Moving is stressful: the expenses, the packing, the unpacking. If you had to do this with thousands of other people on the same day, would you? If you want to keep your sanity, probably not. But this wasn’t an option 200 years ago. In the mid-18th century, mayhem filled the streets of New York City every May 1st when every lease—residential and commercial—expired simultaneously. This was an annual event called Moving Day.
This tradition caused the city’s renters to scatter like frantic ants on an ant hill. It was linked with Rent Day, which occurred on February 1st. On that day, landlords informed tenants of the rental price for the following year. The prices went into effect in May. Moving was not mandatory, but with few rent regulations in place, landlords could increase rent steeply. In the end, most tenants had no choice but to move.
Just imagine this: no bubble wrap or moving boxes, just valuable possessions stuffed into horse-drawn carriages. Between the jerky movements of the carts from the bumpy roads and the occasional spring rain, Moving Day was a stressful day for everyone involved.
Day of trouble—day of chaos/Day of toil for man and “dray-hoss;”/What confusion! Wha a rumpus!/On the sidewalk bedpost bump us/All are moving, helter skelter/Women scold and fume and swelter
Diarist George Templeton Strong wrote about what he saw on Moving Day in 1844, “Every other house seems to be disgorging itself into the street; all the sidewalks are lumbered with bureaus and bedspreads to the utter destruction of their character as thoroughfares, and all the space between the sidewalks is occupied by long processions of carts and wagons and vehicles omnigenous laden with perilous piles of moveables.”
You’d be right to think that people might turn to alcohol to escape the stress. Everyone was on edge about possible accidents, street fights, and damage to their personal possessions during the moving process. So, liquor stores were open by early morning, inviting everyone to drink their worries away.
The tradition of Moving Day started during the colonial period and ended after the Second World War. But why May 1st? The roots of Moving Day can be traced back to the Dutch colony of New Netherlands. The first day of May held special significance for Dutch settlers. It marked the day when the Dutch departed from the Netherlands to settle in the wilderness of North America. In Dutch New Amsterdam, May 1st became a pivotal day for social and business activities. It was the start of the trading season known as Handelstijd.
“May Day” – Cartoon depicting Moving Day (May 1) in New York City in 1831
Moving Day began to fade away in the 1920s as tenants gained new protections under the law and residents began to spread to the outer boroughs. By World War II, there was a second moving day, October 1st, as many families spent their summers outside the city. Since most men were off fighting overseas during the war, moving companies experienced worker shortages. In 1945, the post-war housing shortage and rent control laws finally ended Moving Day.
Thankfully today, there are no laws that hold us down with a strict deadline, (though as a remnant of the practice, there are still commercial leases that expire on May 1). So next time you move, be grateful you’re not part of a frantic city-wide exodus.
New York City buildings boast over 1.6 billion square feet of rooftop space, an amount of space that is roughly the size of Boston. Buildings account for over two-thirds of the city’s total emissions. More and more, developers and owners are looking to the sky for solutions to counter emissions and are converting rooftop spaces into green havens.
Green roofs have multiple benefits. Not only do they leverage lower energy bills, but they also help to cut carbon emissions, create habitats for local wildlife species, and manage stormwater. The proliferation of green roofs and increased green spaces in urban settings help curb the urban heat island effect. The urban heat island effect occurs when an urban area has a higher temperature than the surrounding areas. This is due to the heat re-emitted into the atmosphere by all of the buildings, roads, and infrastructure. Green rooftops make the city’s infrastructure more sustainable, strengthen urban agriculture, and empowering the process of carbon capture from the concrete jungle below. Here are five rooftops that are recoloring the city’s skyline green.
Produce grown atop Rosemary’s rooftop garden in the West Village. Photo courtesy of Rosemary’s.
