NY Landmarks Conservancy

Dedicated to preserving, revitalizing, and reusing New York’s architecturally significant buildings. Learn more about us at www.nylandmarks.org

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The Woolworth Building transformed New York City's skyline and remains one of the most famous skyscrapers in the country. It is a Gothic marvel designed by architect Cass Gilbert for millionaire five-and-dime storeowner Frank W. Woolworth. Completed in 1913, the elegant structure was hailed as "the cathedral of commerce" and was the tallest building in the world until 1930.

The Woolworth Building was a showcase for modern technology at the time boasting a 792-foot steel frame set into some of the deepest bedrock in the city. It also featured high-speed elevator service, self-sustaining electrical power, heating and cooling, water supply, and fire protection.

The Woolworth Building was named a National Historic Landmark in 1966 and in 1983, a New York City Landmark. With its extensive terra cotta cladding and a dazzling interior this building is a must see.

Plan your visit to the Woolworth Building 233 Broadway, Lower Manhattan

PLEASE NOTE: The Lobby is not open to the general public, you must register online for a scheduled tour at woolworthtours.com - private or custom tours can be arranged by calling Helen Curry (Cass Gilbert's great granddaughter) at 203 966-9663.

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Take a look inside The Cloisters Museum & Gardens, a branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to the art, architecture, and artifacts of medieval Europe. The Cloisters is located in the midst of Fort Tryon Park in Upper Manhattan, overlooking the Hudson River.

The museum opened to the public in 1938 and was designed by architect Charles Collens to resemble a French Romanesque abbey. John D. Rockefeller Jr. donated the area for the park, the building and much of the collection.

Designated a City Landmark in 1974, The Cloisters Museum & Gardens is your chance to visit Europe without buying a plane ticket.

Watch the video, and then plan your visit. 

website: metmuseum.org/cloisters

phone: [phone]

Thank you to Egle Zygas, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Take a look inside this synagogue built for a small group of Romaniote Jews who trace thier roots to the town of Ionnina in northwestern Greece.

The Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue & Museum is located at 280 Broome Street within the Lower East Side of Manhattan. This small synagogue was built in 1927 and was designated a New York City Landmark in 2005.

The museum portion includes costumes from Janina, a large collection of alephs (distinctive hand-painted birth certificates), a literary center, and art gallery.

Watch the video, and then plan your visit. The museum operates from 11am to 4pm on Sundays by appointment. The synagogue is open for Saturday services at 9am and on holidays.

website: www.kkjsm.org phone: [phone] email: [email protected]

Thank you to Museum Director, Marcia Ikonomopoulos.

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The Gould Memorial Library and Hall of Fame are Beaux Arts Landmarks designed by the great Stanford White in 1899 and 1901. At the time, these structures were part of the uptown campus for New York University, which is now Bronx Community College. The library and Hall of Fame were designated City Landmarks in 1966, with the library interior following in 1981. This monumental space is richly detailed in marble, stone, mosaic, wood and bronze, with Tiffany glass highlights. It features a rotunda with Greek sculptures and a coffered dome. The Hall of Fame is part of a colonnade surrounding the library. The open terrace with Guastavino vaults and tile roof contains the busts of noted scientists, writers, politicians and many other important American figures. Watch the video, then plan your visit. More Information: 2155 University Avenue, Bronx NY The Gould Library and Hall of Fame are open to the public for self-guided tours daily, between the hours of 10:00am and 5:00pm and guided tours by appointment only. Two weeks advance notice is suggested. Admission is free for self-guided tours, but a $2.00 donation per person is encouraged. We would like to thank Bronx Community College and New York University.

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Surrogate's Court / Hall of Records

The former Hall of Records, now the Surrogate's Court was designed by John R. Thomas, with Horgan & Slattery in 1899 through 1907.

Designated a City Landmark in 1986, this Beaux Arts structure was a highlight of the City Beautiful movement. It is built of Maine granite and features more than fifty sculptures by Philip Martiny and Henry Kirke Bush-Browne.

