check out this cool flickr pic slideshow of an old abandoned school building in harlem:

 

http://flickr.com/photos/jakedobkin/sets/72157612534075158/

 

 

Is that MTS's place up there? Haaaa :)

Wow, very interesting!

Awesome...

Thats further up than I am.  I think that school is on 145 near St. Nicks' or 149 & 8th.

 

There are a couple of large schools up there that are abandoned and I know that the developers have thought about condo conversions.

 

 

Cool pics, I wonder what the chairs in the auditorium were made of? They seemed to holding up the best of anything in those pictures.

Oh, I love the compositions!

These are some awesome shots. Awesome enough to make me consider the trip 30 blocks north...

These are some awesome shots. Awesome enough to make me consider the trip 30 blocks north...

 

If the subject of this thread is either of the two schools I think they are. I wouldn't go there.  And when I say, you should go there, you shouldn't!

 

I wonder how those folks got in, as both the schools are wrapped in prison style fencing and barbed wire.  Also 148 between Lenox and 8th is not a cute area.

These are some awesome shots. Awesome enough to make me consider the trip 30 blocks north...

 

If the subject of this thread is either of the two schools I think they are. I wouldn't go there.  And when I say, you should go there, you shouldn't!

 

I wonder how those folks got in, as both the schools are wrapped in prison style fencing and barbed wire.  Also 148 between Lenox and 8th is not a cute area.

 

Yeah I've drivin through that area before and it didn't look like a place I'd want to stop, and I've been into some pretty shady abandoned buildings in Over-the-Rhine back in Cincinnati.

 

From the snow in the photos though, I'd say it's pretty likely they were from this past weekend, which means there's a hole in that barbed wire somewhere.

Thats further up than I am.  I think that school is on 145 near St. Nicks' or 149 & 8th.

 

There are a couple of large schools up there that are abandoned and I know that the developers have thought about condo conversions.

 

 

 

yeah i'm thinking it's the mid-block one on 145th.

these open upper floors windows immediately made me think of that one:

 

 

Actually this school is on 145th between Broadway and Amsterdam.  To me, this area seemed glamorous, coming from Detroit.  Then again, I doubt I'd be there at night.  I know this is the building.  I attempted to get in, but I had cut up my ankle really bad two days prior and could hardly walk.  I was able to get over the gateway at the front, which had no barbed wire.  Just iron fencing on either side. I also don't know NYC's laws for trespassing on abandoned property.  In Detroit you cannot be prosecuted just because you walked or climbed in.

 

I had a photo looking straight on, but twol of them got corrupted from my set, one was the school.  But you can still see it in this angled shot.  It's the tall red brick one with the arches and the blue scaffolding.

 

 

 

 

EDIT: This is probably more useful: http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&channel=s&hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=145th+New+York+NY&fb=1&split=1&ll=40.82574,-73.94847&spn=0.001567,0.006974&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=40.825787,-73.948921&panoid=sMWfnTeCg-TPOdwsy4lDHQ&cbp=11,33.57637094713516,,0,-26.189649902512972

Actually this school is on 145th between Broadway and Amsterdam.  To me, this area seemed glamorous, coming from Detroit.  Then again, I doubt I'd be there at night.  I know this is the building.  I attempted to get in, but I had cut up my ankle really bad two days prior and could hardly walk.  I was able to get over the gateway at the front, which had no barbed wire.  Just iron fencing on either side. I also don't know NYC's laws for trespassing on abandoned property.  In Detroit you cannot be prosecuted just because you walked or climbed in.

 

I have a photo of the front, when I find it I'll post.

 

I thought it was the 145 Street school. 

 

145 Street is NOT glamourous, however Hamilton Terrace, Convent, Edgecombe, Bradhurst are gorgeous.  I would sell my brownstone in a NY minute to buy a prime townhouse in that area.

Yes I know.  I was exaggerating a bit.  But when you come from an area where burned out houses next to collapsing brick apartments is considered an okay area, this school looks more than habitable.

 

Yes I know.  I was exaggerating a bit.  But when you come from an area where burned out houses next to collapsing brick apartments is considered an okay area, this school looks more than habitable.

 

oh..

Yes I know.  I was exaggerating a bit.  But when you come from an area where burned out houses next to collapsing brick apartments is considered an okay area, this school looks more than habitable.

 

 

nah, you missed that kind of thing around there by about a decade.

 

however, if yr seriously into decay your timing is still spot on to see it in lorain....no rush either!  :|

Yes I know.  I was exaggerating a bit.  But when you come from an area where burned out houses next to collapsing brick apartments is considered an okay area, this school looks more than habitable.

 

 

nah, you missed that kind of thing around there by about a decade.

