THANK YOU TO RACHEL MAINES AND GLORIA, MARK HERMAN, CAROLINE CAVALLI, MR. & MRS. RICHARD MEYER, NANCY BROWN, ARLENE &STEVE BESSENOFF, MARIE EWALD & DAVID DANZIG, BARRY & JUDY SCHNEIDER, & MICHELLE ROY, ARON EISENPRESIS, TANYA MORRISETT, MATTHIAS ALTWICKER, JUDY CONNORTON, THOM HEYER, STEPHEN QUANDT, QING XUN, LAWRENCE FEINALTER, ANNE & DAVID CRIPPS, STEVE & RITA MEED & ANNONYMOUS FOR THEIR DONATIONS. WE ARE WAITING TO ADD YOUR NAME TO OUR DONOR LIST
WE ARE WITHIN A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS OF REACHING OUR GOAL OF $2000- THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS DONORS.
HELP PUT US AT OUR GOAL THIS WEEK!!!!
Join us in making our garden thrive again. ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE
EUGENE DE SELIGNAC WAS THE OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER FOR THE CITY AND SPENT MANY YEARS PHOTOGRAPHING ALL SORTS OF CONSTRUCTION SITES, BUILDINGS, BRIDGES AND ALSO VEHICLE ACCIDENTS.
ENJOY THE IMAGES AND REMEMBER WHAT CARS WERE LIKE BEFORE ANY SAFTY FEATURES
ABOVE MANHATTAN BRIDGE DAMAGED CAR 1936
Williamsburg Bridge, showing accident, interior of trolley car 1926
Vernon Avenue Bridge broken fence and coal truck “accident” 1935
Manhattan Bridge view showing auto damaged by accident 1924
WEDNESDAY PHOTO OF THE DAY QUEEN MARY DOCKED PERMANENTLY IN LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA
Text by Judith Berdy Thanks to Bobbie Slonevsky for her dedication to Blackwell’s Almanac and the RIHS Thanks to Deborah Dorff for maintaining our website Edited by Melanie Colter and Deborah Dorff
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
NEW YORK CITY MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES
THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
THANK YOU TO RACHEL MAINES AND GLORIA, MARK HERMAN, CAROLINE CAVALLI, MR. & MRS. RICHARD MEYER, NANCY BROWN, ARLENE &STEVE BESSENOFF, MARIE EWALD & DAVID DANZIG, BARRY & JUDY SCHNEIDER, & MICHELLE ROY, ARON EISENPRESIS, TANYA MORRISETT, MATTHIAS ALTWICKER, JUDY CONNORTON, THOM HEYER, STEPHEN QUANDT, QING XUN, LAWRENCE FEINALTER & ANNONYMOUS FOR THEIR DONATIONS. WE ARE WAITING TO ADD YOUR NAME TO OUR DONOR LIST
We need your help this spring to help us restore and enhance our garden. Our goal is $2000.00 for a complete restoration of soil, drainage, plantings and fencing. We will update donations daily. We will list our donors.
Join us in making our garden thrive again. ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE
The Brooklyn Bridge Promenade and Manhattan Terminal in 1907 — a view glimpsed earlier on Shorpy, with the addition of a train. Here we have a better view of the signs. 8×10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.
FRIENDS GONE NOW AT PASSOVER, 2011 MIKE SCHWARTZBERG, RON VASS AND FREIND
PHOTO OF THE DAY COLER MAGNOLIA GARDEN
Text by Judith Berdy Thanks to Bobbie Slonevsky for her dedication to Blackwell’s Almanac and the RIHS Thanks to Deborah Dorff for maintaining our website Edited by Melanie Colter and Deborah Dorff
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
SHORPY
THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
THANK YOU TO RACHEL MAINES AND GLORIA, MARK HERMAN, CAROLINE CAVALLI, MR. & MRS. RICHARD MEYER, NANCY BROWN, ARLENE &STEVE BESSENOFF, MARIE EWALD & DAVID DANZIG, BARRY & JUDY SCHNEIDER, & MICHELLE ROY, ARON EISENPRESIS, TANYA MORRISETT, MATTHIAS ALTWICKER, JUDY CONNORTON, THOM HEYER, STEPHEN QUANDT, QING XUN & ANNONYMOUS FOR THEIR DONATIONS. WE ARE WAITING TO ADD YOUR NAME TO OUR DONOR LIST
We need your help this spring to help us restore and enhance our garden. Our goal is $2000.00 for a complete restoration of soil, drainage, plantings and fencing. We will update donations daily. We will list our donors.