Homemade pasta dishes feature ingredients grown just steps from patron’s plates at Rosemary’s, an Italian restaurant tucked away in the West Village. A lush 1,000-square-foot rooftop garden flourishes here, despite constraints on space in the densest metropolis. At this establishment founded in 2012 by Carlos Suarez, the seasonal menu reflects a rotating selection of produce that can survive life in the city. This ever-changing supply of ingredients encourages Executive Chef Wade Moises and Rosemary’s staff to experiment constantly in the garden. Restaurant guests are welcome to roam the sprouting beds of fresh herbs and vegetables and enjoy the greenery that animates their gastronomic experience.
One of the most extensive green rooftops in the United States rests next to Hudson Yards and within earshot of the Port Authority Bus Terminal. With 8-acres of rooftop, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center successfully repurposed an otherwise inhospitable environment to create a 6.75-acre wildlife sanctuary, a 1-acre farm managed by the Brooklyn Grange, and a home for nine honeybee hives. The center engages with NYC Audubon, a grassroots community that works to conserve and protect birds and their habitats in New York City. The group studies the diverse populations of birds, bats, and insects that benefit from the green roof’s food supply. The farm grows up to 50 crops each season which are used at the center’s farm-to-table events. This space is a true example of the positive environmental trade-offs that green rooftops offer. The green roof mitigates around 7 million gallons of stormwater runoff annually and cools the area by about 1.9 degrees Fahrenheit, reducing the urban heat island effect.
This West Village hidden gem operates similliarly to neighboring farm-to-table concepts but trades soil for air. Bell Book & Candles’ sophisticated menu complements the revolutionary vertical rooftop garden that grows up into the air using aeroponics-plant cultivation. This model is very efficient in terms of energy consumption and nutrient usage. This vertical vegetable growth concept supports the resturant’s commitment to sustainability and responsible procurement.
Gotham Greens rooftop greenhouses in Jamaica, Queens. Photo courtesy of Gotham Greens.
Gotham Green is a pioneer in reimagining where and how food can be grown. Their largest New York City facility in Jaimaica, Queens is located atop the historic Ideal Toy Company factory. This site was renowned for producing the iconic Teddy Bear and Rubik’s Cube. The rooftop of Gotham Green spans 60,000 square feet. Greenhouses that cover the space yield leafy, fresh greens, numbered in the millions. Gotham Greens delivers nutritious, sustainably grown greens year-round to the New York Tri-State area. They are revolutionizing the market and practices for urban-grown food that minimizes our overall environmental footprint. Gotham Greens has locations in Queens, Greenpoint and Gowanus, Brooklyn, and more cities across the United States.
The city’s oldest agribusiness sits three stories above the concrete jungle in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Eagle Street Farm is a 6,000-square-foot organic farm winking at the Manhattan skyline. A variety of seasonal produce grows here depending on the weather and time of year. The farm is open to the public and many local chefs bring the rooftops’ greenery to your plate. Ealge Street Farm’s mission calls for sustainable and resilient growing processes, like the farm’s stormwater runoff storge practices. This alternative process cools the warehouse below. Furthermore, Eagle Street Farm uses environmentally conscious design practices that repurpose materials, like old rafters used as edging.
New York City rooftops transform the city’s palette, cultivate urban ecosystems that feed New Yorkers and support local wildlife species. More and more buildings are looking up, integrating sustainable building designs with alternate rooftop functions. Where there could be gray, green rooftops are repainting the New York City metropolis skyline
Spring will soon be here and my curiosity led me to check out the origin of the Parisian street furniture. So classic and wonderful and the style continuity that we lack here. Saluting Paris!!!!!
When you visit Paris you’ll hardly notice them. But they are found in the hundreds throughout the French capital. The iconic public benches of Paris are part of the street furniture designed by French architect Gabriel Davioud. They played their part in Haussmann’s vast public works program in the mid-19th century.
To illustrate this article I had to search really hard through my photo library. As I mentioned earlier, we take the benches of Paris so much for granted that they might not seem the most interesting thing to photograph. However, after reading this blog post, I’m pretty sure you will never look at them in the same way!