The stunning interior contains a foyer with Siena marble walls and a vaulted mosaic ceiling by the artist William de Leftwich Dodge.

Also inside you will find the City Hall Library and Department of Records, both are open to the public with various exhibits and research archives.

More Information: Located at 31 Chambers Street in Manhattan. Office hours are weekdays 9am to 5pm. NYC Department of Records - nyc.gov/records

We want to thank The City of New York Department of Records & Information Services and their friendly staff for all of their assistance.

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Tourist In Your Own Town # 27 - Historic Richmond Town, Staten Island

The museum village of Historic Richmond Town displays three centuries of life on Staten Island. The buildings are a walk through time ... offering a look at how ordinary people lived and worked from Colonial times through the early 20th century.

Richmond Town is decorated beautifully for the holidays. But there are regular tours and special programs all year round. Watch our video, then plan your visit.

More Information: For Richmond Town holiday events, tours and general info visit historicrichmondtown.org

We want to thank the Staten Island Historical Society and their friendly staff for all of their assistance.

Historic Richmond Town is a joint project of the independent Staten Island Historical Society and the City of New York through the Department of Cultural Affairs, and is a member of the Historic House Trust.

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New York City Hall was completed in 1811 by John McComb Jr. and Joseph François Mangin and is the oldest City Hall in continuous use in the country. It is a City and National Landmark. City Hall offers regular tours of portions of the building including the Council Chambers. Watch our video, then plan your visit. For guided tours click here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/artcom/html/t... Thanks to Steve Fisher for several photo contributions. Landmarks Conservancy: Peg Breen, Rick Bruner.

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With more than 300 acres of lavish mausoleums and scenic landscapes, Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx is one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. Founded in 1863 by some of the City's most prominent citizens, Woodlawn tells the story of New York and the nation from the Industrial Age through today. Virtually every industry, class, religion, and ethnicity is represented by the veritable "Who's Who of American History", reflecting stories of art and engineering, industrialization, cultural and societal development. Woodlawn also contains some of the finest examples of memorial architecture and funerary art in the nation. Acclaimed architects such as McKim, Mead & White, Carrére & Hastings, Daniel Chester French and John Russell Pope designed some of Woodlawn's 1,300 significant monuments and mausoleums. Notable and gorgeous examples of Art Nouveau, Egyptian Revival, Greek Revival and Romanesque Revival design abound. Woodlawn Cemetery was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2011 and celebrates its 150th Anniversary this year. Location: 517 East 233rd Street, Bronx, NY Accessible by Subway (2, 4, and 5 lines) and Metro North. For more information, visit www.thewoodlawncemtery.org

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Lost New York - 50 Years Since the Demolition of Penn Station “Until the first blow fell, no one was convinced that Penn Station would be demolished, or that New York would permit this monumental act of vandalism against one of the largest and finest landmarks of its age … ” - New York Times: “Farewell to Penn Station”, October 30, 1963 To appreciate some of the outstanding buildings that have been destroyed by acts either deliberate or natural, this month we’ll explore Lost New York. The demolition of the original Penn Station 50 years ago ignited a firestorm. McKim, Mead and White’s soaring 1910 Beaux-Arts masterpiece was constructed of pink granite with an oversized façade of 84 Doric columns … the magnificently proportioned concourse provided a breathtaking, monumental entrance to the City. Yale architectural historian Vincent Scully wrote: “One entered the city like a god …” The dismantling of this grand structure left a deep and lasting wound on the cultural consciousness of the City and became the rallying cry for a group of concerned and passionate New Yorkers. They vowed there’d never be “another Penn Station.” This citizen brigade became highly mobilized and pressed for new laws to prevent such destruction again. The ground-breaking New York City Landmarks Law was signed by Mayor Robert Wagner two years later in April of 1965. Since then landmark protection status has been granted to 1,334 individual landmarks, 116 interior landmarks, 10 scenic landmarks, 109 historic districts and 20 historic district extensions throughout the five boroughs. Roughly 4% of the buildings in New York are currently designated as landmarks.

