The Midtown Architectural Walking Tour
Architecture - History - Interesting Pictures and Stories

This three hour walking tour covers a section of Midtown Manhattan that contains a number of landmark buildings
with a selection of historic and anti historic architectural styles more diverse than any other part of Manhattan.
Also Included are, some of the area's history, interesting pictures and stories that help join us with the area's past.

This Walking Tour of the Past and Present Features:

A walk in Midtown with landmark examples of Art Deco, Modern, Post Modern.
Also an example of Brutalism in a New York skyscraper and even an example of deconstructionism in a New York skyscraper.
Mixed with landmark examples of: neo-Georgian, neo-Tudor, Romanesque Revival, neo-Moorish / Islamic Revival, neo-Federal styles
along with a landmark example the 16th Century Italian Renaissance Palace style of architecture and a wood frame home from 1866.
We will see buildings by such well knwon modern architects as: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Walter Gropius, Gordon Bunshaft.
Also two Post Modern skyscrapers by Philip Johnson plus a modern guest house by Philip Johnson.
And to Make the mix more interesting will see a small Post Modern skyscraper with a nice optical illusion and 3 Historically styled skyscrapers.

For the three hour walking tour each participant is given an itinerary with over 29 stops
which include 17 New York City landmarks & 7 national landmarks
The charge for the three hour tour is $180.
All stops are fully discussed.

The 3 hour Tour's Highlights are::

  • Landmark examples of New York's best modern skyscrapers (The international style)
  • The Waldorf= Astoria and the original Waldorf=Astoria, what it looked like and the family feud that precipitated it
  • "The Spirit of Achievement" by: Nina Saemundsson - "Abundance" by: Charles Keck
  • "The Wheel of Life" and 13 allegorical oil murals by: Louis Rigal
  • St. Bartholomew Church and a remnant from the past
    And "The Story of Creation" by Hildreth Mier
  • A landmark neo Georgian mansion styled after Virginia Manor on the James River
  • A landmark neo Tudor townhouse from 1910
  • The Brook Clubhouse,, a private Federal style clubhouse here from 1925
  • An Italian Renaissance inspired mansion from 1906
  • The Lipstick Building
  • A French 2nd Empire styled wood frame home from 1866
  • Citigroup Center and St. Peter’s Church
    optional: The Chapel of the Good Shepard with its 5 sided sculptural environment created by the abstract, expressionist designer sculptor, Louise Nevelson
  • A Beaux Arts styled hospital from 1902
  • A landmark Rockefeller Guest House from 1950
  • A English Renaissance mansion from 1907
  • The landmark Ritz Tower from 1927
  • A landmark hotel that looks like it escaped from Florida
  • Brick Sculpture by Aleksandra Kasuba
  • The original G.E. Building - a beautiful landmark Art Deco skyscraper, given away as a gift
  • Lever House and the Seagram Building both both modern (International Style II) style, New York City landmark skyscrapers & both are
    considered precursors to the Minimalist movement and both rotate their art collections for the benefit of the public.
  • The Mutual of America Bldg. and Banco Santander Bldg. two Post Modern skyscrapers, both with references to architectural styles from the past
  • The Four Seasons Hotel, 1993, designed by I. M. Pei
  • Walter Gropius' only building in New York
  • The Tennis and Racquet Club (scaled to the avenue)
  • The Oldest Synagogue Building in New York, still in continuous use as a synagogue by the original congregation
  • Lillian Gish and Dorothy Gish are interred in a columbarium in the church's undercroft
  • Heron Tower - a Post Modern skyscraper with an optical illusion
  • The Chippendale Skyscraper, Philip Johnson's first Post Modern building
  • Frank Stella's "Salta nel mio Sacco"
  • The IBM Building with an environmental sculpture that contains the buildings address
  • An example of deconstructivism in a small New York City skyscraper
  • The Fuller Bldg. an Art Deco building with a modernistic entrance in 1928 and much more
  • Also you will find out about: the destruction of a showroom designed by Frank Lloyd Wright,and the "Manhattan Cannibal"
  • Optional:      A small New York City landmark Art Deco skyscraper from 1930 and
    The Crown Bldg. a Historically styled skyscraper that combines Art Deco and French Renaissance Chateau styles
    plus a hi-rise that combines Art Deco and neo-Gothic styles

Meet in front of 300 Park Ave between E.49 St. and E. 50 St.
#6 train to East 51 St. & Lexington Ave. or the E or F Train to Lexington Ave. (53 St.)

Interested in a Private Walking Tour" ?
Call: (212) 979-2388 for details www.nycwalk.com   
or : E Mail Me

You can choose a special tour that focuses exclusively on the public art in Midtown. Works by such well known artist as:
Frank Steller, Jean Dubuffet, Fernand Leger, Robert Cook, Damien Hirst, Alexander Calder, Andy Warhol, Stuart Davis, Luis Sanguino, Michael Heizer, and others.
Click for a special: "Midtown Art on Display Walking Tour"
or "A Walking Tour of Rockefeller Center's Public Art Display"

All Tours Guided by Alfred Pommer, college graduate, an informative native New Yorker and a licensed New York City guide,
with over 27 years experience researching, creating and leading walking tours in Manhattan's many diverse neighborhoods.
Alfred Pommer is the author of 4 Manhattan armchair guide books:   "Exploring Gramercy Park and Union Square" 2015,
"Exploring Manhattan's Murray Hill" 2013, "Exploring New York's SoHo" 2012 &, "Exploring The Original West Village" 2011
All published by the History Press (http://historypress.net) and Arcadia Publications (www.arcadiapublishing.com)
And are available at local book stores, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, from The History Press, Arcadia Publications, & from Alfred Pommer.
This is a link to Alfred Pommer's author page at amazon.com
Interested in a Private Walking Tour" ?
Call: (212) 979-2388 for details
www.nycwalk.com  or E Mail Me :


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