The first public benches of Paris
The first benches made from stone or wood, as well as seats for rent, are recorded from the 18th century.
But it’s only from the Second Empire (mid-19th C.) that Paris’ pavements were furnished with thousands of public benches.When Baron Haussmann undertook the great urban work across the city of Paris, a series of structures were set up along the newly opened boulevards. All street furniture was harmonised in the same style and dark green colours. This was true for Morris columns, pissoirs, newspaper kiosks, lampposts, and by the 1870s the Wallace fountains.
The benches of Paris were no exception to that rule. They were also codified and painted in dark green.
The public benches were designed by French architect Gabriel Davioud in the 1850s. He was the main collaborator of Baron Haussmann and his works included the magnificent entrance gate of Parc Monceau, the Saint-Michel fountain and the Châtelet theatre.
Baron Haussmann introduced the public benches for the comfort of the walking Parisians.
At that time there were no cars and public transport was not as efficient as it is today.
Therefore people walked much more than today… and as you can guess, the benches were greatly appreciated for providing a comfortable place where people could catch their breath!
The first public benches appeared on the Grands Boulevards and in the public gardens (les squares parisiens) opened by Haussmann.
It is now obvious that many bench locations have since become obsolete. On many occasions, I spotted a bench and wanted to take a little rest. But it was often located too close to a car and the gutter, or next to a dirty and ugly litter bin… a puddle around it (hoping it’s not something else!), litter on the wooden boards. Why would I want to sit there? How times do change!
Over time, the models of public benches have been modernised and diversified. Some models have been created with the intention to stop homeless people from sleeping on them.
But let’s face it, this strategy hasn’t been well-received by many Parisians. Some find it cruel. As a matter of fact, the homeless are not the only people who might like to lay down on the Paris benches…
Madame, has anyone ever taught you the rules of propriety? Tsk-tsk…
The two models of Paris’ benches
It is estimated on Wikipedia that there are around 100,000 public benches designed by Davioud throughout Paris. (although I have to say I’m a bit doubtful about this high figure – other sources show 10,000).
Davioud had two models designed: the straight bench and the ‘gondole’ bench.
The first model of the bench is made up of straight and perpendicular boards hold by a cast-iron structure that display the coat of arms of the City of Paris.
The bench consists of one or two sides.
It is found on the pavement of avenues and boulevards, aligned with the street trees.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY HUGH FERRIS DEDICATION: JUNE 18, 1940
80 YEARS ON THE F.D.R.
Hugh Macomber Ferriss (July 12, 1889 – January 28, 1962) was an American architect, illustrator, and poet.[1][2] He was associated with exploring the psychological condition of modern urban life, a common cultural enquiry of the first decades of the twentieth century. After his death a colleague said he ‘influenced my generation of architects’ more than any other man.” Ferriss also influenced popular culture, for example Gotham City (the setting for Batman) and Kerry Conran’s Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.[
Early in his career, Ferriss began to specialize in creating architectural renderings for other architects’ work rather than designing buildings himself. As a delineator, his task was to create a perspective drawing of a building or project. This was done either as part of the sales process for a project, or, more commonly, to advertise or promote the project to a wider audience. Thus, his drawings were frequently destined for annual shows or advertisements. As a result of this, his works were often published (rather than just given to the architect’s client), and Ferriss acquired a reputation.
After he had set up as a free-lance artist, he found himself much sought after. In 1912, Ferriss arrived in New York City and was soon employed as a delineator for Cass Gilbert. Some of his earliest drawings are of Gilbert’s Woolworth Building; they reveal that Ferriss’s illustrations had not yet developed his signature dark, moody appearance. In 1915, with Gilbert’s blessing, he left the firm and set up shop as an independent architectural delineator.
