Fall 2011
The Evolution of the Modern Townhouse
Sunday, November 13th
1:00pm
Tour meets on the SE corner of Madison Avenue and East 74th Street
$10 members, $15 non-members
Join FRIENDS on a walking tour of five Upper East Side residences that eschew the architectural tradition of their neighborhood led by Theodore Prudon, President of Docomomo US and a leading expert on the preservation of modern architecture.
Between the 1930s and the 1970s, several prominent architects pushed the boundaries of residential architecture by designing town houses characterized by bold architectural moves and innovative materials within the new International style vocabulary. Although quite radical for their time, the homes received a great deal of favorable attention when completed and are now viewed as outstanding examples of American architecture. Discover these masterpieces and gain a greater appreciation of how the modern town house has evolved within the landscape of New York City and the Upper East Side.
Included on this tour are William Lescaze’s groundbreaking Kramer House (1934) and the Norman House (1940). Also discussed will be Edward Durell Stone’s own town house (1956), Paul Rudolph’s converted stable (1968) that was made infamous as the hyper elegant bachelor pad of Halston, as well as the proto-Postmodern private home (1976) designed by Robert A. M. Stern.
Co-sponsored by Docomomo US.
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Environmental Aerie at Regis High School
Tuesday, October 4th
6:00pm
Regis High School
55 East 84th Street
Explore one of New York City’s largest green roofs with this special tour of Regis High School’s rooftop gardens. Tucked away above Regis’ stately, landmark designated façade, this mini-ecosystem includes native grasses, solar panels, an astronomical observatory, apiaries, and herb gardens that supply the school’s cafeteria. Joining us to discuss the design and the environmental benefits of the green roof will be the roof’s designer, Amy Norquist of Greensulate, and Father Philip G. Judge, S.J., president of Regis High School. After the tour, stay and enjoy the gardens during a short wine reception.
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Eighth Annual Ambassador to the Upper East Side Award Dinner honoring RICHARD RAVITCH
Thursday, September 15th, 2011 The Colony Club 564 Park AvenuePlease join us as we proudly honor Richard Ravitch at our Eighth Annual Ambassador to the Upper East Side Award Dinner. Mr. Ravitch is a lawyer, public official and businessman with a long and distinguished career in both the public and private sector. In addition to serving as the Chairman and CEO of HRH Construction Corporation and Chairman and CEO of the Bowery Savings Bank, he has devoted over 40 years to public service, shaping a diverse range of urban policy from affordable housing to transportation infrastructure. He has served as Chairman of the New York State Urban Development Corporation, Chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Chairman of the Charter Revision Commission of the City of New York, and Co-Chair of the Millennial Housing Commission. Most recently, he served as Lieutenant Governor of the State of New York. Mr. Ravitch is a long-time resident of the Upper East Side.
Spring 2011
An East River View: Yacht Tour
Tuesday, June 14th
5:30pm Boarding, 6:00pm Departure, 9:00pm Return
Yacht departs and returns to the Skyport Marina
East 23rd Street & FDR Drive
Join FRIENDS for an exclusive tour of the Upper East Side from the waters of the East River aboard the aptly-named Lexington. With gleaming wooden handrails, teak decks and mahogany interiors, you could not ask for a more stylish or unique perspective of the Upper East Side. Francis Morrone, renowned architectural historian, will lead this special tour of the landmarks that line the river’s shore, including rarely seen views of the United Nations, Sutton Place, Rockefeller University, New York Hospital, the Queensboro Bridge, and Gracie Mansion. As the yacht circles Roosevelt Island, enjoy the sunset, socialize, and listen as the city’s history comes alive over cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a buffet dinner.