Join us in making our garden thrive again. ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE
TO MAKE YOUR DONATION: https://rihs.us/donation/ TO MAKE YOUR DONATION BY CHECK: R.I.H.S., 531 MAIN STREET, #1704. NY NY 10044
The Lucy G. Moses Awards are the Conservancy’s highest honors for outstanding preservation efforts, named for a dedicated New Yorker whose generosity benefited the City for more than 50 years.
Winners of the “Oscars of Preservation” have been announced and they feature a wide variety of historic structures across New York City. The Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award is the highest honor for excellence in preservation awarded by The New York Landmarks Conservancy. Every year the Conservancy recognizes outstanding contributions to the city from individuals, organizations, and building owners. Here, we take a look at the winners of this year’s preservation award, including a Manhattan armory, a historic lighthouse, stunning churches, and more!
In addition to the buildings being honored, Laurie Beckelman, former Chair of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, will receive the 2023 Public Leadership in Preservation Award. John J. (Jack) Kerr, Jr., attorney, will receive the Preservation Leadership Award in honor of his role in preservation’s most significant legal decisions, and for his work with many nonprofit organizations, including the Conservancy, where he served as Board Chair. Winners will be recognized at the Awards Ceremony on April 19th at 6:00 pm at Saint Bartholomew’s Church in Manhattan. You can register for tickets to attend the event here.
CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY’S ISSUE
9.Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, Manhattan
Church of Saint Mary the Virgin Entry Sculpture Photo Courtesy of JHPA, Inc
After two decades of being obscured by a sidewalk bridge, the restoration work at the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin can finally be seen and appreciated. The Lucy G. Moses Award-winning project has revealed a newly restored limestone and brick façade. Restored limestone statues by John Massey Rhind are out in the open once again on 46th Street.
Known as Smoky Mary’s, for the generous incense used in services, the church was designed by Napoleon LeBrun and Sons in the French Gothic Revival style. Completed in 1895, it was the first building in the world to use steel frame construction, eliminating the need for flying buttress supports and permitting a large interior on a narrow lot.
10. 131 Duane Street, Manhattan
Photo (c) Albert Vecerka Esto
Restoration work on 131 Duane Street in the Tribeca South Historic District revealed the building’s historic “Hope Building” sign. A team of preservation professionals rediscovered the sign while restoring the structure’s original marble, brick, and cast iron façade, paying careful attention to the ornate architectural details.
Now a mixed-use building with lofts, retail and amenity spaces, and a two-story rooftop penthouse, the building was originally constructed in 1863 by Thomas Hope. It housed a variety of dry goods companies and shoe manufacturers. The upper floors were converted for residential use in the 1970s.
11. The Church of St. Luke & St. Matthew, Brooklyn
Photo by Michael Middleton/ Li Saltzman Architects
The Church of St. Luke and St. Matthew is made up of seven different stone types to achieve its unique polychrome design. Completed in 1891, the church exemplifies the Italian Romanesque Revival style.
This restoration project which will receive the Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award has stabilized and restored the monumental façade and stained glass, and repaired a hole in the roof. The project was funded in tandem with zoning changes to a nearby new development.
12. 1065 Clay Avenue, Bronx
Photo by Mary Kay Judy
1065 Clay Avenue in the Bronx was once a vacant wreck. Now, the formerly abandoned residence has been transformed into a home by the current owners Ali and Farah Mozaffari. Located within the Clay Avenue Historic District, the Mozaffari’s home has become a beacon of renewal.
The three-story house, which is attached to a twin, boasts a Roman brick facade with prominent three-sided angled bays. There are Flemish-inspired gables at the roofline above the wrought-iron railings encircled balcony created by the bays. It is clear that much work and care has gone into the restoration of this historic home to bring it back to its former brilliance.
MONDAY-TUESDAY PHOTO OF THE DAY
FRIENDS GONE NOW AT PASSOVER, 2011
PHOTO OF THE DAY
WE ARE AWAY FOR A FEW DAYS. ENJOY THE VIEWS OF THE ISLAND
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY
Text by Judith Berdy Thanks to Bobbie Slonevsky for her dedication to Blackwell’s Almanac and the RIHS Thanks to Deborah Dorff for maintaining our website Edited by Melanie Colter and Deborah Dorff
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated
THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
THANK YOU TO RACHEL MAINES AND GLORIA, MARK HERMAN, CAROLINE CAVALLI, MR. & MRS. RICHARD MEYER, NANCY BROWN, ARLENE &STEVE BESSENOFF, MARIE EWALD & DAVID DANZIG, BARRY & JUDY SCHNEIDER, & MICHELLE ROY, ARON EISENPRESIS, TANYA MORRISETT, MATTHIAS ALTWICKER, JUDY CONNORTON, THOM HEYER, STEPHEN QUANDT, QING XUN & ANNONYMOUS FOR THEIR DONATIONS. WE ARE WAITING TO ADD YOUR NAME TO OUR DONOR LIST
We need your help this spring to help us restore and enhance our garden. Our goal is $2000.00 for a complete restoration of soil, drainage, plantings and fencing. We will update donations daily. We will list our donors.
