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History of Harlem's Architecture There are a lot of various controversial statements about Harlem, this community has always been considered somewhat dangerous by the white inhabitants of New York, who were unwilling even to walk through it sometimes. However, the history of Harlem is rather interesting, there were a lot of events, which influenced the lifestyles of Harlem's inhabitants and also had a profound impact on the countrys history as a whole. The history of Harlem's architecture is closely related to the history of Harlem at large, since as the population of that district changed, so did the architecture, marking the transition from the solely white neighborhood from the very beginning to the almost completely black neighborhood it is now. Harlem is a community located in the Northern part of Manhattan; the name came from the city in Netherlands, which was the home of the farmers who settled there in the 1600 s.
By 1800 s, the area also became home for some of the New Yorks most prominent families, who had their estates built there. Those states were built in different architectural styles, thus Harlem's architecture of that period could be considered one of the most diverse throughout the whole city. Harlem, however, remained mostly rural area until 1880 s, when building of the railroad transformed it into more densely populated area and marked a turning point in its history. It also marked the transition to more simple architectural styles, the houses and other structures were built more with regard to functionality than to architecture and design. Harlem is known as mostly black community nowadays, and the reason for that are several events, which occurred in the early 1900 s. The race riots were the primary reason why a lot of black New Yorkers started to look for a different place to live, since they were afraid to lose not only their property but also their lives.
A couple of the real estate brokers, who were willing to make substantial profits out of black peoples misery, convinced the owners of the Harlem located property to rent it to blacks. Certainly, the architectural value of most of the Harlem's buildings started to decrease significantly, due to the fact that African American families frequently lived in numbers so large, that the buildings were deteriorated in a really fast manner. The period from 1908 to 1920 became the turning point in the history of Harlem, during that time span it has become a primarily black community, and whites started to avoid it. For years we have heard that Harlem and the subsequent revitalization of Harlem was right around the corner. But now, with celebrities like Harrison Ford dropping by little known clubs to listen to jazz, and with New Yorkers of all backgrounds competing for the neighborhood's historic townhouses, it becomes clear that the transformation of Harlem is upon us. Harlem has become an attraction for international tourists; restaurants and jazz clubs are packed; and retail services are beginning to increase.
Charles H. Green thal & Co. opened a residential sales office at 125 th Street to accommodate the extraordinary interest in Harlem, which may well be the hot residential neighborhood of the next 10 years. Certainly, due to this high interest in Harlem's property, the architectural significance of many buildings and structures becomes more important now. The unbelievably tight Manhattan residential market, the increase in safety and quality of life throughout the City, and the historic architecture in Harlem have combined to make this neighborhood a very attractive alternative. Not surprisingly, prices for Harlem townhouses are increasing, especially in the area's historic pockets.
Astor Row, located on the south side of 130 th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, features 28 brick homes with distinct Savannah-style porches and gardens in both the front and rear. Each home is 25 feet wide and approximately 55 feet deep on a 100 -foot lot, with three stories and a basement. In 1992, the homes that form Astor Row were placed on New York City's list of historical landmarks in an effort to save the structures from deterioration. At the same time, New York City launched a publicly funded revitalization program for the homes' intricately constructed porches. More than half of the homes, which were built on land owned by William Astor in the late 1800 's, have been sold and renovated. A shell on Astor Row recently sold for $ 220, 000, and renovated homes on this street are selling for $ 450, 000, which is still another proof that Harlem's architecture is now being appreciated by the population.
Hamilton Heights, a historic district located to the north of City College and east of Amsterdam Avenue between 135 th and 139 th streets, includes row houses and churches built between 1886 and 1906. The area, once part of Alexander Hamilton's estate, boasts a variety of architectural styles, from Northern Renaissance and Beaux-Arts to Queen Anne-style. For approximately $ 650, 000, the cost of an ordinary three-bedroom apartment in established Manhattan neighborhoods, a family can own a historic six-story townhouse in Hamilton Heights. Step below 96 th Street and the same home would cost $ 5 million or more.
