REMEMBER: HOME OF THE FATHER OF HARLEM

Harlem Bespoke:  Who is known as the Father of Harlem and where did he live?  Below is one our original post mentioning the Home of Phillip A. Payton Jr. which still stands today in Central Harlem.

Number 13 West 131st Street just west of Fifth Avenue has windows that look like a Jack O'Lantern face but is also notable for being the former home of the Father of Harlem.   Phillip A. Payton Jr. founded the Afro-American Realty Company during a time when the financial market crashed in 1904 and would bring the black community uptown to brand new homes that were built in a speculative boom when the subways were constructed.  Desperate developers could not refuse the opportunity and African-Americans who formerly lived in the gritty Tenderloin section of midtown saw an opportunity to live in a brownstone neighborhood which was not accessible previously.  More on the incredible story of the black broker can be found in our past post: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2023

DWELL: 465 WEST 144TH STREET TOWNHOUSE

Harlem Bespoke:   After selling for $1.9 million back in 2020 during the start of the pandemic, Number 465 West 144th Street in Hamilton Heights is now back on the market for a cool $2.5 $2.1 million.  So what is different this time around?

TOUR: HAPPY HOUR AT THE UNITED PALACE

Friday, June 16th, 7:00PM-8:30PM, Historical Tour and Happy Hour at United Palace, 4150 Broadway by 175th Street. Get up close and personal where you’ll explore this stunning 3,400-seat theatre, its mezzanine, grand foyer, balcony, and exterior.  The history of United Palace, Manhattan’s 4th largest theatre and now a landmarked building, began in 1930, when it was then one of five Loew’s “Wonder Theatres” across the boroughs and New Jersey. Designed by noted architect Thomas Lamb (Cort Theatre, the former Ziegfeld Theatre) with interiors overseen by decorative specialist Harold Rambusch (Waldorf Astoria, Radio City Music Hall), it was one of the region’s premier vaudeville and movie houses. Today, the United Palace is a transformational venue that fuses culture, spirituality and entertainment.   Tickets are $30 online: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2023

IMMIGRANT HISTORY FESTIVAL AT DYCKMAN

Harlem Bespoke: Another free event to check out in Spring at Manhattan's oldest historic farmhouse in the heights.  Definitely worth the experience especially if you have not visited the historic address yet.  

GLASS AT NEW MANHATTAVILLE HOTEL

Harlem Bespoke:  The hotel at 410 West 126th Street and Morningside Avenue started up right before the pandemic and now the windows are finally being installed.  We walked this section Manhattanville last week and took the above photos and things are really moving quickly at this point in time.  Check out our past post for more details on the forthcoming tourist abode: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2023

CELEBRATE: HIGHBRIDGE 175TH ANNIVERSARY

Tuesday, June 6th from 10:00AM-12:00PM,  Tour Inside Highbridge Tower, West 174th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Join NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue, Bronx and Manhattan elected officials, civic leaders, and community partners for a 175th Anniversary celebration of the oldest standing bridge in NYC: the High Bridge.

REMEMBER: THE BRADHURST ESTATE ON SUGAR HILL

Harlem Bespoke:  We just took the above photo on Sugar Hill and really soaked in the history of the neighborhood.   This distinct corner at 148th and St. Nicholas Avenue is really unique because of the barrel front townhouses that line the avenue and also for the jazz clubs that used to be in a few of the commercial spaces.  A fire burned down one of the brownstones over a couple of years ago but much still remains intact in this landmark district.

ARCHITECTURE: HUDSON VIEW GARDENS

Harlem Bespoke:  We took a walk up in the Heights recently and checked out the small Tudor village called Hudson view gardens located between 183rd and 185th Street.  These picturesque buildings are actually coops built in the medieval style of architecture line a unique backstreet just west of Pinehurst  Avenue that breaks up the standard grid layout of Manhattan.  The  subway station is also just a block away so those looking for a more quiet residential enclave might want to check out this historic development built over 100 years ago as an affordable alternative for the middle class.

