous madam. The Curlew As the saying goes, if you believe it you can achieve it. Isaac Ludlow believed he could make a flying machine. He just need a motor. Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Advent Known for its ministry to musicians, Evangelical Lutheran's Pastor Reverend John Garcia Gensel did "field work" in various jazz clubs. The Arragon and the Navarre These two buildings pass as one, but an undercover detective could not pass off Olive Murray for lewd behavior.
171 West 71st Street
2081-2089 Broadway
72nd Street Kiosk
2091 Broadway
2101-2119 Broadway
2124 Broadway
2131 Broadway
2112 Broadway
2160 Broadway
2162 Broadway
2320-2326 Broadway
2175 Broadway
215 West 91st Street
2626 Broadway
2689-2693 Broadway
2710-2714 Broadway
2801-2821 Broadway
255 West 90th Street
2420-2494 Broadway
2350 Broadway
265 West 79th Street
2141-2149 Broadway
2211 Broadway
2241-2247 Broadway
2248-2258 Broadway
2307 Broadway
2315 Broadway
Straus Park
Verdi Square
200 West 72nd Street
251 West 89th Street
2220-2226 Broadway
225 West 86th Street
246 West 80th Street
233 West 83rd Street
2581 Broadway
2641 Broadway
233 West 99th Street
2720-2724 Broadway
216 West 100th Street
2200-2228 Broadway
2783-2787 Broadway
214 West 92nd Street
250 West 91st Street
2345 Broadway
2753 Broadway
2508 Broadway
2276 Broadway
2780 Broadway
2270-2272 Broadway
2758 Broadway
2749-2751 Broadway
2741-2747 Broadway
2708 Broadway
2680-2684 Broadway
215 West 75th Street
250 West 78th Street
2504 Broadway
2609 Broadway
2660-2668 Broadway
LANDMARK WEST! is pleased to present THE BOULEVARD in partnership with our colleagues at the WEST END PRESERVATION SOCIETY.
Special thanks to Tom Miller and Claudie Benjamin along with Reno Dakota, who helped make this project possible.