Directly to the east of Columbia University and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine is Morningside Park. Running along the park south of 125 th Street is a collection of beautiful brownstone townhouses in varying conditions. These homes, which are selling quickly; run from $ 300, 000 for a shell to more than $ 450, 000 for those in pristine condition. Among the many features of Harlem are space, architectural detail and easy access by mass transit. Harlem is also a powerful brand that will lend to the value of real estate in the future.
The neighborhood becomes particularly attractive when you consider that the strength of the Manhattan residential market will very likely continue throughout 2000 and beyond. And soon to be added to Harlem's cultural and architectural scene is the National Black Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame, a museum dedicated to honoring the greatest African-American artists and athletes. The brainchild of Max Roach, Harry Belafonte and Quincy Jones, each of whom has ties to Harlem, the plans for the Hall of Fame, as well as the names of its 24 initial inductees, was scheduled to be unveiled at another esteemed Harlem's architectural institution, Aaron Davis Hall. Despite the fact that Harlem's architectural sites are highly valued right now by the experts, the buildings are actually deteriorating quite fast, thus the future of Harlem's architecture is in a rather grave situation. The rather controversial treatment of Harlem's architecture is criticized by many, especially if we are to compare the treatment of architectural sites in Harlem and Upper East Side, which is located close to Harlem. Since Upper East Side has traditionally been a district where the families of white elite lived, it is no wonder that the buildings in the district are cared for and preserved in all the ways possible.
Regrettably, the same thing is certainly not true for Harlem. A significant part of the Harlem's architectural heritage and the buildings of social significance are deteriorated or even in ruins. There is an opinion among the architectural critics and observers that the agency responsible for protecting the architectural heritage the Landmarks Commission, is not acting at its full potential to preserve the architectural heritage of African Americans. While the buildings in the Upper East Side are taken care of and preserved by all the means possible, the architecture of Harlem the wide range of buildings constructed in various time periods, are sometimes literally left on their own. The observers suggest that more attention should be devoted to the Harlem's architecture, otherwise its future would be the one of decay and deterioration.
The Harlem's area covers more than fifty city blocks, it stretches from 96 Street to 155 Street. Within that area, there are four notable historical and architectural districts, the largest of them takes four blocks in size. Although the Landmarks Commission is not that much enthusiastic about preserving Harlem's architectural heritage and the most important buildings, the African American churches are the predominant landmarks in Harlem. The Abyssinian Baptist Church and Community House, the Mother African Episcopal Zion Church and the St. Martin's Episcopal Church Complex are designated as historic buildings. Despite the fact that the Landmarks Commission does not devote the appropriate amount of attention to the Harlem's architecture, there are some independent foundations that have the main objective of preserving the cultural and architectural heritage of African American Harlem.
Those foundations, with the permission of the mentioned above Landmarks Commission, make sure that the deterioration process that is simply inevitable for the old buildings and structures does not ruin some of the most significant architectural sites that are located in Harlem. It is due to those foundations efforts that a lot of buildings that present high architectural value in Harlem are taken care about and maintained. Overall, the history of Harlem's architecture is as diverse as the history of the district itself. The various groups of people that lived in the district all left their architectural heritage, and the main goal now is to preserve that heritage for the future generations. The future of Harlem's architecture is rather uncertain now; only if more attention is devoted to the problem at issue will the architectural heritage of Harlem be preserved. It is really important to maintain the old buildings and structures of Harlem, not only because their architectural value, but also because of their social and cultural importance.
Bibliography Lewis, G. (1995). The Survey of the 20 th Century History. Random House, New York. Rovensky, J. (1994). The Brief History of Harlem, Random House, New York. Seblonka, P. (1999).
Harlem's Architecture, Books, Inc. , New York. Sloan, T. (1997). Harlem Community and Architecture, Harper Perennial, New York.
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