SoHo today is home to the world’s greatest trove of cast-iron buildings. This tour considers the district’s original architecture as well as new Commission-approved additions.
The great Broadway theaters are stunning works of art in themselves as well as monuments to the lively history of American theater. During the 1980s, their fate hung in balance as the city sought redevelopment to clean up Times Square. The Landmarks Commission designated most of the surviving theaters, many of which have since undergone major restorations. Your guide led the staff effort to document the theaters’ architecture and history.
Reservations required. Tour of the Woolworth Building lobby, closed to the public for more than a decade and now open again. The tour includes a detailed look at the building’s unmatched polychromatic terra-cotta exterior, and an in-depth exploration of the lobby and its wealth of ornament, including hidden corners and staircases — plus a special visit to the mezzanine level for an up-close view of its extraordinary mosaic ceiling.
Reservations required. Tour of the Woolworth Building lobby, closed to the public for more than a decade and now open again. The tour includes a detailed look at the building’s unmatched polychromatic terra-cotta exterior, and an in-depth exploration of the lobby and its wealth of ornament, including hidden corners and staircases — plus a special visit to the mezzanine level for an up-close view of its extraordinary mosaic ceiling.
On February 1st, 1913, the brand-new Grand Central Terminal opened its doors to an admiring public. On February 1st, 2013, the beautifully restored Terminal – rescued from destruction by a seminal 1978 Supreme Court decision – celebrated its Centennial, accompanied by exhibitions, events, and a new book:Â Grand Central Terminal: 100 Years of a New York […]
Reservations required. Tour of the Woolworth Building lobby, closed to the public for more than a decade and now open again. The tour includes a detailed look at the building’s unmatched polychromatic terra-cotta exterior, and an in-depth exploration of the lobby and its wealth of ornament, including hidden corners and staircases — plus a special visit to the mezzanine level for an up-close view of its extraordinary mosaic ceiling.
The Empire State Building and the Sears Tower still rank among the world’s tallest and most famous buildings. In the 20th century, it was the American skyscraper that regularly pushed the limit – from the Singer, Met Life and Woolworth buildings to the Chrysler and the Empire State, and eventually the World Trade Center and Sears Tower. Plans for the World Trade Center site have focused worldwide attention on such monuments, raising the question: why so high?
On February 1, 2013, the beautifully restored Grand Central Terminal celebrated its centennial, accompanied by exhibitions, events and the new book, Grand Central Terminal: 100 Years of a New York Landmark. The terminal’s creation combined engineering bravado, technological wizardry and real estate savvy with innovative planning and Paris-inspired Beaux-Arts design. This illustrated lecture brings the terminal to life – its remarkable history, stunning architecture and central role in creating Midtown Manhattan. Free and open to the public.