THEN

Following the death of William C. Rhinelander in 1878, the family’s 48-acre estate in Yorkville was divided and sold, financing the creation of such local institutions as the Children’s Aid Society’s Rhinelander Industrial School on East 88th Street. Identified by a square terracotta panel with the letter “R” on the first floor, this Flemish Revival structure was financed by sisters Julia and Serena Rhinelander. It opened in 1891 – prior to the adjoining Church of the Holy Trinity (1896-97), which Serena also sponsored. The architect was Vaux & Radford, who designed numerous structures for the Children’s Aid Society, particularly in immigrant neighborhoods like the Lower East Side. Planned for 300 students, the school offered an evolving curriculum, one that initially focused on manual trades like sewing and carpentry, and later, skills for children with disabilities. In the late 1950s, the brick facade was unfortunately re-clad with brown stucco. Advantage Testing, a for-profit educational company, now owns the structure.