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From the LES to the UES: A Tour of Two Synagogues
Sunday, May 1st 3:00 p.m. Eldridge Street Synagogue 12 Eldridge Street Sunday, May 15th 3:00 p.m. Temple Emanu-El 1 East 65th StreetJoin FRIENDS for a unique journey through two of the most spectacular synagogues in New York City. This two-part tour begins on May 1st with a special behind-the-scenes look at the Eldridge Street Synagogue, one of the earliest surviving houses of worship erected by Eastern European Jews in the United States. Built in 1887, this exuberantly designed Moorish Revival building proudly declared the religious freedom and economic aspirations of a thriving immigrant community. This visit will explore the synagogue’s role as one of the epicenters of Jewish life on the Lower East Side, as well as the story of its award-winning architectural restoration.
The journey continues on May 15th with a private tour of the Upper East Side’s Temple Emanu-El. Built in 1929, the temple is an elegant Art Deco masterpiece and the largest Jewish house of worship in the world. Designed by the era’s leading craftspeople, employing some of the world’s finest materials, the temple boasts shimmering Hildreth Meière mosaics which merge Jewish iconography with an Art Deco flair. The tour will lead us through the captivating history of the congregation’s rise to prominence from a humble space (mere blocks away from the Eldridge Street Synagogue), while also exploring the lavishly appointed interiors.
Don’t miss this special opportunity to discover both of these beautiful buildings, and unearth the surprising details that tie their histories together!
____________________________________________________________________The Finest Rooms in America: 50 Influential Interiors
Thursday, April 7th 6:30 p.m. St. James’ Church, Sunderland Hall 865 Madison AvenueThomas Jayne, a preeminent scholar and practitioner of interior design, will discuss his new book The Finest Rooms in America: 50 Influential Interiors from the 18th Century to the Present. With luxurious photographs and engaging writing, Jayne has captured a definitive record of the finest in American interiors, from the Tea Room at Jefferson’s Monticello to Albert Hadley’s modernist Upper East Side sitting room. In his lecture Mr. Jayne will present his favorite spaces, analyzing each room in their context and identifying the elements that contribute to the design’s visual success.
Celebrating Lexington Avenue
Wednesday, March 30th 5:30 p.m. Southwest corner of Lexington Avenue & East 76th StreetCelebrate the one year anniversary of the Upper East Side Historic District Expansion with a walking tour of one of New York City’s great main streets! Franny Eberhart, Chair of the Preservation Committee at FRIENDS, will guide us through the new and improved district which now includes a delightful mix of quirky carriage houses, humble rowhouses, grand townhouses and stately apartment buildings. We will share Lexington Avenue’s fascinating history of development, as well as the triumphs and travails of this decade-long preservation battle. Come see what FRIENDS has fought so hard to protect!
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2011 Annual Meeting & Awards Ceremony
Tuesday, March 15thRenaissance Award
Central Park Conservancy: Ancient Playground & the Osborn Gates
Archi-teacher Award
Jane Cowan
Sustainability Award
Regis High School: Green Roof
Advocacy Award
Council Member Dan Garodnick
Restoration Award
Roosevelt Island Historical Society: Roosevelt Island Visitor Center Kiosk
Technology Award
Museum of the City of New York: Collections Portal
Fall 2010
Triumvirate: McKim, Mead & White: Art, Architecture and Scandal in America’s Gilded Age
Wednesday, November 17th, 2010 at 6:30 St. James’ Church, Sunderland Hall – 865 Madison AvenueMosette Broderick, Director of the Urban Design and Architecture Studies Program and the Historical and Sustainable Architecture M.A. Program at New York University, will discuss her new book, Triumvirate: McKim, Mead & White. Known for their distinguished Beaux-Arts designs and an allegiance to the City Beautiful movement, the firm was responsible for many of New York City’s greatest landmarks: the Arch at Washington Square Park, the Columbia University campus, the Manhattan Municipal Building, the Brooklyn Museum, the James A. Farley Post Office and the much-loved Pennsylvania Station. In addition to their public commissions, the firm’s client list included America’s greatest financiers and magnates. “Triumvirate is a book about America in its industrial transition; about money and class, about the education of an unsophisticated young country, and about the coming of artists as an accepted class in American society.”
