ARCHITECTURE: 267 WEST 136TH STREET

We have read a lot about Wallace Thurman's home at 267 West 136th Street and walked the block in hopes of finding the former literary salon of the Harlem Renaissance legend.  This was actually an SRO townhouse the writer rented with roommate Bruce Nugent that was dubbed Niggerati manor by its residents since the townhouse hosted the great black literati pioneers of the time including Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston.  This would have been the bohemian spot in the 1920s where the young group would exchange ideas, write and also throw extravagant jazz age parties.  When turning the corner on 8th Avenue, we notice that the buildings were all identical on the north side except for a newer construction at the corner.  Unfortunately the famous address was torn down some time in the 90s or so when demolition of an adjacent property to the left severely damaged the townhouse.  The newer building now stand as a place holder to the past but we must admit to be just slightly disappointed that the original was not able to be saved.