HarlemBespoke.com 2023

REMEMBER: JOSEPH LOTH RIBBON FACTORY CIRCA 1893

Harlem Bespoke: We colorized an image circa 1893 which shows the Joseph Loth Fair & Square Ribbon Factory as it stood fully constructed at 151st Street and Amsterdam Avenue in Hamilton Heights.

☞ ARCHITECTURE: Ornate Harlem Brownstones

Harlem Bespoke: Downtown Manhattan has a lot of townhouses in the more simple styles since they were built much earlier in the 19th century but by the time Harlem was developed, things became a little more ornate. Walking around the West Village, one will notice mostly brick Federal and Greek Revival houses or Italianate brownstones which have lost some of their original facade details.

TOUR: INSIDE THE RESTORED HIGHBRIDGE TOWER

Saturday, May 20th from 1:00PM-3:00PM,  Tour Inside Highbridge Tower, West 174th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Join the Urban Park Rangers on a tour inside the iconic Highbridge Water Tower to learn about the history of New York City's water supply and enjoy the panoramic views from the top of the 200 foot tower.

SEE: WHEN HARRY MET SALLY AT UNITED PALACE

Monday, May 22nd, 7:00PM, When Harry Met Sally, United Palace at  4150 Broadway by 175th Street.  Monthly movies have returned to United Palace for the new season and more classics return to uptown's historic theater.

CANCELLED: DYCKMAN SPRING FLING FESTIVAL

Harlem Bespoke: The update to this event is that the Spring fling will be cancelled due illness amongst staff and interns.  This event will not be rescheduled this year.

CELEBRATE: DYCKMAN SPRING FLING FESTIVAL

Harlem Bespoke: Another free event to check out in Spring at Manhattan's oldest historic farmhouse in the heights.  Definitely worth the experience especially if you have not visited the historic address yet.  

ARCHITECTURE: A DECORATIVE STAR OF DAVID

Harlem Bespoke: We were checking out some of the carved townhouse elements in the Hamilton Heights Historic District and noticed one very decorative Star of David just around the corner from Convent Avenue.  This might be a Christian reference or another possibility could be that one of the builders had been Jewish during this time period when brownstones started to appear all over the former countryside of Harlem.  Regardless of the reason, this star with a spring floral motif was a lovely discovery and is rarely found outside of church or temple architecture uptown.

HarlemBespoke.com 2023

TOUR: INSIDE THE RESTORED HIGHBRIDGE TOWER

Sunday, May 7th from 1:00PM-3:00PM,  Tour Inside Highbridge Tower, West 174th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Join the Urban Park Rangers on a tour inside the iconic Highbridge Water Tower to learn about the history of New York City's water supply and enjoy the panoramic views from the top of the 200 foot tower.

☞ REMEMBER: THE HARLEM OPERA HOUSE ON 125TH

Harlem Bespoke: Another post from a decade ago on the blog features the forgotten Harlem Opera House that was one of the major attractions on uptown's commercial boulevard.  Sadly enough, opera did not last long in Harlem and the building was eventually torn down decades later.

REMEMBER: A MAJESTIC VIEW CIRCA 1927

Harlem Besppoke: Who can guess this Harlem vantage point taken in 1927?  Two major landmarks are in view and for those who are really familiar with the area, a third should be apparent.

SEE: BLACK SWAN AT UNITED PALACE

Monday, April 24th, 7:00PM, Black Swan, United Palace at  4150 Broadway by 175th Street.  Monthly movies have returned to United Palace for the new season and more classics return to uptown's historic theater.

FACADE INSTALLED AT 600 WEST 125TH STREET

Harlem Bespoke: What looks like a luxury condo building rising quickly at 600 West 125th Street is actualy student housing for Columbia University at the Manhattanville campus by the elevated Broadway subway station. This appears to be one of those situations that the new development is installing facade details before even topping off. From the looks of the massive crane that is still on site, there appears to be many more floors to go. Check out our past post from 2021 when the rendering was first revealed on the plywood out front: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2023