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Magnificent Museum Mile Walking Tour
Journey with us along New York City’s famed Museum Mile discovering that the history of a museum can be as intriguing as the art and artifacts that it contains. Led by museum educator EY Zipris, our walk will begin with an examination of the former James B. and Nanaline Duke House, currently the New York University Institute of the Fine Arts. We will then travel north to study the architecture of several museums on Fifth Avenue, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, the National Academy of Art, and the Neue Galerie New York. Along the way we will discuss the development of upper Manhattan during the Gilded Age and the various ways that Central Park has mirrored urban movement and change since its creation.
Spring 2010
Walking A Line: Public or Private Space?
Walking TourSaturday, May 15th
10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Please meet in front of the library at 1465 York Avenue, between 77th and 78th Streets
Museum Mile Revealed- POSTPONED DUE TO RAIN
Meet at the northeast corner of 70th Street and 5th Avenue
Celebrate with FRIENDS at our 27th Annual Awards Ceremony!
6:00-8:00 p.m. Bohemian National Hall, Ballroom 321 East 73rd Street
We are pleased to hold our Twenty-seventh Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony in the stunning ballroom at Bohemian National Hall. Built in 1896, this Renaissance Revival building is a rare survivor of social halls built in the late nineteenth century for New York City’s burgeoning immigrant population. This magnificent building received our Renaissance Award in 2009. Each year, FRIENDS recognized fine restoration, renovation, and advocacy work on the Upper East Side, both in and out of the historic districts. Please join FRIENDS and our awardees for this wonderful event and a reception following the ceremony.
2010 Awardees
Church of St. Monica
413 East 79th Street
Interior Restoration Award
Richard Morris Hunt Carriage House
166 East 73rd Street
Restoration Award
717-719 Madison Avenue
Storefront Award
The Row House Reborn: Architecture and Neighborhoods in New York City, 1908–1929
by Andrew Scott Dolkart
Publication Award
Convent of the Sacred Heart
1 East 91st Street
Restoration Award
Rescheduled for Wednesday, March 10th
St. James Church, Sunderland Hall
865 Madison Avenue (between 71st and 72nd Street- use Parish Hall entrance on Madison Avenue)
How is New York City at the forefront of environmental design efforts? Architect Jean Parker Phifer, who recently published Public Art New York and teaches environmental design at NYU, will discuss what makes New York one of the most sustainable cities in the country and the challenges we face moving forward. This talk will explore urban infrastructure, historic buildings and recent LEED rated designs, as well as examine the integration of greenery and art into sustainable public space. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Click to read more about the book: Public Art New York. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Fall 2009
The Architecture of Grosvenor Atterbury
Thursday, December 3rd at 6:30 p.m.All Souls Church, 1157 Lexington Avenue (at 80th Street)
1st floor chapel
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Restoring a House in the City
Thursday, November 5th at 6:30 p.m. Book signing to follow.Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
2 East 91st Street
In collaboration with the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, FRIENDS invites you to an evening with Ingrid Abramovitch, author of Restoring a House in the City, a new book about renovating and decorating townhouses and brownstones. Abramovitch, a former editor at House & Garden who writes widely on design and architecture for magazines including Elle Décor, will give a slide presentation with a selection of photographs of the 21 houses in the book, including the New York City homes of actress Julianne Moore and Marc Jacobs’ president Robert Duffy. She will also offer ideas and advice for renovating or decorating any older apartment or home.
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The Rowhouse Reborn
Tuesday, October 20th at 6:30 p.m. Wine reception to follow.