 

however, if yr seriously into decay your timing is still spot on to see it in lorain....no rush either!  :|

 

Oh no...there are still some blocks that look like HELL.

 

above 135 street, the blocks change dramatically.  They have gorgeous full brownstone blocks, but the blocks that are lined with apartments are not cute!

 

You could be on Convent and walk over to Broadway or Riverside and it scary.

I rarely go above 135 Street, I stay in my lane!  You're definitely not going to catch me in Washington Hts after sundown.

It's great how Harlem has restored so many brownstones. A lot of them caught on fire and looked like hell but were restored. I wish I could have spent more time in Harlem. I want to go back and see more!

It's great how Harlem has restored so many brownstones. A lot of them caught on fire and looked like hell but were restored. I wish I could have spent more time in Harlem. I want to go back and see more!

 

Fire??  :?  Most were converted into rooming houses, gutted, vandalized or abandoned.

oh please. it's only scary late at night. i even work on that street part of the week (although to the east where it becomes e149th in the bx). lots of times i'll take the bx19 to the 'a' train near there so i go by that school and i always gawk at the thing.

It's great how Harlem has restored so many brownstones. A lot of them caught on fire and looked like hell but were restored. I wish I could have spent more time in Harlem. I want to go back and see more!

 

Fire?? :? Most were converted into rooming houses, gutted, vandalized or abandoned.

 

It reminded me of some interesting photos I saw of a fire that effected a bunch of brownstones that ended up being restored in the 60s or 70s. A lot of the buildings have been through hell, obviously. I'm glad so many are still in tact. Harlem has awesome architecture. Some of the best I've ever seen.

by far the biggest batches of harlem brownstones were revived between like 1995-2000.

 

the reason was the city had a tiered program where you could buy them and they would have them fixed up for you. so empty blocks of beautiful brownstone shells were revitalized all at once, it was amazing. i regret not jumping on that as some of my friends & co-workers did.

I think the next version of American Ruins will mostly likely cover that.  It already shows parts of the Bronx and Harlem that went from okay to terrible to wonderful in a period of 15 years.

 

Perhaps it's time I visit this school again.  It looks like it might have some nice views.  I've done a weekend trip out to NYC and it worked out quite well.  Now that I have 4 days weekends for the rest of the semester, even better.

oh please. it's only scary late at night. i even work on that street part of the week (although to the east where it becomes e149th in the bx). lots of times i'll take the bx19 to the 'a' train near there so i go by that school and i always gawk at the thing.

 

I'm not going up there!  I know people on Hamilton Terrace, Convent, Bradhurst, etc.  in the 150s, the streets are nice.    I live near the 127 Street PJs, but once you cross St. Nicholas Park, it's a whole different ball game. 

 

Central Harlem has improved, yet West Harlem, with the exception of Hamilton Terrace proper, has a long way to go.  Broadway is mess and at after sun down I don't feel comfortable and I fluent spanish speaker.  Drugs are still rampant and sold openly.  When Copelands was still open and I'd go for breakfast, people would straight sell drogas in broad daylight. This Platano followed me into the Chase on 145 and tried to get me to buy some stuff.  It's a whole 'nother level over there.

It reminded me of some interesting photos I saw of a fire that effected a bunch of brownstones that ended up being restored in the 60s or 70s. A lot of the buildings have been through hell, obviously. I'm glad so many are still in tact. Harlem has awesome architecture. Some of the best I've ever seen.

 

You made it seem like a lot the buildings had been set afire, which really isn't the case.

 

Splitting them up and turning them into rooming houses was more detrimental than a few fires.  Even many of the prewar apartment building were split.  3/4 bedroom apartments have been split into one bedrooms and studios.  If you go into an apartment its obvious that landlords chopped up apartments.

 

by far the biggest batches of harlem brownstones were revived between like 1995-2000.

 

the reason was the city had a tiered program where you could buy them and they would have them fixed up for you. so empty blocks of beautiful brownstone shells were revitalized all at once, it was amazing. i regret not jumping on that as some of my friends & co-workers did.

 

Thats how I got mine.  However, I don't know of a program where the city would fix it up for you.  Because if that's the case they owe a about 200K!

 

I have a book that shows the construction and layouts of many of these apartments.  Actually alot of these buildings were constructed to be speculative, and they were not roomy either.  From what I can see, if they were indeed divided up within the past decades, they must be REALLY small now.

i'd add the last rubble lots and real abandonment in the bronx all but disappeared like 5 yrs ago. so the bx is back too!

 

but of course you can always find something here and there like this school, the old bronx courthouse, etc. it's just not pervasive anymore. thankfully.

