Tuesday, September 27, 2011

☞ REMEMBER: Strivers Row circa 1970


An archival photo taken after the Depression years shows Strivers Row at West 138th Street with mid century vehicles on the street but the buildings on the block itself are all still unchanged.  The neighborhood located between ACP/7th Avenue and FDB/8th Avenue has always been recognized for its architectural significance and each house is now designated a New York City Landmark. The lower photo shows the block today and how many modern homeowners have since decorated the townhouses built back in the early 1890s.

North side of unidentified block of Strivers Row, ca 1970 via the digital collection at the Museum of the City of New York
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8 comments:

  1. Sanou's mumSeptember 27, 2011 at 8:04 PM

    A very nice thing about many areas of Harlem today, indeed the entire city, is that there are mature trees and a significant number of people are now planting window boxes, tree pits and pots on the stairs.

    Now if only lower FDB would get that memo. . .

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  2. msciaraSeptember 28, 2011 at 4:12 AM

    Well Said Mum !!

    One of the few photo's from the digital collection that looks as good today as it did in the past ! One of my favorite streets in Harlem....

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  3. westsiderSeptember 28, 2011 at 10:00 AM

    The city cannot dig tree pits where basements extend under the sidewalk, that may be the case for the some of newer buildings along Frederick Douglass Boulevard.

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  4. westsiderSeptember 28, 2011 at 10:06 AM

    Strivers Row maybe the most revered block in Harlem, but in my opinion, the facades are a little plain compared to a row of brownstones with their majestic massively detailed stoops windows and entry way. Great photo.

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  5. Sanou's MumSeptember 28, 2011 at 12:08 PM

    Granted, Westsider, but a few planters wouldn't kill 'em.

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  6. Harlem CubanoSeptember 28, 2011 at 12:34 PM

    The archival picture might be dated circa 1970's but looking at the all the cars I would have to say that this picture was taken in the mid 1950's.

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  7. westsiderSeptember 28, 2011 at 1:20 PM

    On the subject of planters, I recall a returning Harlemite from the bad old days surprised to see so many stoop planters, his comment, “things have really changed, when I lived here, those planters would stolen right away”.

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  8. Sanou's MumSeptember 28, 2011 at 1:31 PM

    Fancy metal railings were stolen from around two tree pits up the block not long ago. Down the block somebody yanked out an hibiscus plant and a couple of years ago I had two small evergreens disappear from inside my fence; they had lights on them and I imagine they became Christmas trees.

    I'm always amazed when I see pumpkins remain on steps for more than a day.

    Still, one perseveres.

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