Blog - Big Apple Greeter

United Palace: Extravagant, Luxuriant, Exuberant. No Wonder It’s Called a Wonder.

March 10, 2019 By Bobbie Kaplan

United Palace is one of five “Wonder Theatres” built by visionary Marcus Loew. Located at 176th Street and Broadway, no single word can describe its grandeur.

Mike Fitelson, Executive Producer of the theatre, escorted us through the orchestra, mezzanine, foyer, balcony, and men’s smoking lounge – peppering his talk with spicy stories.

We learned about Marcus Loew, a poor New York Jewish boy whose family was originally from Austria and Germany. At the turn of the twentieth century, Loew bought a penny arcade, a vaudeville theatre, and finally he created what would eventually become an empire of Loew’s Movie Theatres.

There was no TV or radio at the time, so movies were a fantastical and affordable escape from reality – especially the reality of The Depression. The theatre opened on February 22, 1930; it took only 13 months to build since there were few city regulations. In 2016, it earned Landmark Status.

The interior is an exuberant mixture of styles: Byzantine-Romanesque-Indo-Hindu-Sino-Moorish-Persian-Eclectic-Rococo-Deco – which is why it’s called “The Kitchen Sink Masterpiece.”

In the 1950s, America fell in love with what Mike called “The idiot box: television.” This led to the end of single screen movie theatres and by the 1960s, the United Palace was in financial trouble. 1969 saw the divine intervention of the New York City minister Reverend Ike. His United Christian Evangelistic Association bought the building for their church for half a million dollars. He started renovations and basically saved the theatre.

Today the United Palace is a church and a non-profit performing arts center. From spiritual and religious programs to classic movie screenings (My Fair Lady and Rear Window) to concerts (Bob Dylan and Adele), there is something for everyone to love.

The theatre also is rented out for filming TV programs and movies, magazine photography and fashion shows. In 2016, Lin-Manuel Miranda, who grew up in the neighborhood, helped raise $100,000.00 to benefit the theatre.

Because it’s been given meticulous care, the Palace looks today as it did in 1930. And the Robert Morton- designed “Wonder Organ” is the only one of five that’s still in its original “Wonder Theatre.”

See the wonder of it all. Go to unitedpalace.org or call 212-568-6700.

National Museum of the American Indian: A Magnificent Treasure Worthy of Its American Natives

February 24, 2019 By Bobbie Kaplan

Tucked within the historic Alexander Hamilton U.S Custom House at One Bowling Green in Manhattan, the National Museum of the American Indian features the lives, history and art of American Natives throughout North and South America. While the artifacts are magnificent, this visit was more about the architectural wonder of the building.

Before there was ever a building, this location was a port established by the Dutch in 1629, and the start of a trading route that extended up to Albany – managed by the Dutch and the Lenape Indian Tribe. Soon this location became the center of business of New Amsterdam and later New York City.

Our delightful guide Bob explained that by 1899, the U.S. Treasury wished to have a “Temple” of Commerce. Cass Gilbert (1859 – 1934) a prominent American architect known for the beauty of his masterworks was chosen for the project.

With $6 million dollars to spend, Gilbert’s vision for the interior was an extravagance in marble. He traveled through America and Europe, bringing back marble from Georgia, Alaska, Virginia and Italy. He loved Switzerland’s green marble whose veins reminded him of moving water. He used this green marble for 14 columns throughout the building.

With his wonderful sense of humor, Bob confessed the 2-foot thick solid marble walls never get warm, so teeth-chattering often accompanies his stories.

Opulence abounds in the second-level Rotunda. An oval ceiling dome, outlined in brilliant bulbs, has oil paintings underneath: tugboats with customs agents, the Statue of Liberty welcoming European ships, and the great French liner, Normandy.

Ironically, the exterior has little to do with American style since it is French Beaux Arts in design. Built in 1900, it was almost finished by 1907, when Gilbert was lured away by F.W. Woolworth to design a building for him.

Our last stop was the Museum Store and Cashier’s Offices. The art and artifacts for sale are colorful, joyful, whimsical – a wide representation of Native Groups.

Do not miss this architectural gem which houses astonishing collections of Native American art. Call 212-514-3794 or visit their website at americanindian.si.edu/visit/newyork/

Tom Keating Tells All About New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission

January 22, 2019 By Bobbie Kaplan

On January 8th in the Big Apple Greeter conference room, our Greeter Tom Keating gave an engrossing slide show about the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Keating always finds subjects that thrill anyone who is obsessive about New York. He does intensive research and then brings it to life with the perfect picture: either from his own camera or from another photographer’s work.

He started by giving a brief history of the first Penn Station, built in 1910 in the Beaux Arts style and designed by McKin, Meade and White. In 1963, the city planning commission demolished the grand railroad station. Because it was so huge, its upkeep was too expensive.

The original Penn Station
Photo credit: wikipedia.org

This was the catalyst that led to the creation of the Landmarks Commission in 1965. The station was considered an architectural masterpiece, so widespread outrage followed – among architects as well as the general public.

Since 1965, there are 23,000 Landmarks in New York City. They can be anything from entire buildings to interiors of buildings, from historic districts to row houses. In order to get Landmarked, they must have the following requirements:

Historic Interest
Aesthetic interest
Some sort of special character
Must be at least 30 years old

Tom presented examples of Landmarked places. The main Post Office at 8th Avenue and 33rd Street, built in 1912 In the Beaux Arts style and designed by the same architects who created Penn Station. Another example was Fraunces Tavern on Pearl Street, built in 1719 in the Colonial Revival style.

