Our story starts in 1863, when a Peter Bonnet Wight designed building rose above the corner of 23rd and Park Ave. South. Commissioned by the National Academy of Design, the premier gallery and school for American artists at the time, the building was designed in the High Victorian Gothic style. Trachtenberg and Hyman describe the HVG as being characterized by a "polychromatic eclecticism". By the end of the 19th century, the HVG was waning in popularity, and the National Academy flipped the 23rd St. building to Met Life in 1894 for 600,000 (originally 130,000).
In 1901, the building was scheduled for demolition. Midway through its demolition, The Tribune reported that the facade of the Academy was being salvaged. Rev. Joseph McMahon, previously of St. Patrick's Cathedral, bought the facade and began construction on a new church at 467 West 142nd St. He also acquired salvaged materials from the Catholic Orphan Asylum, the A. T. Stewart mansion at 34th Street and Fifth Avenue and the Madison Avenue facade of St. Patrick's Cathedral thus further solidifying the eclecticism of the original Academy design.
Walking by the church today, it definitely catches your eye. Set amongst the varying facades of Hamilton Heights rowhouses, the austere masonry of the upper stories contrasts sharply with the intense detailing on the lower story to create an almost postmodern aura.
1 comment:
welcome aboard!
...and what a great building to start with. is/was it common for builders to salvage entire facades? adds another layer to the concept of context.
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