ARCHITECTURE: BRICK FACADE CONTRACTORS?

Harlem Bespoke:  We received an email from a local homeowner who was in search of a good facade contractor that can work with repointing brick.  Does anyone have any recommendations?

HarlemBespoke.com 2021

REVIVE: INFRASTRUCTURE IN MANHATTANVILLE

Harlem Bespoke: With the closing of several businesses north of 125th Street on 12th Avenue, community leaders have been trying to come up with ideas on how to improve business in the area but have not touched upon the obvious issue which is transportation.  When the industrial area was built over a century ago, trolleys took everyone to area and which was even connected to the 130th Street Ferry Station that brought folks in from New Jersey and the neighborhood was pretty much connected to the surrounding blocks.

That would all change by the mid century when city planners would start dismantling the connective parts of the neighborhood.  Trolleys would be replaced by buses that had limited access to area by the end of the 1940s, then the ferry station would be dismantled by the 1960s along with many of the side streets east of Broadway which would be deconstructed to make way for housing project super blocks.  Somehow the main idea was that people would have cars in the future and that would be enough to sustain the area but that has since been proven a false hope.

INTRODUCING: GRAFFITI FREE NYC

Harlem Bespoke:  We noticed a van on 125 Street that had free graffiti removal advertised on it so decided to do some research to see if this was really a thing.  It appear that this city initiative was start back in 1999 and all that needs to be done is to file a claim with the New York City Economic Development Corporation.  Call 311 or check out the official Graffiti Free NYC site for more details: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2019

REMEMBER: A COMMUNITY GARDEN ON 126TH STREET

Harlem Bespoke:  The abandoned lots behind the Apollo on 126th Street close to 8th Avenue had been converted to a makeshift community garden a few years ago but now the city has plans for development.  Official notices on the chainlink fence mention that the organizers can volunteer at one of the many other such gardens in the neighborhood and should basically move on.  Fortunately, Harlem actually has quite a few beautifully maintained gardens that have been funded by the government over the years so there are still a lot of options to visit while walking around uptown.

HarlemBespoke.com 2017

ARCHITECTURE: RESTORATION AT THE ALHAMBRA

Harlem Bespoke: We walked by the Ahlambra Ballroom this past weekend and noticed that the historic building has had new cornices installed on the north end by 126th Street.  Work had started up on the facade earlier in the year but it was unclear if everything would be accurate but the new owners now appear to be very serious about polishing up the faded gem in Central Harlem.  There will reportedly be 78,000 square foot of commercial space available when all finishes up and the building will pretty much look like the original design as can be seen in our past post: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2017

ARCHITECTURE: 306-310 WEST 142ND STREET

Harlem Bespoke: The development at 306-310 West 142nd Street broke ground back in April 2016 and now the 7-story building has revealed a new finished facade in the past month or so.  We walked by this block located just east of Edgecombe Avenue this week and marveled at the modern exterior which is a little more daring than a lot of other residential constructions in the area.  This address faces public housing so might be a hard sell for condos so 36 rental units might just become available in the coming months.   Read more about 306-310 West 142nd Street in our past post: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2017

CONSTRUCTION: 63 WEST 130TH STREET

Harlem Bespoke: Number 63 West 130th Street finally started a full renovation earlier in the year and now the construction site appears to have really picked up.  Instead of scaffolding, the largest plywood fence ever has now appeared on the entire front facade which is something we have not seen before.  DOB permits online still have the townhouse listed as a 13-unit building so it is still unclear what will end up happening to the historic building located on Astor row just west of Lenox Avenue.  To see what this shell sold for, check out our past post: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2017

REVIVE: 87 WEST 119TH STREET TOWNHOUSE

West 119th Street just east of Lenox Avenue still has a few townhouses that could use a touch up and Number 87 now appears to be going through a bit of makeover.  Records show that the former SRO building was sold back in 2013 for $1.2 million and exchanged ownership in 2015 before any of the work started up.  DOB permits online reveal that the beauty on the block with great bones will be reverted back into a single-family layout so the value of the building should really be elevated once everything finishes up in the near.   The address is also within the Mount Morris Park Historic District and close to the Whole Foods opening up on Lenox in July and thus the timing is pretty perfect for the developer or homeowner.

REVIVE: BELGIAN STONES IN MANHATTANVILLE

Harlem Bespoke:  One of the last places in Harlem that one can find intact Belgian stone used to be under the viaduct on 12th Avenue but all those historical details have been ripped out because of the new Columbia University construction in the immediate area.  Tracks for the 3rd Avenue train were once visible at this intersection but the new development in the area had everything removed.