In 1914, Ferriss married Dorothy Lapham, an editor and artist for Vanity Fair. Daily News Building, NYC By 1920, Ferriss had begun to develop his own style, frequently presenting the building at night, lit up by spotlights, or in a fog, as if photographed with a soft focus. The shadows cast by and on the building became almost as important as the revealed surfaces. His style elicited emotional responses from the viewer. His drawings were being regularly featured by such diverse publications as the Century Magazine, the Christian Science Monitor, Harper’s Magazine, and Vanity Fair. His writings also began to appear in various publications.
In 1916, New York City had passed landmark zoning laws that regulated and limited the massing of buildings according to a formula. The reason was to counteract the tendency for buildings to occupy the whole of their lot and go straight up as far as was possible. Since many architects were not sure exactly what these laws meant for their designs, in 1922 the skyscraper architect Harvey Wiley Corbett commissioned Ferriss to draw a series of four step-by-step perspectives demonstrating the architectural consequences of the zoning law. These four drawings would later be used in his 1929 book The Metropolis of Tomorrow.
This book illustrated many conte crayon sketches of tall buildings. Some of the sketches were theoretical studies of possible setback variations within the 1916 zoning laws. Some were renderings for other architect’s skyscrapers. And at the end of the book was a sequence of views in Manhattan emerged in an almost Babylonian guise. His writing in the book betrayed an ambivalence to the rapid urbanization of America: There are occasional mornings when, with an early fog not yet dispersed, one finds oneself, on stepping onto the parapet, the spectator of an even more nebulous panorama. Literally, there is nothing to be seen but mist; not a tower has yet been revealed below, and except for the immediate parapet rail . . . there is no suggestion of either locality or solidity for the coming scene.
To an imaginative spectator, it might seem that he is perched in some elevated stage box to witness some gigantic spectacle, some cyclopean drama of forms; and that the curtain has not yet risen . . . there could not fail to be at least a moment of wonder. What apocalypse is about to be revealed? What is its setting? And what will be the purport of this modern metropolitan drama? In 1955, he was elected into the National Academy of Design as an Associate member, and became a full Academician in 1960.
THIS IS A SMALL SELECTION OF THE IMAGES IN THE COMMEMORATIVE BOOK. THERE ARE MULTIPLE PHOTOS AND COMMENTARY. YOU CAN REQUEST TO SEE IT FROM THE RI.I.H.S.
Drawing of Southbound Roadway in the Triple-Dec Section in the 80’s
North portal of only true tunnel in East River Drive. It fronts Gracie Mansion, preserving it ancient view of the river.
Architects’ rendering of new municipal asphalt plant to replace existing structure on 91st Street.
The successful Asphalt Green today
Drawing of north-bound roadway of triple deck section in the 80’s
2020
From the Archives
Artist view of Grand to Montgomery Street link looking southward toward lower Manhattan.
Hugh Ferris drawings of the 81st Street portal during construction. The sketch show the tower and northbound roadway.
81st Street Portal Today
74th Street Power Station as it looks today above, and under construction below
Drawing looking south from 60th Street showing north and southbound roadways as they pass under Queensboro Bridge. Structure at left is new Department of Sanitation dump. The ramp to the dump is for Sanitation trucks. Now, just north of the dump is the East River Roundabout artpiece by Alyce Aycock
A drawing of the completed portal of the triple deck structure at 81st Street. The tower marks the juncture of the portion of the drive built on land with that built over water. The stairway joins the shore front drive at water level with the esplanade that is the third deck of the drive. Overpass leads to 81st Street.
Future concept of 91st Street redesign with Sanitation dump.
Chester Price drawing of new municipal ferry house at 78th Street. The roof of the ferryhouse will serve as a section tho the Drive’s pedestrian esplanade. Access to the ferryhouse from the west side of the Drive is by an overpass.
Park Area in the Grand to 14th Street section of the Drive built in cooperation with the Department of Parks and dedicated in 1939.
Williamsburg Bridge today.
