Friends of the Upper East Side

Tenement architecture is underrated, in our humble opinion. Though often dismissed as non-contributing vernacular buildings, the tenements of the Upper East Side tell us the stories of building regulation and zoning in New York City that influence how our city scape looks. Pictured here are two eras of tenement buildings; an “old law” (first image) and a “new law” (second image) tenement which are distinguished by the passing of the 1901 Tenement House Law which decreed the necessity for design that allowed light and air for all residents.

FRIENDS is partnering with Village Preservation to host a webinar tomorrow, Wednesday, October 14th @ 6pm to take viewers through a virtual tour of the most compelling tenements in both neighborhoods. Sign up at the link in our bio!

Image 1: City and Suburban Homes Company, 79th and York Ave (Wikimedia Commons).

Image 2: 3rd Avenue between 74th and 75th (NYC Municipal Archives).

#nychistory