Architecture of New York Tour
- Private Tour
- $ 315
- Semi-Private Tour
- $ 70 /PP
- Category
- Architecture
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Location
- New York
- Traverses 42nd Street from east to west
- Led by an architecture or history expert
- Ford Foundation, Chrysler Building, Grand Central Terminal, and New York Public Library
Beginning at the East River in the hidden residential enclave Tudor City, we’ll consider how the development’s neo-gothic spires and brick facades created a mythology for up-and-coming New Yorkers in the 1920s. With the distinctive United Nations Building and spectacular views of the East River as a backdrop, we’ll delve into an overview of the architectural history of the city and the fantastic ways that the human and built environments collide. Heading east on 42nd Street, we’ll make stops at several significant landmarks. We’ll consider the Ford Foundation Building’s large, tree-filled atrium and investigate a trio of skyscrapers that epitomize Art Deco style: the Chanin Building, the Chrysler Building, and the Daily News Building.
We’ll continue along to Grand Central Station, a magnificent Beaux-Arts structure and temple to transportation, where we’ll gaze up at the star-flecked sky of the Main Concourse and discuss the Terminal’s origins during the heyday of long-distance passenger rail service. Just two blocks away, we’ll visit New York Public Library, a building that offers sumptuous exterior decoration and interiors for a very different purpose. We’ll conclude our walk in Bryant Park, one of the signature examples of New York City’s revival in the 1990, or perhaps head down to the New York Times Building.
FAQ
Where do we meet? Where does it end?
Generally speaking, the walk begins near Tudor City on 2nd Avenue. Your confirmation email will have the exact meeting point details along with a map, and 24/7 phone number. The walk typically ends near Times Square.
Do we go inside the venues or just see them from the outside?
You will go inside the lobbies of several of the skyscrapers we discuss on the walk. Some of these include the Chrysler Building, Daily News Building, and Grand Central Terminal.
What if it’s raining?
Tours operate rain or shine, but in the case of inclement weather, your docent will modify the tour so more time is spent indoors. It never hurts to have an umbrella on hand.
Is this tour good for kids and teens?
Yes! We have some excellent family friendly docents who can appeal to the learning styles of children. We have a separate Building the City walk just for families with children 12 and under. When booking, free to provide us with information about your children such as favorite school subjects, and hobbies. This way we can match you with the best possible docent.
Is this a walking intensive tour?
This walk covers about 1.25 miles overall. There are occasional opportunities to sit, use the bathroom, and get something to drink if needed.
Matico Josephson has been a student of New York's built environment for as long as he can remember, and an explorer of the city's nooks and crannies for even longer. His curiosity has found an outlet in the History of Architecture, in which he has recently been pursuing a Ph.D. at NYU's Institute of Fine Arts. He will prepare a dissertation on modern architecture in Spain.
Having earned his Master’s degree in History and Philosophy at the CUNY Graduate Center, Daniel London continues his pursuit of the urban past through intensive research into the following questions: How have cities been built, experienced and imagined by different social groups across time? How have these understandings conflicted or converged with each other? And finally, how have these discussions and debates impacted the city we see today? He is currently teaching a course on American Urban History, working at the Museum of the City of New York, and is planning his dissertation on public space in early-twentieth century New York.
A specialist in Renaissance and Baroque art, Irina Oryshkevich teaches art and architectural history at Columbia University where she also earned her PhD in 2003. She has published numerous articles in her field, worked for several New York Old Master galleries, and received fellowships for her academic work from the National Gallery in Washington, the Fulbright Foundation, the Getty, the Society of Fellows and the Italian Academy (both at Columbia) and the American Philosophical Society. In addition to teaching in her area of specialization, Irina, a native New Yorker with a deep interest in local history, has been offering a class on the architecture of New York City at Columbia for the past four years.
