The Nation Trust for Historic Preservation has included Harlem on its list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. An article by the Associated press explains that the cornices and buildings of Harlem's most famous neighborhoods have been compromised since the 1990s and ongoing development have threaten the integrity of historic blocks once home to great African American luminaries. The above photo shows the brownstone where
A Great Day in Harlem took place and it currently is missing its cornice. Read more in Newsday:
LINK
The brownstone side streets are a Harlem’s treasure, these row houses survived decades of neglect only to be torn down and replaced by developers. I think the avenues, vacant lots and corners are fair game for development, especially when occupied by architecture of little value, but save the brownstones.
ReplyDeleteDevelopers are NOT to blame here. Most of these building are owned by churches, Harlem organizations or poor families that hold on to them instead of selling to someone who can fix them up. As many Harlemite hate to admit it, there is racism and pride among old school black residents, hesitant to sell because of fear that Harlem won't retain its blackness. Look at the Church of Nazarene (sp?) on Hamilton Terrace. Look at the school on 145th Street, look at the Renaissance Ballroom- all owned by organizations that refuse to let go and let someone with funds fix them up. The city needs to demand sale of properties if the property is neglected. Then you will save Harlem Architecture. If the church can't afford to keep the church building standing, then make them sell it to a developer with a clause that it is restored, not torn down. Simple. Many cities do this.
ReplyDelete2066 Fifth is an example of a beautiful building replaced with something non contextual. http://harlembespoke.blogspot.com/2012/01/revive-new-2066-fifth-avenue-revealed.html This century old building like so many brownstones, frozen in time by decades of neglect can easily be replaced by a developer. A developer can currently swoop in and do this to any old building on Harlem’s side streets, as the economy improves we should expect to see more of this.
ReplyDeleteGuest, agreed, I have seen this racism where some in Harlem are concerned of the skin color of who buys a building, not wanting whites to buy.
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