TUESDAYPHOTO OF THE DAY
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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
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All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated
Quayola, Storms. Photo courtesy of Times Square Arts.
A stormy sea will take over Times Square this March as images of frothy, crashing waves fill the giant billboard screens. Presented in collaboration with Artnet, the Times Square Arts Spring Midnight Moment series kicks off with London-based artist Quayola’s digital video series, Storms. Storms is a digitally rendered version of the ocean, with realistic waves that collide on a stormy night. Known for her immersive audiovisual installations, Quayola captures the crashing waves of Cornwall, England’s sea, to show the challenging relationship between nature and technology. Storms will be on view from March 1 to March 31.
Credit to Woomin Kim
Love arts and crafts? Material for the Arts textile artist Woomin Kim plays with an assortment of materials and quilts to make The Warehouse, a series of textile works inspired by the MFTA’s expansive inventory of art supplies. In her solo exhibition, Kim examines themes of immigrant life through landscapes filled with a clutter of objects like discarded mannequin pieces, clothes, furniture, and a whimsical horse. The quilts hang together in colorful pieces. Kim’s work shows visitors what can be created with the materials and found objects at MFTA and how you can give the formerly discarded items a new home. The installation will be on view until April 12.
Courtesy of Shushank Shrestha
The Rubin Museum of Art will close its physical museum this fall, so don’t miss out on the new exhibit Reimagine: Himalayan Art Now! Reimagine features 32 contemporary artists from across the globe and a collection of artworks that explore diverse perspectives of heritage, culture, and identity. The exhibition marks the museum’s 20th anniversary year and will be on view from March 15th to October 6th, 2024.A centerpiece of the exhibition is a large-scale installation by Asha Kama Wangdi. The site-specific piece is made of hundreds of repurposed prayer flags from religious sites. Wangdi’s installation will cascade down the museum’s spiral staircase. Bidhata K C’s interactive piece Out of Emptiness highlights connections between discarded objects and broader themes of life. LuYang explores Buddhism through a 3D animation of the Wheel of Life. Prithvi Shrestha’s paintings make a commentary on technological effects. Roshan Pradhan’s piece uses robots to explore the topic of gender. Tenzin Mingyur Paldron’s Power, Masculinity and Mindfulness also highlights gender fluidity as an outlet of their own experience of coming out as transgender. Uma Bista’s photo series Stay Home, Sisters showcases cultural taboos surrounding women.
Dennis RedMoon Darkeem blends indigenous culture and inspiration from old maps in his poster, Direct Connection on Turtle Island. Darkeem depicts a colorful version of the New York City skyline sitting on the shell of a turtle as the sun rises in the background. The entire scene is bordered by a wampum, a traditional indigenous bead. Catch a Line by Erin Robinson celebrates subway travel and the graphic design of New York City subway maps through a vibrant collage of subway lines and symbols.
Our computer glitch has been repaired with a new keyboard. Glad to have one where you can actually see the letters on the keys.
A rendering of “Biosignature Preservation” on Park Avenue, a sculpture by Jorge Otero-Pailos which will be part of his forthcoming exhibition “Analogue Sites” on Park Avenue Exhibition
The Fund for Park Avenue will unveil two massive sculptures this spring by artists Jorge Otero-Pailos and Betsabeé Romero.Traces in Order to Remember by Betsabeé Romero is a collection of five sculptures, each with a unique story to tell. On The Other Side Of The Track, a tower that symbolizes the industry and exploitation of Western colonization, kicks off the series on 81st St. The series continues uptown with Moon Seal and Warriors in Captivity III on 82nd St, Warriors in Captivity at 83rd Street, and Rubber and Feathered Snakes at 83rd Street. Romero is a Mexican visual artist who uses everyday materials in her work.