The Grolier Club, 47 East 60th Street
Wednesday, September 30th at 5:30 pm
Please meet at the northwest corner of East 88th Street and Lexington Avenue
Back by popular demand! Join Board Member Franny Eberhart as she shares her extensive knowledge about the Rhinelander Family on a walk in Yorkville. Germans, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Poles, Irish, and Jewish Europeans all settled in Yorkville in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries. One of the earliest immigrant families from Europe, the Rhinelanders immigrated to New York in the late 17th century to escape religious persecution. They prospered in their new country and eventually created a rich architectural legacy in this new immigrant neighborhood. The tour will begin in the Hardenbergh/Rhinelander Historic District and conclude at the Church of the Holy Trinity.
Chair of the New York City Planning Commission and Director of the Department of City Planning
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Please join us as we honor Amanda M. Burden, Chair of the New York City Planning Commission and Director of the Department of City Planning. Since her appointment by Mayor Bloomberg in 2002, Ms. Burden has spearheaded the largest planning effort in the city since 1961, setting the stage for sustainable development, reclaiming New York’s waterfront, designing new parkland and public spaces such as the High Line, and promoting great architecture and urban design in all five boroughs.
Spring 2009
Exploring Lexington Avenue
Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 11 a.m.Wednesday, June 3, 2009 at 12:30 p.m.
Please meet at the southwest corner of Lexington Ave. and East 76th St.
Walk with FRIENDS to discover the priceless and endangered architectural treasures of Lexington Avenue on the Upper East Side. Highlights include 19th century rowhouses, stately apartment buildings, charming turn-of-the-century stables and the legendary Barbizon Hotel for Women. FRIENDS continues to advocate for the historic designation of this cherished and vulnerable neighborhood to protect these low-scale and historic blocks from inappropriate and out-of-scale development.
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Building Fun ~ A Family Tour
10-11:30 a.m.
Please meet at the northwest corner of 80th St. and 3rd Ave.
Spend a morning on Mother’s Day weekend with your family and FRIENDS as we discover how buildings can talk! How old are they? What are they used for? What are they made of? This fun walking tour will explore a few beautiful blocks and teach basic architectural vocabulary to all ages. We will briefly share some Upper East Side history, and then we will set off on a scavenger hunt for lintels, cornices, gargoyles and more.
This walking tour is ideal for ages 7-10, but younger siblings are welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
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Immigrant Success and Philanthropy- A Walking Tour
Wednesday, April 22, 20096:00 p.m.
Please meet at the northwest corner of East 88th St. and Lexington Ave.
FRIENDS invites you to explore Immigrant Heritage Week in Yorkville. Germans, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Poles, Irish and Jewish Europeans all settled in Yorkville in the late 19th and early 20thcenturies. One of the earliest immigrant families from Europe, the Rhinelander family, immigrated to New York in the late 17thcentury to escape religious persecution. They prospered in their new country, and eventually created a rich architectural legacy in this new immigrant neighborhood. The tour will begin in the Hardenbergh/Rhinelander Historic District and conclude at the Church of the Holy Trinity.
This tour is free in honor of Mayor Bloomberg’s Immigrant Heritage Week; reservations are required.
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643 Park Avenue
6:30 p.m, cocktail reception to follow
We invite our most generous members to join us for a behind the scenes look at the magnificent Seventh Regiment Armory. This unforgettable evening will include a tour of the stunning interiors and a talk by renowned author and architect, Samuel White, who architecture firm, Platt Byard Dovell White, is currently performing an extensive restoration of this historic building. Mr. White, a great-grandson of Stanford White, will share his great grandfather’s storied connection to the Armory and discuss his new book, Stanford White, Architect.
Best Friend Membership level required. To inquire about Best Friend Membership, please contact our office at 212-535-2526.
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Celebrate with FRIENDS at our 26th Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony!
Monday, March 16, 20096:00-8:00 p.m.
New York School of Interior Design
170 East 70th Street
2009 AWARDEES
The ARCHI-TEACHER AWARDwill be presented by Council Member Daniel Garodnick to Paula Rogovin, a first-grade teacher at Public School 290. Ms. Rogovin is being honored as an early supporter of our YOUNG FRIENDS education program and for her passion and dedication to teaching children about architecture and the built environment.