Tom shared a delicious tidbit, not about Landmarks, but about buildings. It came from the book, Tenements, Towers and Trash by Julia Wertz. It seems the owners of P.J. Clarke’s restaurant located in a small mid-19th century building at 55th Street and 3rd Avenue, didn’t want to sell to developers. So the developers, not used to taking “no” for answer, built a 47-story office building looming over the holdout!

In our Big Apple Greeter family, Tom Keating has earned a Landmark status of his own.

Saving Radio City Music Hall: A Dancer’s True Story

December 18, 2018 By Bobbie Kaplan

Rosemary Novellino-Mearns (otherwise known as “Rosie”) took us on a journey: a slide presentation of the story of her life, and her gargantuan effort to save Radio City Music Hall from demolition in 1978.

At age 18, Rosie became a member of Radio City’s Ballet Company. Few people know there was a Ballet Company since they were overshadowed by the Rockettes.

By 1978, the Music Hall was hemorrhaging money, so it was decided by owner Rockefeller Center to demolish it. Ludicrous suggestions were made to replace it: an amusement park or perhaps a shopping mall!

Rosie told us the history of the Music Hall. It opened in 1932. The opulence and splendor of the Art Deco style was everywhere: even the Ladies Room seemed straight out of a Fred Astaire movie. It was the showplace of the nation.

Entertainment was dazzling through the years. There were movies such as An American in Paris. And of course, there were the Rockettes, the Ballet Company and musical entertainment of all kinds.

The One and Only Radio City Music Hall
Courtesy: messymessychic.com

When the announcement was made to demolish the Music Hall, Rosemary tore into action. She organized the performers and backstage workers, who would all lose their jobs. She gathered countless celebrities and supporters. She wrote to politicians and newspapers, spoke on radio and TV shows, telling her heartfelt story: “The Music Hall is an institution; the Rockettes are an art form; it would be nothing less than criminal to lose them!”

6200 unobstructed views
Courtesy: MSG.com

Even more important, she met with The New York City Landmark Commission. On the morning of that meeting, the Rockettes danced on the steps of City Hall. When they were finished, an audience of 6000 people jumped up, threw flowers, and shouted, “Don’t close, don’t close!”

Meanwhile, Rosie presented the Landmark Commission with a petition of 150,000 signatures from all over the world. Only two weeks later, the Music Hall attorney called: “We’re in business, we’ve been saved. We will soon be a National Historic Landmark!”

You can read more about Rosie’s story in her book, SAVING RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL: A Dancer’s True Story. Do not miss this tribute to the power of intention, to the power of one person who can literally change the world.

There’s Nothing Bleak About Bleecker Street!

November 25, 2018 By Bobbie Kaplan

On our way to meet our guides from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) at 359 Bleecker Street in Manhattan, a tantalizing display of icing-heavy cupcakes lured us into a tiny shop, Arianna. Turns out, they weren’t cupcakes, but beautifully carved soaps. This unexpected creativity defines Bleecker Street, as does history, architecture, and even a bit of scandal.

Our guides loved telling us Bleecker Street stories. Sarah Bean Apmann, Director of Research and Historic Preservation, could hardly contain herself each time she shared new knowledge. Equally enthusiastic was her colleague, Samuel Moskowitz, Director of Operations. Both seemed smitten to be working for GVSHP.

Since 1969, the street has been a designated historic district. Its low row houses were some of New York’s first buildings, constructed in the 1700s in the Federal style, later in the 1830s in Greek revival style.

Early residents were English, German, and Dutch, but by the late 19th century came a wave of Italian immigrants. Father Demo Square was named after a priest, who for 30 years, looked after his Italian settlers.

Father Demo Square
Photo credit: NYC Parks

Bleecker Street also claims more famous heroes: Thomas Paine who wrote “Common Sense” in 1776, arguing for independence from England and the creation of a democratic republic; and Jacob Riis who denounced the dreadful tenement slums and helped enact the 1901 Tenement Law, even though he didn’t live on Bleecker Street.

In 1961, the New York Times wrote, “A certain section of Bleecker Street is one of the food treasures of New York City.” That hasn’t changed. Side by side, we saw Indian, Italian, Ethiopian, and Jewish restaurants reflecting the diversity of the city.

At 183 Bleecker, as early as the 1890s, one of the first LGBTQ sex clubs offered scandalous live sex shows. Down the block at #157 was an early gay bar, The Slide Club, called “the wickedest place in New York” by the New York Press.

The Bayard-Condict Building
Photo credit: GVSHP

After walking the entire street, the last thing Sarah showed us was her favorite city building. The Bayard-Condict was built in 1899 by famous architect, Louis Sullivan. It rises 13 stories in ornate splendor among its much shorter neighbors.

To learn more and to visit Greenwich Village, go to gvshp.org

A Free Welcome-Visitor Service from NYC Volunteers

United Palace: Extravagant, Luxuriant, Exuberant. No Wonder It’s Called a Wonder.

National Museum of the American Indian: A Magnificent Treasure Worthy of Its American Natives

Tom Keating Tells All About New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission

Saving Radio City Music Hall: A Dancer’s True Story

There’s Nothing Bleak About Bleecker Street!

Meet a real New Yorker and discover the magic of New York City’s many culturally and ethnically diverse neighborhoods.