 

unfortunately, i probably dont have to say it, but most of the new bx infill is utter crap. but that's another story!

 

i'd add the last rubble lots and real abandonment in the bronx all but disappeared like 5 yrs ago. so the bx is back too!

 

but of course you can always find something here and there like this school, the old bronx courthouse, etc. it's just not pervasive anymore. thankfully.

 

unfortunately, i probably dont have to say it, but most of the new bx infill is utter crap. but that's another story!

 

 

Most of the Harlem new build is crap as well.  These new "town houses" are an eyesore.  They don't even fit in with the neighborhood and they are EVERYWHERE.  It's like a big fat "generic town house" machine birthed them overnight!

 

Like this crap

 

 

Ooo, look at the classy under the window air conditioner grates.  Yeah a bit flat. 

Ooo, look at the classy under the window air conditioner grates.  Yeah a bit flat. 

 

That annoys me to know end.  That and window air conditioning units.

I know. I hate air conditioning units in the windows. Hayward showed me a pic of these great rowhouses in Detroit but they had a bunch of air conditioning units and it ruined it :(

I know. I hate air conditioning units in the windows. Hayward showed me a pic of these great rowhouses in Detroit but they had a bunch of air conditioning units and it ruined it :(

 

The problem is a lot of pre war building weren't built with air conditioning.  I had it done in my apartment and its expensive.

 

If you noticed my NYC upper east side photos, there were tons of beautiful buildings with AC units still in them.

Yeah, when I lived in a small apt I found that a window unit was really all I needed for such a small place. I think my electric bill was like 30 a month! Go AC window units lol

Yeah, when I lived in a small apt I found that a window unit was really all I needed for such a small place. I think my electric bill was like 30 a month! Go AC window units lol

 

Yeah, but most prewar apartments are huge.  If I wanted to cool my apartment I would need 4 or 5 air conditioners.  The electricity would be sky high.

I know. I hate air conditioning units in the windows. Hayward showed me a pic of these great rowhouses in Detroit but they had a bunch of air conditioning units and it ruined it :(

 

Hayward also showed you a bunch of ruined rowhouses in Detroit in general.

lol

 

I don't like the setbacks  :| I don't like row houses to have yards.

You know, the only REAL rowhouses I ever saw in Michigan were in a town called Calumet.  It's located 10 hours north of Detroit in the upper peninsula.  The terrain is mountainous and they had a mining boom up there about 80 years ago.  This means they had to build dense and a few nice brick rows were built.  The Houghton-Hancock-Calumet area has a lot more in common with Pittsburgh or Cincinnati than any city in Michigan.  It's also really the only urbanized area they have up there.  Their tallest building is like 13 floors or something. 

lol

 

I don't like the setbacks  :| I don't like row houses to have yards.

 

Why?  Many have yards.  Some in Brooklyn(Carroll Gardens & Bed-Stuy) have huge front lawns.

Agreed.  I think it's okay to have some setback once and awhile.  For example, the zero setback in Philly gets monotonous eventually.  Concrete really begins to dominate and there is not enough room to grow things except for some scrawny little trees.  I actually like Chicago's setbacks up in Lincoln Park.  Just 6-8 feet makes a huge difference, and some of the trees have become massive. 

Thats how mine is.  a small courtyard.  but that's fine for me since I don't want to do yard work.

lol

 

I don't like the setbacks  :| I don't like row houses to have yards.

 

Why?  Many have yards.  Some in Brooklyn(Carroll Gardens & Bed-Stuy) have huge front lawns.

 

I'm not saying my opinion is fact or anything - we all interpret the city differently. But when I see row houses I think it's the epitome of urban. I like hyper-density. I say why not go all out. But to some people it might be a breath of fresh air to have a little green space in front so I can see where you're coming from. If I designed it, I would just make up for it with pocket parks or better yet - courtyards. Just my opinion. I like east coast and Cincy/Pitt row houses more-so than the great lakes versions - in terms of architectural details and overall design and layout.

 

Hayward I don't know if you remember that row houses in Italian Village and I can't remember the street name but to me that looks fantastic even though the single family homes nearby have small yards. I don't think it has setbacks - if it does, it isn't much. I don't know, I just tend to not like row houses to have front yards.

 

On my old street in Cincinnati, there were Italianate houses but each one was built separately and had a slightly different setback. The variance between each was like 2 feet and the front was filled with concrete if it was set back farther than the house next to it. Then a few of the houses had about a 5-6 foot gap between each other with steps leading down to the back of the lower level of the house as it was built on a hill. It was so visually stimulating. I like complexity. I wish I had a pic of that right now.

 

Here's what I was talking about. The first one is in Columbus. Second one, Cincinnati.