All appears to have not been lost since the renovations of the public spaces around the campus appears to be recycling much of the stone that used to pave the streets of New York City before asphalt became popular.  We noticed construction workers adding belgian stones at certain intersections of West 125th Street and it appears this detail will be prevalent on the sidewalks of the new outdoor space in the viaduct valley that are currently finishing up.   For photos of those original 3rd Avenue tracks, check out our past post: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2017

SHOP: NEW COLORS AT 313-315 WEST 125TH STREET

Victorian purples appear to be out fashion these days and Number 313-315 West 125th Street has recently had another color makeover.  Harlem's rare cast iron building reminds us of those found in Soho and was renovated 5 years ago in brighter hues.  We walked by this section of 125th by St. Nicholas Avenue yesterday and noticed a more neutral palette had debuted

REVIVE: RENOVATIONS ON ASTOR ROW

Number 63 West 130th Street on the north side of Astor Row finally sold last year after being neglected for the past 16 years and apparently will received some much needed love.  Records on Streeteasy reveal that the past owner purchased the SRO just east of Lenox Avenue back in 2000 for $410K and the property finally exchanged ownership a year ago for $1.85 million.  A demo crew arrived on site this past week and a dumpster is currently out front which probably means a restoration is finally at hand.  Online DOB permits only show that a few partitions inside will be removed but still has the building listed as a 13-unit layout.

REVIVE: RESTORATION OR DEMOLITION ON 114TH?

The Randolph Houses on the south side of 114th Street have beautifully been renovated this year and it appears that everyone on the north side of the block just around the corner of FDB have been moved into the newly restored complex.  We noticed that the dilapidated north side brownstones were all empty and gated off this past week and wondered if the city plans to demolish the block or restore the property.  Another interesting point from this situation is that cash-strapped NYCHA can actually move residents into new accommodations and then re-develop older property.

This actually could be a future solution to transforming public housing since the deteriorating super block towers are not sustainable in the long run.  Moving renters into new buildings being built in the neighborhood and then redesigning the project which would provide more housing and storefronts that could help out with maintaining the building.  The city would also get an influx of funds from interested developers and everyone gets new affordable housing.  More on the Randolph Houses can be found in our past post: LINK

REVIVE: MYSTERIOUS HARLEM LOTS 2016

Even the though the uptown building boom has continued in 2016, it appears that there are quite a few mystery lots still in limbo in the neighborhood.  Number 2379 FDB was a boarded tenement building that actually was intact when the massive new construction went up next door by 128th Street back in 2010 but a couple of years later would be demolished.  Nothing has happened to the parcel since and one would imagine that the land is pretty valuable.  Does anyone have any tips on this particular situation?

RECYCLE: BROWNSTONE DOORS FOR SALE

A Bespoke reader in Central Harlem mentioned that they had original brownstone doors up for sale for anyone that might be interested in them for a restoration project.  Those who are interested should check out the details after the jump.

REVIVE: TWELVE STORY TOWER ON LENOX

The old building at 415 Lenox was demolished back in 1997 based on DOB records and the empty lot with the chain link fence has been vacant all this time but that might change soon.  Neighbors have been mentioning that a twelve-story tower is being planned for the site and some are not very amused by this news.

DEMOLITION: THE OLD FISH MARKET AT 140TH STREET

We reported back in May that the old fish market at the corner of 7th Avenue and 140th will not be around much longer and some major activity has been occurring on the site in the past couple of weeks.  Plywood fences were put up around the free standing building last week but more has just recently happened.

ARCHITECTURE: GLOBE LIGHTS AT PS186

The restoration of the former PS186 school building on 145th Street located just east of Broadway get better and better as the weeks go by.   We walked by the historic address that had been abandoned for decades this past weekend and noticed that the original globe light detail had been placed back out front right below the bust of Athena.  Many of the bigger complexes had similar illumination over 100 years ago but a majority of them were removed by mid century.  Hopefully everything will finish up by the end of the year and those who were lucky enough to win the housing lottery can eventually move in: LINK

REVIVE: BALUSTRADES RESTORATION ON STRIVERS

We have pointed out that the new condo development on the 8th Avenue side of Strivers Row will probably have do a more accurate restoration on the facade compared to the previous owner and now that appears to be coming about.  Walking by the block located between 138th and 139th Street in the past few weeks, one can see that scaffolding has been place out front and new balustrades can be seen on the roof were plain metal rails used to be in place.  Most of the other buildings in the historic micro-nabe still have the original architectural elements up top but somehow this part of the block had them replaced decades ago.  With that said, the other main issue is the gate in the middle which could also use an accurate replacement:  LINK

REVIVE: 226 WEST 132ND STREET FACADE

Number 226 West 132nd Street used to by one of the worst houses on the block for as long as we can remember but now the former SRO building is a shining example of what a good renovation looks like.  We walked by this block located between 7th and 8th Avenue yesterday and notice that all of the chipped paint had been removed from the facade and everything looks brand new.  A couple of decades ago, a more budget renovation might have just removed the cornice but nowadays the value of a complete restoration is in demand.  Since the brownstone is on the narrower side, the developer appears to be doing the right thing by converting it back to a single family layout.   Check out what this building looked like in our previous post: LINK

DEMOLITION: PROGRESS AT 2134 FDB

Scaffolding has been up at 2134 8th Avenue for quite some time and just in the 2-story commercial building is finally being demolished.  Word of mouth has it that new tower might rise at this location just south of 116th Street but permits posted online only show the actual demolition being planned which go back as far as 2013 in paperwork. One possible theory is that the property owner might just be removing the old building on the site so the land would be more attractive to developers but things are pretty unclear at this point in time.