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The Hispanic Society of America is located at Audubon Terrace in Upper Manhattan. This historic landmark complex at 155th Street sits on the former estate of artist and naturalist, John James Audubon. The complex was conceived by Archer M. Huntington who founded the Hispanic Society in 1904. He commissioned his cousin Charles P. Huntington to design a gallery and library, which contains thousands of manuscripts and rare books. The gallery houses an astonishing collection of world-class art; there are major paintings by Goya, Velazques, El Greco, and Sorolla. There are sculptures, furniture, textiles, iron work and more. Watch our video, then plan your visit. Location: Located at Audubon Terrace between 155th and 156 streets. For more information, visit www.hispanicsociety.org.

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Riverside Park stretches over four miles from 59th to 158th streets along the Hudson River. With its sloping lawns and stately trees, it is one of Manhattan's most spectacular waterfront parks. From 72nd Street north it's a scenic landmark, with views that range from distinguished buildings and statues to playgrounds and river boats. Frederick Law Olmsted laid out the first plans for the park in the 1870s which included the beautifully landscaped Riverside Drive. Since then, it has acquired some of New York's finest monuments. The most prominent of these are Grant's Tomb and the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument.

There is so much to see and explore at Riverside Park. Watch our video, then make your own plans to visit.

Location: Upper West Side of Manhattan, along the Hudson River from 59th to 158th streets. For more information, visit riversideparknyc.org.

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During the 1930's and in the midst of the Great Depression, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. financed the construction of the Rockefeller Center complex, originally consisting of 14 Art Deco buildings. Of course everybody knows about the famous Christmas tree and skating rink, but take a closer look around at the original limestone buildings and how they incorporate beautiful pieces of public art. Statues, murals, and bas-relief sculptures by famous artists are on public display for New Yorkers and visitors alike to enjoy. Location: Midtown Manhattan. The complex spans from 48th to 51st Street and between 5th and 6th Avenue.  http://www.rockefellercenter.com There are regular ticketed tours of the complex, Top of the Rock Observation Deck, and Radio City Music Hall, but a simple stroll through the urban space will easily show you why this is a unique Historic Landmark.

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Peter Lefferts built this Dutch Colonial farmhouse around 1783. It was originally located on Flatbush Avenue, but it was moved to Prospect Park in 1918 to save it from demolition. Designated as a City Landmark in 1966, it is now a museum specializing in children's educational programs. Visitors to the Lefferts House have the opportunity to experience 18th century farming life from the Village of Flatbush. Families also participate in games, craft activities such as candle making, sewing, butter churning, and making fire with flint and steel. Special weekend programs and seasonal festivals are also offered. All of this for only a $3 suggested donation. During the summer they are open Thursdays through Sundays 12-5pm (until 6pm in July & August). Location: Lefferts Historic House is located at the Children's Corner of Prospect Park, inside the Willink entrance (intersection of Ocean and Flatbush Avenues and Empire Boulevard). http://www.prospectpark.org/lefferts Lefferts Historic House is owned by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, operated by the Prospect Park Alliance, and is a member of the Historic House Trust. Video: Rick Bruner, The New York Landmarks Conservancy.

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The Museum at Eldridge Street is housed in an 1887 restored synagogue located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. This awe-inspiring Moorish, Gothic and Romanesque building was the first great house of worship built by Eastern European Jews settling in New York. After a 20-year restoration campaign, the sanctuary now holds tours, education and cultural events.  Visit http://www.eldridgestreet.org and plan your gasp-inducing adventure.

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For many New Yorkers, June means the arrival of ... tourist season, so we are making a bucket list for must-see landmarks. What’s your favorite New York City landmark?

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Verizon Building lobby (interior and exterior landmark) at 140 West Street in Lower Manhattan. Restoration work after Sandy and 9/11 by Evergreene Architectural Arts. The Conservancy helped by providing technical and advisory services.

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Tourist In Your Own Town #19 - Alice Austen House