Join us in making our garden thrive again. ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE
The Lucy G. Moses Awards are the Conservancy’s highest honors for outstanding preservation efforts, named for a dedicated New Yorker whose generosity benefited the City for more than 50 years.
Winners of the “Oscars of Preservation” have been announced and they feature a wide variety of historic structures across New York City. The Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award is the highest honor for excellence in preservation awarded by The New York Landmarks Conservancy. Every year the Conservancy recognizes outstanding contributions to the city from individuals, organizations, and building owners. Here, we take a look at the winners of this year’s preservation award, including a Manhattan armory, a historic lighthouse, stunning churches, and more!
In addition to the buildings being honored, Laurie Beckelman, former Chair of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, will receive the 2023 Public Leadership in Preservation Award. John J. (Jack) Kerr, Jr., attorney, will receive the Preservation Leadership Award in honor of his role in preservation’s most significant legal decisions, and for his work with many nonprofit organizations, including the Conservancy, where he served as Board Chair. Winners will be recognized at the Awards Ceremony on April 19th at 6:00 pm at Saint Bartholomew’s Church in Manhattan. You can register for tickets to attend the event here.
CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY’S ISSUE
5. 69th Regiment Armory, Manhattan
The 69th Regiment Armory still functions as an active military facility, which made preservation work challenging. Despite this obstacle, over 200 original dilapidated and unusable wood windows have been restored. All new fenestration that precisely matches the historic windows and meets current energy efficiency standards have been installed.
The restoration project also had the added requirement of meeting Department of Defense Anti-Terrorism standards for blast resistance. Discover more of New York City’s historic armories!
6. Lefferts Historic House, Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Photo by redit Jordan Rathkopf
The Lefferts Historic House is one of the oldest buildings in Brooklyn. Located within Prospect Park, the 18th-century farmhouse belonged to the Lefferts family, one of the wealthiest and most influential families in Brooklyn. In 1917, the John Leffert’s estate gifted the home to the city of New York under the condition that it be moved onto city property to be protected and preserved.
Today, the home is operated by the Prospect Park Alliance in partnership with the Historic House Trust. The building will be honored with a preservation award for the $2.5 million restoration project that replaced the cedar shingle roof and repaired the façades, windows, and porch. The project was funded by the Speaker and the Brooklyn Delegation of the New York City Council.
7. St. Luke’s Historic Pavilions, Manhattan
Photo by Alex Severin
St. Luke’s Hospital Pavilions will receive the Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award for a successful adaptive reuse project which has transformed the abandoned 19th-century hospital into a high-end residential complex. Designed by Ernest Flagg, a Beaux-Arts architect known for the Singer Building, the hospital complex sits just north of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Morningside Heights. Over the years, some of the original nine pavilions have been demolished, while others have been preserved. The Plant and Scrymser Pavilions for Private Patients became designated New York City Landmarks in 2002.
Four remaining pavilions make up the new residential complex. The restoration work that has been completed on these pavilions has stabilized and restored the elaborate brick and granite façade, slate roofs, and copper trim. Owner Delshah Capital made use of preservation tax credits to make the restoration possible. Thanks to the owner’s vision and financial planning, this old historic building has found a new use in the modern city.
8. Asia Art Archive in America, Brooklyn
Photo by Peter Peirce
The Asia Art Archive in America is housed inside a repurposed carriage house at 23 Cranberry Street in the historic neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights. The restoration project honored converted the building into a public space for the study of post-war Asian Art.
In the process of transforming this former carriage house into a public space, the lower levels were turned into offices and rooms for public programs, while the upper floors have been converted into residences. The legacy of the building’s former owner, sculptor John Rhoden, has been incorporated into the current iteration through pieces from his personal collection. Some of Rhoden’s items that are featured in the new design include a Buddhist prayer table, a teak railroad tie from Indonesia, and pieces of hardware and cast iron, brass, and bronze.
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW
WEEKEND PHOTO OF THE DAY
WE WILL BE AWAY FOR A FEW DAYS IDENTIFY THE IMAGE
FRIDAY PHOTO OF THE DAY
WE ARE AWAY FOR A FEW DAYS. ENJOY THE VIEWS OF THE COLER GARDEN
Text by Judith Berdy Thanks to Bobbie Slonevsky for her dedication to Blackwell’s Almanac and the RIHS Thanks to Deborah Dorff for maintaining our website Edited by Melanie Colter and Deborah Dorff
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY
THIS PUBLICATION FUNDED BY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER JULIE MENIN & ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPOSE FUNDS.
