A (Virtual) Sunday Stroll with Michael Kimmelman & Andrew Dolkart

In case you missed it, here's the link to a terrific New York Times article that appeared this past week featuring FRIENDS advisory board member Andrew Dolkart. It's a virtual walking tour of Museum Mile, part of the Metropolitan Museum Historic District, and the second in a series of strolls

Continue reading

BSA Update: Second Public Hearing for 180 East 88th Street

FRIENDS of the Upper East Side Historic Districts and Carnegie Hill Neighbors’ fight against 180 East 88th Street continues. Next Tuesday, October 30th, the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) will hold a second public hearing to address our joint community challenge of the Department of Buildings’ (DOB) approval of a 10 foot by 22 foot portion carved out of

Continue reading

ADVOCACY UPDATE: Inter-building Void at 62nd Street Periscope Tower Endorsed by DOB

After six months, the Department of Buildings (DOB) has finally responded to FRIENDS’ Zoning Challenge of 249 East 62nd Street filed in November 2017.

Continue reading

Quality of life is fundamental to our Upper East Side. Help protect it today!

From 1939-1941, every building in New York City’s Five Boroughs was documented in a series of Tax Photos through a joint effort by the Works Progress Administration and the New York City Department of Taxation.

Continue reading

FRIENDS Challenges “Periscope” Tower at Second Avenue and 62nd Street

From 1939-1941, every building in New York City’s Five Boroughs was documented in a series of Tax Photos through a joint effort by the Works Progress Administration and the New York City Department of Taxation.

Continue reading
Celebration of all things Yorkville!

A Celebration of all things Yorkville!

On Saturday, April 30th, FRIENDS and the Historic Districts Council hosted “Yorkville: A Celebration of Home” at the lovely Bohemian National Hall, an individual New York City landmark. Held in the Hall’s stunning Grand Ballroom, Majda Kallab Whitaker of the Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association provided a fascinating overview of the Hall’s history and careful restoration.

Continue reading

Join FRIENDS for our Spring Events!

What was it like to live in Yorkville when 86th Street was known as German Broadway, when the smell of hops from the Ruppert and Ehret’s breweries filled the air, and when a stop at Paprika Weiss on 82nd Street preceded daily exercise at Sokol Hall? FRIENDS and the Historic

Continue reading

FRIENDS Introduces New Technology to Rediscover Old Buildings

SMARTPHONES MAKE SMART FRIENDS!! On May 9th, over 125 Yorkville enthusiasts joined us for an awesome adventure, using an interactive web application to explore the history of our neighborhood. Players raced around Yorkville accomplishing photo challenges to identify architectural details, replicate historic photos, and imitate ornamental building features. They made

Continue reading

Think You Know the Upper East Side? Prove It at our Yorkville Urban History Hunt!

In partnership with the Go Game, FRIENDS is offering a high-tech urban adventure, sending teams on a mission to discover the remnants of Yorkville’s history!

Continue reading