Terra Cotta Dreamin’ PLUS The 1970s and the Wild, Wild Upper Westside

BROKERS: This course approved for 3.0 hours of continuing education credits!
Tuesday, April 17th, 9:30am-12:30pm
Macaulay Honors College, 35 W. 67th Street  2nd Floor Screening Room

What was it REALLY like on the UWS in the 1970s? Award-winning architect and preservationist Joseph Pell Lombardi knows, and will share his exciting tales of revival and rejuvenation from the days when the Upper West Side was truly “the Wild West”. By the late 1940s on the UWS, aging housing stock, landlord neglect, and pressure on the low-end of the housing market had resulted in the subdivision of apartments into ever-smaller units and the conversion of many brownstones to rooming houses. Twenty years on, though, adventurous individuals began restoring rundown row houses back to single family homes–and Lombardi was there to help. He was amazed to uncover, hidden beneath severe disrepair and shabbiness, the homes’ formerly grand architectural features. Rooms that had been hastily cut up soon revealed their original structure, woodwork, ornamental detail, and more. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear the personal restoration recollections of one of the city’s finest architectural preservationists!

Terra-Cotta is one of the Upper West Side’s most beloved materials: think the Aztec-inspired terra cotta on the Cliff Dwelling at 96th Street or the richly designed terra cotta panels of Chester Court on W. 89th.  Expert Susan Tunick takes us on an UWS journey bursting with the beauty and artistry of terra cotta.  We’ll learn how the material is manufactured, its early use on UWS buildings such as the Pythian Temple, with its polychrome terra-cotta decorations, and the changes in building technology which helped lead to the great popularity of terra cotta during the early part of the 20th century–especially on many striking UWS buildings. Through a wealth of gorgeous photos, we’ll learn how to identify terra cotta, one of the best kept secrets in New York for its ability to mimic the look of granite or limestone.  Remarkable examples abound on the Upper West Side, including the distinctive apartment houses at 838 West End Avenue designed by the firm of George & Edward Blum.  We’ll explore how these and many other terra cotta and tile buildings have contributed to the richness and beauty of the neighborhood’s architecture.

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