Jorge Otero-Pailos’ sculpture is made of large steel pieces wrought from a fence that once surrounded the former U.S. Embassy in Oslo. Part of an upcoming exhibition, Analogue Sites, the sculpture aims to raise awareness of the importance of American modern architecture and the preservation of mid-century embassies. Originally placed in Oslo, the art piece will relocate to Park Avenue in mid-March. It will be on display until October 2024. Don’t miss out on the Spring Program Lecture for the exhibition hosted at Colombia University, which will feature the artist himself.
Photo Courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden
Take a walk through The New York Botanical Garden this spring for The Orchid Show: Florals in Fashion, a fashion-themed orchid exhibition featuring exotic plants arranged in bold, vibrant arrangements. This year’s 21st-anniversary display highlights the work of rising sustainability-focused and climate-aware fashion brands Collina Strada by Hillary Taymour, Dauphinette by Olivia Cheng, and FLWR PSTL L a.k.a. Kristen Alpaugh. Each artist provides their take on the connection between plants and fashion. Walk the runway with Alpaugh’s leafy model, strike a pose with Cheng’s mannequins clad in flowery bikinis and draping leaves, and snap a picture of Taymour’s gown made of blooming flowers! Look out for select dates of Orchid Nights, an evening that offers music, cocktails, and live performances, a must-see event for fashion and nature enthusiasts alike. The Orchid Show runs from February 17th to April 21st.
Spend Friday evening at a late-night festival of conversations, debates, multimedia pop-ups, and workshops, that will inspire you to consider the impact of urban development through lenses of inclusivity, sustainability, arts and culture, education, and food. Night of Ideas, co-curated by Villa Albertine and Centre Pompidou, will take over Hudson County Community College (HCCC) in Jersey City from 6pm on Friday, March 1st to 1am. This nocturnal arts and culture annual marathon is free and open to the public! RSVP here.
Courtesy New York State Museum, Albany NY
As a tribute to the 400th anniversary of New Amsterdam’s settlement, The New-York Historical Society reveals a special exhibit titled New York Before New York: The Castello Plan of New Amsterdam on March 15th. The original Castello Plan by Johannes Vingboons is a 17th-century map that provides a snapshot of Dutch life in Mannahatta. It reveals the city of New Amsterdam at its peak. Through documents, artifacts, letters, and cartography the exhibit expands upon what the map shows to paint a picture of what life in New Amsterdam was like not just for the Duch settlers, but also for Indigenous people of New York and enslaved Africans. The artist Russel Shorto, Director of the New Amsterdam Project at New-York Historical, utilizes this project to delve into themes of free trade, race, and colonialism of that time while connecting it to our world today. The Castello Plan of New Amsterdam will be on view from March 15 through July 14.
MTA Arts & Design jazzes up your commute this month with six new vibrant artworks. From subway superheroes to flying dragons, talented artists Dennis RedMoon Darkeem, Yevgenia Nayberg, Erin K. Robinson, Taili Wu, and Marcel Dzama celebrate New York City’s history and the Chinese zodiac Year of the Dragon through digital art. Catch these gems at select stations and inside subway cars throughout the year.
Marcel Dzama’s art cards, The underground helps the garden 1 and 2, depict whimsical scenes of nature within subways cars. In Dzama’s art, people and animals coexist in urban places, emphasizing the harmony between city life and the natural environment. NYC Superhero by Yevgenia Nayberg portrays a cape-clad superhero flying over the city. This figure serves to empower commuters on their daily journeys. Talili Wu’s Year of the Dragon is a ceramic-crafted subway-themed dragon with references to New York City landmarks adorning its body to represent growth and energy.
Dennis RedMoon Darkeem blends indigenous culture and inspiration from old maps in his poster, Direct Connection on Turtle Island. Darkeem depicts a colorful version of the New York City skyline sitting on the shell of a turtle as the sun rises in the background. The entire scene is bordered by a wampum, a traditional indigenous bead. Catch a Line by Erin Robinson celebrates subway travel and the graphic design of New York City subway maps through a vibrant collage of subway lines and symbols.