The CRAFTSMAN AWARDwill be presented to Elaine Weitzen, longtime owner and curator of the Parge House at 866 Lexington Avenue. Ms. Weitzenwill receive the award along with the craftsman who is working to restore this treasured New York City home located within the proposed expansion of the Upper East Side Historic District.
The RENAISSANCE AWARD will be presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and the architecture team behind the renovations of Bohemian National Hall at 321 East 73rd Street. This international group is being recognized for the impressive contemporary renovation of this storied building’s interiors and its rebirth as a neighborhood cultural center.
The EXTRA-MILE AWARDwill be presented to the owners andcraftsmen behind the terra-cotta restoration and replacement of balconies and details at 525 Park Avenue, an undesignated neo-Renaissance style apartment house.
The RESTORATION AWARDwill be presented to the architecture team and owners of 162 East 70th Street for their vision in restoring a badly altered Italianate rowhouse into a meticulously restored 19th-century brownstone, with no detail left unfinished.____________________________________________________________________
Historic Districts and International Tourism- A Lecture with Mary Kay Judy
Wednesday, March 4th, 20096:30pm
Neighborhood Preservation Center
232 East 11th Street
New York City’s historic districts and individual landmarks create an ambiance engaging to the tourist and vital to economic development. Incredibly, New York City has only one World Heritage Site, the Statue of Liberty. Tourism and the economic benefits of preservation were specifically cited in upholding the New York City Landmarks Law in the 1978 Grand Central Supreme Court decision. This presentation by architectural conservator Mary Kay Judy will discuss how the New York City Landmarks Law and UNESCO World Heritage Listing compare internationally.
This event is co-sponsored by the Neighborhood Preservation Center and Historic Districts Council
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Unexpected New York
Wednesday, February 4th6:30 p.m., reception to follow St. James’ Church, 865 Madison Avenue
Please join us for an evening filled with discovery as author and photographer Chester Burger regales us with hidden tales that lie all around us in New York City’s architecture. Mr. Burger, a native New Yorker, will share stories from his recent book, Unexpected New York- 87 Discoveries in Familiar Places. Copies will be available for purchase and signing.
2008
FRIENDS FALL 2008 BENEFIT
The Fifth Annual “Ambassador” to the Upper East Side Award Dinner honoring Liz Smith, Monday, September 22, 2008.
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FRIENDS’ Twenty-fifth Annual Meeting and Awards CeremonyTuesday March 18, 2008, 6:00 p.m.
New York School of Interior Design 170 East 70th Street, 6-8 p.m
HONOREES:
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Restoration Award: Bethesda Terrace Arcade, Central Park
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Advocacy Award: Councilwoman Jessica Lappin
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Hats Off Award: 1046 Madison Avenue and 145 East 74th Street
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Restoration Award: 167 East 73rd Street
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Preserving Classic New York Award:Café Carlyle
2007
FRIENDS FALL 2007 BENEFIT
The Fourth Annual “Ambassador” to the Upper East Side Award to Peter Pennoyer,
Architect and Author. Wednesday, September 26, 2007.
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FRIENDS co-sponsors First Annual NYC Preservation Lobby Day
May 9, 2007 12 p.m. on the steps of City Hall
Friends of the Upper East Side Historic Districts, together with a coalition of over 30 preservation groups, is seeking a $1 million increase to the LPC’s FY 2008 budget. This would allow the LPC to restore staffing to its 1991 level and to effectively protect New York ‘s valuable historic buildings and neighborhoods.
2006
FRIENDS FALL 2006 BENEFIT
The Third Annual “Ambassador” to the Upper East Side Award to Emily K. Rafferty, President, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Tuesday, September 26, 2006.
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FRIENDS co-sponsors City Council Districts 5 and 6 Debates.
Read the transcript of the debate
