Thirty-two row houses stand before us. These are part of the Riverside Drive-West 80th Street Historic District. This district whispers tales of late 19th-century Manhattan. It shows a glimpse into a time when single-family homes lined these streets.
Let’s step back in time. Imagine the Upper West Side before towering apartments. This area was once part of Bloomingdale Farm. Francis Price bought the land in 1827. He surveyed it into lots. Yet, development was slow until the late 1800s.
The creation of Riverside Park and Drive spurred growth. Frederick Law Olmsted designed the park. His plan used the land’s natural curves. Construction started in 1876 and finished in 1900. The area became a desirable neighborhood.
The Riverside Drive-West 80th Street Historic District took shape. Most houses arose in the 1890s. Architects Charles H. Israels and Clarence F. True shaped the district. Israels built five row houses on West 81st Street in 1892. He built them for Jewish developer Bernard S. Levy. Israels added six more houses on West 80th Street in 1894. True designed twenty-one townhouses from 1897 to 1899. He influenced lower Riverside Drive’s development.
The architecture draws from Beaux-Arts style. McKim, Mead & White influenced this style. The designs show freedom and picturesque details. Bow fronts and oriels add charm. Parapets and chimneys dot the skyline. Roman brick and brownstone decorate the facades. Leaded-glass windows catch the light. Terra cotta and wrought iron add elegance.
These row houses were built on speculation. They started as three or four-story single-family homes. Many are now apartments. Turn-of-the-century tenements add variety. A neo-Classical apartment building from the 1920s completes the district.
Designated in 1985 the Riverside Drive-West 80th Street Historic District is now a local and national historic district. It stands as a reminder of Manhattan’s architectural evolution. It showcases the transition from single-family row houses to modern apartments. The district preserves a unique chapter in Upper West Side history.
As we leave the Riverside Drive-West 80th Street Historic District consider its enduring appeal. The architecture continues to inspire. It reminds us of a time when craftsmanship and design shaped New York City’s landscape.